In the years since it was released, Resident Evil 4 has received almost universal praise and many even consider it to be one of the best games ever made. Its gloomy atmosphere, campy dialogue, and addictive combat all work in harmony to create one of gaming's classics. It makes sense, then, that rumors have been circling for a while about a potential remake for the most beloved game in the Resident Evil series. As is the case with all remakes, the studio behind it has the opportunity to make changes to the original game in order to update it for modern sensibilities and nothing needs an update from the original RE4 as much as Leon's partner in crime Ashley Graham.
Rescuing Ashley is Leon's main objective throughout much of Resident Evil 4. She was kidnapped for being the president's daughter and once Leon manages to pick her up, the rest of the game is spent trying to escape Los Iluminados with their lives. Essentially, anytime Ashley is around, the game turns into one big escort quest with the incredibly annoying and loud companion that is Ashley. While it may not be advisable to cut her out of the game entirely, Capcom should consider changing the way Ashley comes across in the rumored remake.
Tweaking Ashley's Personality for Resident Evil 4
Unfortunately for anyone playing RE4, Ashley's constant screaming and shouting can get grating on the ears very quickly. So many fans found her to be such a nuisance that complaining about her turned into something of a meme. It seems intentional as her constant yelling feels akin to Willie Scott in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and many think that she's just a teenager based on her overall composure and maturity, but during the events of Resident Evil 4, she's 20 years old.
It might be in the interest of the potential Resident Evil 4 remake to make her act her age a little bit more and give her a character that has more depth than simply someone who's in constant need of being rescued. She's certainly a memorable part of Resident Evil 4 to the point where there's plenty of Ashley Graham cosplayers, but she's not necessarily memorable for the best reasons. If the remake were to give Ashley a lot more depth and potentially tie her into the broader RE canon, she might leave an even bigger impact than she did in the original.
Ashley's Constant Need for Being Rescued
Although arguably not as irritating as other escort missions in gaming, the times when Ashley is involved in combat during Resident Evil 4 often feel like more of a chore than a fun part of the game. She has no way of defending herself, so Leon usually resorts to making her hide in various containers until the combat encounters are over. It's worth pointing out that Ashley's helplessness is part of the overall point: if she was overly capable in a fight, then she wouldn't have been kidnapped in the first place. However, there are other ways that she could be of use that don't involve her hiding for a majority of the game's playtime.
The story of Resident Evil 4 is all about Leon saving Ashley, so her vulnerability shouldn't change, but maybe instead of being grabbed the moment an enemy reaches her, she has the ability to potentially knock them off and escape. She could also go the route of Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite and find things like ammo and health for Leon during combat. By giving her some sort of agency in the overall gameplay, Capcom could turn Ashley into a beloved part of an already precious game.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is rumored to be in development.