You read that right. Resident Evil 4, the game that redefined Resident Evil, made its debut 20 years ago. The initial Resident Evil 4 GameCube release stunned many in what was originally intended to be an exclusive for the platform. However, the story of what Resident Evil 4 would become runs much deeper.
Resident Evil 4 GameCube Release
Much like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Resident Evil 4 went on to see many releases after its GameCube debut. While the initial announcement of the title had it penned as an exclusive – part of the fabled ‘Capcom 5‘ – the PlayStation 2 edition was revealed just months prior to the game’s North American release. This was arguably due to the GameCube’s poor performance commercially, and the fact that Resident Evil 4, having been in development for six years by the time of release, had amassed considerable costs to recoup.
However, the story didn’t end there. Resident Evil 4 also received a PC port and a release on Nintendo Wii within the next couple of years. Further to that, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 all received re-releases of the game. Resident Evil 4 had been just about everywhere. And yet there was still more to come.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
In 2020, a leak revealed Capcom’s intentions to remake the original Resident Evil 4. This would be in the style of the successful Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes. However, Resident Evil 4 was a very different game to it’s predecessors, and as such would require a longer development cycle. Indeed, Resident Evil 3‘s remake followed Resident Evil 2 by just one year. Resident Evil 4 however, had an extra year of respite with Resident Evil Village arriving in the year between.
Unsurprisingly, given how highly regarded the original Resident Evil 4 is regarded, the remake was met with considerable skepticism. However the eventual release was widely praised for modernising the formula once again. Whether or not it was an improvement on the original was a matter of personal taste, but there was near universal acceptance that Capcom had paid appropriate tribute to the classic title.
What’s Next?
While Resident Evil 4 has hit the 20-year-mark, we’re unlikely to see the brakes put on any time soon. Capcom, as with many game publishers, have developed a taste for re-releases across new formats. It’s highly likely that both the original title and the remake will see subsequent releases and re-packagings over the coming years. If that lets more people experience the game, who are we to argue?
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