Can a remake be GotY? We ask this because Capcom have just given perhaps the greatest game of all time, Resident Evil 4, the treatment they have been giving to the series at large. One which has taken a brilliant title to whole new levels.

So, a 5/5 back in 2005 is shockingly a 5/5 must-play still in 2023, thanks for reading and well see you next time.

Pain in Spain Avoids Being Plain

Fine, we’ll elaborate. Resident Evil 4 plays a huge part in the series history in many ways. The game was the breath of fresh air the series was really gasping for by this point.

And it’s no secret that the Resident Evil series was on the ropes back in the mid-00s. But Resident Evil 4 changed all of that. And it not only saved the series but changed how we play third person shooters forever.

Odds are you’ll be walking into this remake as a returning fan having played the original version on one of its many ports from its Gamecube roots. Or you’ll be playing it for the first time (which we really envy).

Standing on the Shoulders of GOATs

The game’s core is the same as the original. However Resident Evil 4 Remake does just enough to carve its own path thanks to a few tweaks and changes being added to the mix, resulting in a faithful retelling with worthwhile deviations.

You fill the boots of everyone’s favourite floppy haired US agent Leon S. Kennedy, as he is sent to save Ashley Graham – the daughter of the United States president, from the mysterious Los Iluminados cult.

Resi 4 is then a thrill-packed rollercoaster ride that sees you bounce from epic set-piece to set-piece. All while finding the world is opening up as you go, encouraging even more exploration.

It’s a true testament to just how much of a complete package the original game was.

Resident Evil 4 Trim

Capcom have been criticised in the past for ‘cutting’ content from the remakes of the series. For example, the clock tower from Resident Evil 3. But here they hit ALL the main beats of the game.

Resident Evil 4 Remake bosses Spain location

It must be noted that some fat has been trimmed around the tale, and that Resident Evil 4 has been tightened up a little bit. It’s still B-movie cheese at times and every situation escalates to evermore over-the-top moments.

But the overall tone has been dialled down just a little, which helps lose that almost cartoon edge the original had and brings it more in line tonally with Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil: Village.

History also shows the first game, though billed as a survival horror game, was more of an action adventure as you blasted everything that moves.

However, Resident Evil 4 Remake reclaims a bit of the horror ambience through its construction of a foreboding atmosphere. The game does this with its mastery of lighting, fog effects and audio cues.

Tweaks to Perfection

On the gameplay front things have also been tweaked, though nothing really ground breaking. Like being able to aim and move at the same time. There’s also a knife parry move which adds an extra layer to the combat.

Random QTE events have been dropped from the game wholesale. Plus Ashley is less of a pain in the bum this time around and this is, maybe, the biggest improvement to the game as a whole. In the 2005 original Ashley was a standout gripe, even to this day.

There is also a new side quest system which adds in some extra tasty loot if you’re willing to risk it all and there are a few new things that go bump in the night, to really keep even the most hardcore of fans on their toes.

An Answer

Visually, Resident Evil 4 Remake is jaw-dropping. Dark and moody one minute, and then awash with gunfire and torchlight the next. Capcom have once again raised the bar in terms of graphical and image quality.

Resident Evil 4 remake is a true masterclass in game design from the enemy design, to its pacing, building up the level of challenge you face and how it forces you to keep adapting how you use your arsenal.

The esteem that Resident Evil 4 is held in must have put real pressure on Capcom to deliver but they have done more that that. This isn’t just a must-play, it’s a must-own, a must-savour, a must-replay.

And depending on your answer to our opening question, it’s hands down GotY.