Resident Evil 4

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In Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy is sent to rescue the President's daughter and encounters new, more aggressive enemies known as Las Plagas. This remastered version features upgraded textures, sharpened text, and runs in high definition at 60 frames per second. The game also includes Steam features such as achievements and cloud saving.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 21,159 reviews

story835 positive mentions

optimization57 negative mentions

story
2,279 mentions
37 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of Resident Evil 4 is a mix of campy action and horror, following Leon Kennedy on a mission to rescue the president's daughter, Ashley, from a sinister cult in rural Spain. While the narrative is often criticized for its cheesy dialogue and plot holes, many players find it engaging and entertaining, likening it to a B-movie experience. The game also features additional story content through side missions, enhancing the overall experience and replayability.
- “The story is really good.”
- “Moreover, although mostly independent from the other games story-wise, the plot is truly engaging and urges you to learn more about what's behind Ashley's kidnapping.”
- “The story is pretty good and got me hooked to what happened next.”
- “The story is riddled with plot holes and nonsense.”
- “The story is really linear, and you feel the adventure alongside the protagonist.”
- “The story, while being a fairly by-the-book adventure romp, is extremely cheesy and campy, to a ridiculous degree, that makes it timelessly memorable.”
gameplay
1,757 mentions
38 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Resident Evil 4 is widely praised for its innovative mechanics, blending action and survival horror elements effectively. While some players find the tank controls and inability to move while aiming dated, many appreciate the strategic depth and satisfying combat that these mechanics provide. The game features a variety of weapons, engaging enemy encounters, and a compelling inventory management system, contributing to its status as a classic that remains enjoyable even years after its release.
- “The gameplay is an absolute joy to experience, even 19 years later.”
- “Brilliant pacing, tight controls, tense and addicting gameplay, fun characters, a huge arsenal of weapons, a lot of replay value, extra modes, unlockables, and a depth to it all that makes you want to play again and again.”
- “The gameplay is surprisingly solid despite the controls being intentionally more inconvenient than in a non-horror setting.”
- “The gameplay is clunky, slow, and awkward.”
- “The controls are wonky, the gameplay has been done over and over, and the story is meh.”
- “The gameplay is extremely repetitive and I have gotten so bored that I have decided not to finish it.”
graphics
1,216 mentions
28 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of Resident Evil 4, originally released in 2005, are often described as outdated but still charming, with many players appreciating the nostalgic aesthetic. While some reviews note that the visuals have aged and can appear rough compared to modern standards, others highlight that the game benefits from HD texture mods, which significantly enhance the graphical quality. Overall, the remastered version offers improved graphics and performance, but players are encouraged to use mods like the RE4 HD Project for the best visual experience.
- “Even for a game released in 2005, the graphics hold up remarkably well.”
- “The graphics have seen better days, but they don't hold back this action-horror game; the story is complemented by many cutscenes and documents scattered about, and the tone can go from serious and spooky to funny and cheesy.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly decent for such an old game, and the voice acting is as well.”
- “The graphics are seriously outdated and it took a bit of getting used to the basic movements and camera movement or lack of.”
- “The graphics have seen better days but they don't hold back this action-horror game, the story is complemented by many cutscenes and documents scattered about.”
- “The graphics are not great by today's standards.”
atmosphere
486 mentions
56 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Resident Evil 4 is widely praised for its ability to blend tension, eerie sound design, and immersive environments, creating a unique experience that balances horror and action. Players appreciate the game's haunting music, detailed settings, and the sense of dread that permeates the gameplay, particularly in the early sections set in the village and castle. While some feel the shift towards action diminishes the horror elements, many agree that the atmosphere remains a standout feature, contributing to the game's status as a classic in the survival horror genre.
- “The atmosphere in Resident Evil 4 is unmatched, especially with the HD project; it’s so beautiful.”
- “The sound design is equally impressive, with atmospheric music and haunting sound effects that elevate the tension and create a truly immersive experience.”
- “From the eerie and foreboding village to the hauntingly atmospheric castles, every location is intricately designed with attention to detail.”
- “The atmosphere is the least scary/tense of the games, and part of the problem is a total lack of atmosphere for most of the game.”
- “The atmosphere of Resident Evil 4 is a step down from those that came before it.”
