Resident Evil 4 Remake Review Roundup

Reviews are now live for Resident Evil 4 remake, Capcom’s reenvisioned version of its cult-classic survival-horror game. Leon Kennedy’s Spanish holiday is so far earning critical acclaim, with several outlets calling it a must-play title that refines the classic gameplay and knows exactly which areas needed a touch of modernization.

Early reviews have praised Resident Evil 4’s balance of horror and action, finely-tuned gameplay, and richly detailed world, elements which are all combined to craft a game that celebrates its past and reinvigorates it at the same time.

“The remake stands as a re-envisioning of its past rather than a replication of it,” Kurt Indovina wrote in GameSpot’s Resident Evil 4 remake review. “In doing this, it raises the bar for what a good remake is and at the same time, preserves Resident Evil 4’s legacy as a genre-defining experience and one of the greatest games of all time.”

Over on GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic, Resident Evil 4 has an average score of 93 from 88 reviews. For more on what critics have to say, you can read more below.

• Resident Evil 4 remake
• Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
• Developer: Capcom
• Release Date: March 24
• Price: $60

GameSpot – 10/10

“Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel a second time, developer Capcom has doubled down on the brilliance of the original’s design–elaborated on it, and finely tuned the experience. The result is a stunning remake that reminds longtime fans like me of its brilliance, while also introducing an all-new generation to a modern classic and one of the most important games of all time.” — Kurt Indovina [Full review]

IGN – 10/10

“Whether you’re a fan of the original or a newcomer with a hankering for some action-heavy horror of the highest quality, Resident Evil 4 is like a parasite-riddled Spaniard: a total no-brainer. Its combat is friction-free but no less stress-inducing thanks to its ferocious cast of creatures, its story rapidly shuttles through a series of action scenes that are diverse in structure but uniformly unwavering in intensity, and its world is rich in detail and full of fun and often snarling surprises.” — Tristan Ogilvie [Full review]

VG247 – 5/5

“I can’t stop playing. So much so that my plans for New Game Plus (yes, there’s New Game Plus!) are to do the stealthiest run possible using only Leon’s knife. I probably won’t get that far before needing to repair it, but I look forward to seeing Resident Evil content creators doing what they do best with this evolved version of Resident Evil 4: madcap runs of the game that this remake has been so consciously shaped to accommodate.” — Kelsey Raynor [Full review]

VGC – 5/5

“Resident Evil 4 is a careful restoration of what remains one of the most compelling action games ever made. The core elements which make the original such a compulsive hit all remain, reminding us that sometimes the secret for these big re-releases is knowing where to remake, and where to remaster.” — Andy Robinson [Full review]

Game Informer – 9.5/10

“The Resident Evil 4 remake is about everything I could’ve wanted. But importantly, it doesn’t overwrite its predecessor. If anything, this new version reinforces why the original Resident Evil 4 is a game people should still seek out, play, or at least watch and learn about. But as a love letter to one of the greatest games of all time, as a new historical artifact that reinforces why the source material was so landmark in the first place, this new trek through the Spanish countryside is as good as it gets and makes a great game that much better.” — Blake Hester [Full review]

GamesRadar – 9/10

“Capcom has delivered a great remake of a classic game, one which captures everything that made it so special to begin with. Resident Evil 4 remake is full of action and variety that’s as exhilarating now as it ever was.” — Leon Hurley [Full review]

Destructoid – 75/100

“Back in 2005, I liked Resident Evil 4, but I didn’t love it. The remake hasn’t changed that. Unlike the Resident Evil 2 remake, which was revolutionary, Resident Evil 4’s glow-up is more of a faithful recreation rather than an overhaul. It changes just enough that, if you loved the original, I can’t guarantee this will leave you unperturbed. Meanwhile, if you didn’t like its first iteration, it’s not impossible that this will change your mind. The best I can say is that it is an earnest effort at recapturing the magic, and it’s worth checking out. It remains, as it always was, maddeningly inconsistent.” — Zoey Handley [Full review]