Does Resident Evil 4 truly need a remake?
The answer to that question will vary wildly depending on who you ask, though the general consensus among older fans of the series certainly leans towards an emphatic no, at least not yet. The prevailing opinion is that the landmark action-horror hybrid still holds up well enough today to make such a project redundant, though it appears as if Capcom begs to differ.
Both from our own sources and those that have relayed similar information since, we know that the developer has supposedly already greenlit a complete remake of the series’ fourth installment, but what else is known besides that? Not much, truth be told, and if what we’ve learned recently – that Capcom doesn’t plan to officially unveil the game until after the release of Resident Evil 8 – is accurate, it’ll no doubt be a while until we’re privy to more details.
As for what we do know, continue through the break below for a round-up of the major talking points.
Who’s the developer?
It may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but if you guessed Capcom, the evidence so far points to that not being the case. As initially reported by VGC, Osaka-based studio M-Two will be the lead on this particular project, having gotten its feet wet, so to speak, with the series by contributing to this year’s Resident Evil 3. Presumably, Capcom Division 1 (the folks that handled 2019’s Resident Evil 2) has its hands full with Resident Evil 8.
Gameplay & Story
This one’s essentially devoid of any solid details, though it’s hardly a stretch to assume M-Two will use RE Engine to produce 4‘s remake. Gameplay of the original is still held in high regard even today, so it’s unlikely that any major changes will take place on this front. In terms of narrative, major story beats will undoubtedly remain similar if not identical, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the obvious filler get cut.
Release Date
Again, if VGC’s report is accurate, the aim is for an early 2022 launch window, though given current world affairs, there’s a very real chance of delays happening. Capcom outlined earlier this week in recent financial reports that it, like near-to all businesses, has been affected by COVID-19, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
And that’s that. Is a remake of Resident Evil 4 an instant buy though, or would you, like many others, have preferred that other entries in the series – or even different IPs entirely – get a look-in first? Let us know in the comments below!
