Nintendo has uplifting, lighthearted games that appeal to a wide demographic. Someone doesn’t have to be a kid to appreciate first-party Nintendo Switch games, and these titles are generally the main reason to pick up the cons
If the remake of Resident Evil 4 decides to trim the fat in a similar way to 2 and 3, it will lose moments like this. The original is the longest game in the franchise by a significant margin, and this is for good reason. Each major location is like a game in itself, taking time to introduce you to their threats, puzzles, and further intricacies before things inevitably descend into an avalanche of action. You hurl grenades around like other modern entries, but here it feels earned, like you’ve triumphed over unstoppable horrors and can finally take your revenge. The campaign being cut short would rob these moments of their brilliance, and this isn’t how newcomers should experience one of the best survival horror games ever concei
This didn’t feel the same in Resident Evil 3 or Village, due to a forgiving focus on action and campaigns that were so short that you never had enough time to feel overwhelmed. You’re on a relatively linear track of varying locations and setpieces, meaning Ethan Winters and Jill Valentine never feel lost or alone amidst foreign circumstances. They’re also armed to the teeth, so zombies and werewolves that would feel like the end of the world to a normal civilian are little more than pesky obstacles to our unstoppable her
To be sure, certain moments like the encounter with the regenerator stand out as among the scariest in the series , but overall the atmosphere is one of corny one-liners, martial arts kicks, and action movie setpieces. These elements are important to the original game’s appeal, but in keeping with the atmosphere of the previous two remakes, perhaps it’s best to lean a little further into the horror eleme
This train of thought originates from the remake of Resident Evil 3, which was a painfully underwhelming successor to the phenomenal remake of Resident Evil 2. The latter was one of Capcom’s best star Wars games innovation in years, ushering in a new era of survival horror brilliance that I was confident it would build upon. With the arrival of Resident Evil 3 and Village, it seems it is opting for an action-oriented approach that won’t risk alienating those who aren’t willing to negotiate with horror. It’s the smart move, but creatively, it feels like a hollow one. Resident Evil is at its weakest when the action ramps up, giving way to adequate gunplay instead of allowing its atmosphere and monsters to do the heavy lift
Breath of the Wild tells an achingly human tale, but to uncover it you’ll need to invest dozens of hours into scouring Hyrule in search of brief cutscenes that chronicle Link and Zelda’s doomed pilgrimage in search of allies. None of the flashbacks are told with any sense of chronology, so you’ll stumble across them randomly and be forced to work out exactly what is going on and how it factors into the overall adventure. This mirrors Link’s own amnesia, so it feels like we’ve truly been placed in his shoes, trying to work out how our friends were lost and what we can do to save whatever it is they left behind.
Resident Evil 4 is at the apex of camp in the series, and that’s part of the reason why it’s so enduringly loved. If the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 are any indication, it appears that Capcom is attempting to dress up their older titles with a more grounded, realistic atmosphere. While that’s fine in moderation, making Resident Evil 4 too serious will harm the overall experience and misses the enduring appeal of the original g
By far one of the most oddly satisfying things about the original Resident Evil 4 is its inventory system. The player has access to a grid-based attache case, with purchasable upgrades, and must intelligently arrange their weapons and items to use the available space most efficien
It’s heartbreaking, with Zelda’s increased trepidation as she marches towards oblivion reflected in her distrust of Link, an aura of royal pretentiousness that inevitably morphs into fondness over time. Link begins his journey as a knight tasked with watching over the princess, but eventually becomes a close friend she can confide in when everything seems lost. It’s powerful, and the fact something this emotionally resonant is told through the medium of discordant flashbacks is quite an accomplishment.
A remake of Resident Evil 4 feels very different now I’ve played through the entirety of Resident Evil Village . The first-person sequel is essentially a modern successor to the survival-horror masterpiece, adapting many of its ideas and mechanics for a new audience. It’s a campy, overblown adventure filled with over-the-top villains and nonsensical plot developments that ape the series’ finest hour, even if it sacrifices many of its own ideas in the process. Now, unless this rumoured remake completely overhauls the original vision, I can’t help but think it might end up feeling obsol
