Resident Evil 4 has quite a few colorful characters and even more memorable enemies that all contribute to the narrative’s overall tone and atmosphere. On one hand, players have characters like Ashley Graham, the damsel in distress, and Leon S. Kennedy as her dashing knight. On the other hand, players have characters like Luis Serra as a comedic relief alongside Ramon Salazar, whose one-liners rival Leon’s in a competition of who can insult the other more creatively. Because there are so many chracters in Resident Evil 4, it is impressive they do not drown one another out.
Resident Evil 4’s Merchant is a fan-favorite character for how mysterious and identifiable he is on his own, appearing as somewhat of a supernatural figure who manages to appear when Leon and the player need him most. Ada Wong appears again to mess with Leon’s head even more than Lord Saddler already has, and Jack Krauser’s importance in the narrative may confuse players if they are unaware of his and Leon’s history together from Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles’ Operation Javier. Further, the Resident Evil 4 remake reprises Mike in perfect fashion.
Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Mike Comes in Clutch at the Island
Longtime fans of the original Resident Evil 4 can attest to how tedious the island section can be. In proper Resident Evil fashion, the third act is either drawn out or filled with a starkly opposite atmosphere and enemies, and the island is certainly true of that.
Players are whisked away from the village’s rural horrors and the castle’s whimsical machinations and plunged into a military base where they must avoid a ton of firepower. There is no way that fans can knock Capcom for retaining these island sequences in the remake since they demanded that it be fully faithful, but the island is likely the region that players would have been okay with seeing drastic reimaginings.
That said, the island is also home to one of Resident Evil’s most terrifying enemies with Regenerators and Iron Maidens, and it is worth keeping around for these enemies alone. Thankfully, much of the player’s trek through stun baton-wielding soldiers and laser-sighted turrets is alleviated by the introduction of Mike, a helicopter pilot sent by Ingrid Hunnigan to aid Leon.
Mike is wise-cracking in the few lines he has, though he does seem to have a couple more lines in the remake than he did in the original Resident Evil 4. The sequences with Mike are fun because players know they have a backup from a distance, and can kite enemies into his line of sight to have them eliminated with haste.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Uses Mike the Perfect Amount
If Mike was around for the entirety of the island that would be far too much of the character, though, since he is soon killed. Mike only plays a fleeting role, but it is a greatly appreciated one in order for players to not have to take on too many enemies positioned on mounted turrets or firing rocket launchers.
In the original game, Mike is taken out by a rocket launcher, while in the remake Mike is killed when one of Resident Evil 4’s Novistadors attacks the helicopter and sends him plummeting with an explosive crash. Many fans wish that Mike’s role was fleshed out more, but it still serves the plot well and introduces someone from Hunnigan’s line of work as helpful NPC aid.
Either way, Mike’s role is kept faithful to the original game in the remake. Mike now confidently remains as iconic as ever with a personality as big as anyone else’s, even if he only has a few memorable quotes in his entire Resident Evil 4 remake appearance.
Resident Evil 4 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.