- “The few final chapters began to drag and the atmosphere shifted dramatically at points and rather than being dark and foreboding it just felt like I was playing a military shooter.”
replayability
374 mentions
48 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
Resident Evil 4 is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, offering a wealth of content including multiple difficulty levels, unlockable weapons, and additional game modes like "The Mercenaries" and separate campaigns featuring Ada Wong. Players appreciate the game's tight controls, engaging gameplay, and the ability to experiment with different strategies and loadouts, making it a title that remains enjoyable long after the initial playthrough. Overall, it is considered one of the most replayable games ever made, with many players returning to it repeatedly for new challenges and experiences.
- “An iconic game, with tons of replayability not only in the campaign but also the arcade game mode 'the mercenaries', which is just perfect.”
- “Resident Evil 4 is an infinitely replayable action game thanks to its tight design around procedural enemy and item drops; on top of having the greatest inventory system ever conceived.”
- “With multiple difficulty levels, unlockable weapons, and other challenges, Resident Evil 4 offers plenty of replay value.”
- “The game's replayability was enhanced by its multiple difficulty levels, unlockable content, and new game+ mode.”
- “This game has the most replay value out of any game I have played because the gameplay is just so damn fun.”
music
318 mentions
37 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in Resident Evil 4 is widely praised for its ability to enhance the game's eerie atmosphere and tension, with standout tracks like the save room theme "Serenity" and various ambient pieces that effectively set the mood for different scenarios. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's haunting quality, which complements the gameplay and contributes to the overall immersive experience, although some note issues with volume control and the lack of audio settings. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength of the game, adding depth to its horror elements and memorable moments.
- “The sound design is equally impressive, with atmospheric music and haunting sound effects that elevate the tension and create a truly immersive experience.”
- “The music and sound design in this game is great, apart from a few actual songs here and there, the music in RE4 is mostly these chords that sustain a low note followed by ambient noises that surround you, building upon the horror and tension of the game.”
- “The soundtrack provides a brilliant atmosphere and has a perfect horror/action vibe.”
- “The music is nothing to write home about.”
- “The air of tension is maintained with the aid of the soundtrack, which loops loudly whenever enemies are nearby.”
- “The game insists on booting as loud as possible and staying that loud for however long, coupled with some of the soundtrack meant to emphasize the threatening nature of the enemies you'll fight by playing a low pounding instrument, gave me a pounding headache.”
optimization
256 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly on older hardware. The introduction of invasive DRM has further exacerbated these problems, blocking modding options and degrading performance by up to 10-15 fps. While some users have found success with mods and tweaks to improve performance, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for PC, especially compared to its console counterparts.
- “This game is optimized for console and not PC.”
- “Excellent performance and an excellent game.”
- “The performance of Resident Evil 4 on Steam and modern consoles (Switch, PS4 & Xbox One) is consistently smooth at 60 frames per second, except for the reloading animation.”
- “The performance is worse than expected for what is a 20-year-old game at this point (even if it is HD).”
- “This review will remain negative until Capcom removes this mod-blocking, stutter-inducing, performance-degrading malware known as Enigma Protector.”
- “The game is horrifically optimized, and cannot run above a stutter on my machine.”
humor
252 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its campy, self-aware tone, featuring a mix of cheesy one-liners, absurd situations, and memorable character interactions that often elicit genuine laughter. Players appreciate the balance between horror and humor, with many finding the dialogue and scenarios delightfully ridiculous, contributing to the game's charm and replayability. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it a standout aspect of the game that resonates with fans.
- “The main villains are all larger than life yet still sinister, and Leon seems to have taken lessons from Spider-Man in quipping, with many funny interactions with his enemies.”
- “The story is hilariously cheesy but you can tell that they embraced that and as a result, it plays out like a B-movie in all the right ways.”
- “Leon is pretty close to a perfect protagonist for me, his one-liners are absolutely top-tier hilarious, and he looks...good...<3.”
- “This game is so not funny; every time Leon talks, I rolled my eyes because I cringe.”
- “The humor is cringey and not well executed, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- “I literally cringed every time I encountered a joke or humorous moment.”
stability
141 mentions
9 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of glitches and bugs, particularly on PC. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with minimal issues, others faced frequent crashes, graphical problems, and control difficulties, especially when using modern hardware or playing at higher frame rates. Overall, the game appears to require significant troubleshooting and may not perform reliably across all systems.
