The original 2005 version of Resident Evil 4 is one of the most beloved, influential video games of all time, and against all odds, Capcom has managed to actually improve upon the experience with its recent remake. The original Resident Evil 4 has a plethora of unique, memorable facets, with one of the main ones being its open-ended approach to level design, something very rarely seen back in 2005. Resident Evil 4 Remake not only imitates that same level design again, but it continually subverts in a way that's sure to keep fans on their toes.
Even those that have only played through the original Resident Evil 4 once will likely remember a good deal of its campaign, mostly due to the extremely memorable level design. Before Dark Souls made it cool again, Resident Evil 4 prided itself on having an interconnected world, with levels looping back in on themselves and joining a central hub. This really helped Resident Evil 4's areas to feel real and immersive, and the Resident Evil 4 Remake takes this same philosophy and runs with it, sprinkling in some neat details for long-time fans.
Resident Evil 4 Remake's New Level Layout Keeps Fans on Their Toes
As mentioned up top, Resident Evil 4's big selling point, at least when it came to level design, was its interconnected world. While this was nothing particularly new, with Metroid and Castlevania and even previous Resident Evil games doing it years before in a much more expansive way, Resident Evil 4 was the first to really put that experience in a third-person, big-budget setting. It's a big reason behind why locations like the village and Salazar's castle are so memorable, and why the endgame's island isn't quite as fondly remembered.
The pacing of Resident Evil 4's level design was also impeccable. For every lengthy combat encounter, the player would then spend the next few minutes of game time solving a puzzle or exploring the environment for loot, with this downtime getting them geared up for yet another fight. Even in its more relentless segments, like the aforementioned island sequence, Resident Evil 4 still lets the player catch their breath and get excited for the action still to come right around the corner.
Resident Evil 4 Remake captures the essence of the original's level design perfectly, mostly by just copying it directly. Long-time fans of the game will be able to get through at least the first few hours without even needing to look at their map once, with Resident Evil 4 Remake mostly following the original beat for beat, building by building. But every once in a while, Resident Evil 4 Remake throws long-time fans a curveball, keeping even the most seasoned franchise veterans on their toes.
One of the best examples of this level design subversion can be found in the game's opening few hours. Upon entering a village house, the player will hear knocking coming from one of the back rooms. As the player enters the house, they'll see a cupboard in front of them. Those that have played the original Resident Evil 4 know that Luis Serra is found stuffed inside a cupboard exactly like this, and in the original, he's what's making the knocking sound. Instead, however, the player throws open the cupboard doors only to see that it's empty, and when they take a look to the right, they see that there's a Ganado slamming a hammer into the floorboards. Resident Evil 4 Remake is filled with little subversions like these, and while not all of them are for the best - with some glaring issues related to cut content - they do keep seasoned fans on their toes.
Resident Evil 4 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.