Resident Evil 4 has turned 16 this week and fans are marking the occasion on social media.
Unless you were in Europe at the time (and thus forced to wait an additional two months), Capcom’s landmark entry in the survival horror franchise presented something of an all-new experience for Nintendo GameCube owners back in January 2005. Shinji Mikami’s final project before departing the company to establish his own studio, Leon S. Kennedy’s foray into rural Spain in search of the US President’s missing daughter remains one of the most historically important games ever released for the entertainment medium due to its revolutionary pioneering of the over the shoulder viewpoint. Of course, the feature has since become a hallmark of third-person shooters, having directly impacted the design of several big name franchises arriving in its wake.
Over a decade later, RE4 is certainly the most decorated mainline Resident Evil to date, but is it the best? That’s a subjective discussion we’re not going to get into here, though 2017’s soft reboot is certainly a contender for usurping the throne, as too, is the upcoming Village. Never ending debates aside, celebrations have been in full swing over the last 24 hours and you can check out some tributes for yourself below.
16 years have passed since the greatest game ever made was released. Happy 16th birthday, Resident Evil 4. pic.twitter.com/4LkIenyrbQ
— Nin (@NinAmuro57) January 11, 2021
Happy Birthday Resident Evil 4! #Happybirthdayre4 #RE4 pic.twitter.com/OJCK9j8OB6
— 🇺🇦 Kris Swiftt 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@KrisSwiftt) January 12, 2021
I see Resident Evil 4 trending and I am reminded that they're planning to remake Resident Evil 4.
Resident Evil 4 is already excellent in modern day there's no reason to remake it
— Pure Black Portrait (@PBP1366) January 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/anderzonkaz/status/1348760030707900424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1348760030707900424%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fgaming%2Fnews%2Fresident-evil-4-trends-as-fans-celebrate-16th-anniversary%2F
Resident Evil 4 has one thing that scares me to death:
these things pic.twitter.com/QAMJKZXKr3
— tsuchinoko (@the_tsuchinoko) January 12, 2021
16 years ago my #1 game of all time was made. Resident Evil 4 is a flawless masterpiece and has paved the way for many of my fav survival horror games today. Will never forget long nights playing this with my cousin then going outside pretending I’m Leon. Greatest game ever pic.twitter.com/1JtFNoiuDo
— Zerge 🖤 (@itszergee) January 11, 2021
Yeah happy Anniversary RE4. It's RE4. We all love it. It's like the child who can do no wrong. I mean. .. it's Resident Evil 4. pic.twitter.com/rBdPB5Jl7u
— CaI (@CalcalCalvi) January 12, 2021
It’s worth noting, of course, that these festivities come amidst heavy rumors of a Resident Evil 4 remake. While Capcom has yet to make any announcement, several reputable insiders have corroborated the initial reports, with a recent data breach of the company’s internal servers having subsequently revealed what appear to be environmental assets belonging to the reimagining.
We’ll ultimately have to wait and see just what it is that’s being worked on behind closed doors but suffice it to say that official word is unlikely to come until after the release of Resident Evil Village, itself scheduled to arrive within the first half of 2021. See here for everything we know about the eighth mainline installment so far.