- “The game also runs great right off the bat and there are very few inaccuracies with the GameCube version.”
- “The PC version here runs great, seems very optimized, and I personally don't think the graphics have aged that much.”
- “Graphics are still good and I encountered no glitches, etc. Just over 45 hours of gameplay for me first time through.”
- “It's a buggy mess; I experienced constant crashes and glitches that made it unplayable.”
- “The game is great, but man, it's really buggy sometimes.”
- “There are known issues with this port running on 144hz setups that take extensive troubleshooting that don't always end up in a fix.”
grinding
80 mentions
4 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
65 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in boss fights and certain combat mechanics. While some enjoy the variety and challenges, others feel that the constant need for grinding detracts from the overall experience, making it feel unnecessarily long and frustrating. Overall, players suggest that the game could benefit from a more streamlined approach to combat and progression to reduce the feeling of monotony.
- “The puzzles aren't too tedious or boring, either.”
- “(& you get to keep all your previous inventory) so that's no tedious working for the same guns you had last profile type deal.”
- “A lot of grinding.”
- “This game has been very long and tedious for such a highly acclaimed game, as a long-term Resident Evil fan you can only get so sick of the janky AI.”
- “The boss fights are tedious, the quick time events are painful and annoying, and there aren't many puzzles that are any good.”
- “This makes your playthrough unnecessarily long and tedious, and generally very boring.”
emotional
38 mentions
92 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from nostalgia and heartwarming moments to heartbreak and frustration. The dynamic between Leon and Ashley, along with poignant story elements like character deaths, enhances emotional investment, making players feel deeply connected to the narrative. However, some reviews also highlight dissatisfaction with gameplay mechanics, which can detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “The ending slide is absolutely heartbreaking, capping off this wonderful story with an emotional note.”
- “Ashley’s dynamic with Leon creates moments of tension and vulnerability that add emotional weight to the story.”
- “His interactions with Ashley, the kidnapped protagonist, establish an emotional resonance that enhances the player’s investment in their fates.”
- “It’s still Resident Evil 4, and that fact is what truly makes this so heartbreaking. I would love to be able to just play this game in all of its chainsaw-fleeing, monster-freezing glory, but seeing it in this state is truly pathetic.”
- “If the controls and weapon swapping were better, it would still be mediocre due to a boring story and horrible characterization.”
- “Horrible controls, boring story, awful acting.”
character development
16 mentions
25 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Character development in this installment of Resident Evil 4 is primarily focused on Leon, whose character is well-developed and shines throughout the game. However, the supporting cast, particularly Ashley, lacks depth and is often seen as underwhelming or merely a plot device. Overall, while Leon's character is praised, the game falls short in providing substantial development for other characters.
- “Leon S.'s character development is particularly well done, showcasing his growth throughout the game.”
- “The narrative sophistication, innovative gameplay mechanics, and rich character development coalesce to form an experience that transcends mere entertainment.”
- “Great tone, character designs, settings, music, and characters contribute to a memorable experience.”
- “Ashley is underwhelming in this game; she's just a plot device with no character development.”
- “It doesn't create much suspense, and there is zero character development.”
- “Oh, and fairly mediocre plot and character development.”
monetization
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
55 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the presence of microtransactions and accusing the company of anti-consumer practices, particularly regarding modding. However, others appreciate that the game does not feature predatory monetization or pay-to-win elements, highlighting a focus on gameplay and replayability without reliance on in-game purchases. Overall, while there are concerns about misleading advertising, many players find the monetization approach to be fair and non-intrusive.
- “It's got creative menus, minimal HUD, inventory management, weapons, weapon attachments and upgrades, new game plus, wide variety of weapons, locations, and enemies, competently-designed combat, gameplay and mechanics, fantastic soundtrack, immersive atmosphere, in-game store which doesn't rely on microtransactions, long duration, and loads of replayability to test out different loadouts.”
- “There is no predatory monetization here.”
- “Likewise, there are no pay-to-win microtransactions here - no cheat items, balance-breaking overpowered weapons on sale, etc.”
- “Do not support this anti-consumer company; they want to destroy modding to sell you skins and microtransactions!”
- “(this version is just a cash grab)”
- “Hurray for honest advertisement, I guess, eh?”