With Capcom's 'Resident Evil Showcase' set for an October reveal, the anticipation and excitement surrounding the Resident Evil 4 Remake continue to increase. Given the multiple memorable sequences in this cult classic and Capcom being open about their goal to create a reimagining of the original title, fans' expectations contain either an improvement or drastic changes to these scenarios.
Depending on whether the remake takes the same route as its predecessor Resident Evil 3 in the manner of cutting or retaining content, this could make or break the title for many fans who hold the original in such high regard.
7 First Encounter With Villagers
Often labeled as one of the most iconic opening moments to any Resident Evil title and in midst of survival horror, is the sudden onslaught of enemies in the village. Based on what has been shown so far in the remake, fans will be aware of the first house at which the player comes face to face with the first 'Ganado.'
Taking the major advancement in graphical fidelity and gameplay innovations made with the help of the RE Engine, fans will be most excited to see how this will change the experience in this section, and how much more aggressive these enemies may potentially be.
6 Meeting The Merchant
As this character is still very much shrouded in mystery, it is safe to say that this is an encounter many fans have been relishing ever since the Remake's announcement. The famous line "What are ya buying" will be expected to return by a mass amount of players, but this character is yet to be revealed in the Remake.
Whilst the Merchant's return is almost certain, there may be a drastic change as the voice actor who played Leon S. Kennedy and the Merchant simultaneously, is not reprising his role as Leon. This does not guarantee his absence, but fans may suspect a change here considering the circumstances.
5 Escaping The Church With Ashley
Upon players eventually playing the Remake, this could potentially be one of the first opportunities to see how Capcom decide to execute the companion system. The original game contained multiple gameplay sections which left the player with the commands for Ashley to follow.
Not only did this allow players to opt for a more tactical and thoughtful approach, but it added an extra layer of anxiety for fans as they were responsible for Ashley too. Given its mixed reception, fans will be hoping that these sequences will see major overhauls, allowing Ashley to be more useful.
4 Bitores Mendez Encounter
The ending of the first chapter in the original title features Leon meeting Luis Sera who is held captive, ultimately crossing paths with Bitores Mendez. Along with the clear redesigns of Leon and Ashley Graham in terms of face models, Capcom will opt for a redesign for Mendez in his base form as seen in the reveal trailer.
Based on Resident Evil 2 and 3 fans have drawn the assumption that the remake will retain the 'stalker' type enemy, and one of those who may seem to be on that list would be Mendez's character. This goes hand in hand with the players' expectations of executing a stalker role right.
3 Krauser Quick-Time Events
Despite quick-time events not always amounting to success, Capcom was able to capture lightning in a bottle with these events in Resident Evil 4. The title featured many of these throughout the game in both gameplay scenarios and cutscenes, but many fans held high praise for the Krauser encounter in particular.
Whilst there are rumors that Krauser won't be featured in the Remake, fans will be keeping an eye out for any references or appearances from this character and how Capcom will adjust his and Leon's interactions. Given Krauser's integral role in the story as the one who kidnaped Ashley Graham, it would be surprising to see an omission, but clarification on this will be provided soon enough.
2 Castle And Cultist Enemies
One of the more aggressive and terrifying encounters is those with cultist enemies located in the Castle area of the game. Players will be aware of the sudden shift toward these enemies, after dealing with the villagers for a good portion of the game's beginning.
Faced with different weaponry and shields to box the player in, Capcom managed to heighten the tension within every one of these encounters. Among the Castle section comes the infamous 'water room,' containing another onslaught of enemies whilst the player must command Ashley to operate cranks to get to the next stage. Whether this will remain or be expanded upon, is what fans will be looking forward to discovering.
1 Island Labs
Out of all sequences, a large majority of fans view the Island section containing the 'Regenerators' as the defining moment in Resident Evil 4 to justify the horror aspect. As the tonal shift of the Remake has already been showcased, it is possible that the frequency at which these enemies appear will be much higher.
The original title featured different designs, ones that were present on screen, but was not active. Fans will be expecting completely new sets of these enemy types in design, whilst potentially revitalizing what was originally present.
Resident Evil 4 Remake releases March 23, 2023 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.