After years of rumors and leaks, a full-fledged remake of Resident Evil 4 is finally on the way. Capcom announced it at Sony’s PlayStation State of Play event on June 2, with a release date slated for 2023. The game follows in the footsteps of Resident Evil 2 and 3. Capcom remade both of them for modern hardware in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In under a year, players will be able to relive Leon S. Kennedy’s solo adventure in glorious HD. Here are all the details we know so far.
Next-Gen Resident Evil 4 Remake Announced
Yes, the very first reveal at the State of Play was a trailer confirming the existence of the Resident Evil 4 remake. Built from the ground up on Capcom’s RE Engine, it’s a totally revamped version of the 2005 original. Even better, it’s due out within the next year. Currently its release date is March 24, 2023.
The trailer shows off brief glimpses of iconic locations from the game, including the town square where the villagers first swarm Leon. We also see HD models of characters like Ada Wong and Osmund Saddler, suggesting the plot will mostly remain the same. However, Capcom has confirmed that some plot elements will be reimagined to “[provide] a fresh feeling,” as per PlayStation Blog. We don’t know what that’ll involve yet, though Leon’s ominous line at the end of the trailer suggests his backstory will change a little.
Nonetheless, expect to see familiar foes like Ramon Salazar, Jack Krauser, and those haunting Regenerador monsters. If the previous remakes are anything to go by, this title could lean more towards survival horror than the original. With noticeably darker backdrops and a much moodier tone, it may not be the tongue-in-cheek adventure that Resident Evil 4 once was.
The Resident Evil 4 remake will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Yes, that means it will skip previous-gen consoles. Considering Capcom was reluctant to release Resident Evil Village on older hardware, that isn’t too much of a surprise. Marking the franchise’s first proper foray into next-gen consoles, expect snappy performance and rapid load times.
After years of waiting and expectation, Resident Evil 4 is officially getting the remake treatment. Leon S. Kennedy is back, and the game that changed third-person shooters is as well.
