Resident Evil 4 Fans React To VR Remake
Mr. Salazar will see you now. After months of rumours and speculation, it's time to pack your bags and head off to the Las Plagas-infected ruins of rural Spain, as a Resident Evil 4 VR remake is officially on the way. While this isn't quite the full-blown and next-gen remake of 2005's GameCube classic many had hoped for, you can bet your bottom dollar plenty of us will be parting with our cash just so we can chainsaw through Iron Maidens, Regenerators, and hapless villagers under the control of parasites.
News of a Resident Evil 4 VR remake was made official at the recent Capcom showcase, however, those at the top saved much of the big reveal for the Oculus showcase on April 21. Here, fans old and new got their first look at Resident Evil 4 in VR and prepared to dip their toes in the Del Lago lake in hope of snaring that giant salamander. Either way, getting up close and personal with the various ghouls and grunts as Leon S. Kennedy has never looked so thrilling.
What can you expect from the Resident Evil 4 VR remake?
Coming exclusively to Facebook's Oculus 2, the Resident Evil 4 VR remake is the work of developer Armature Studio and has apparently been in the works for "a few years now". With players rightly asking how the core systems of the GameCube classic have been brought to a new generation some 16 years later, there are a range of options to make sure the third-person RE4 runs to its full potential when in first-person.
Alongside Touch controller analog sticks, you'll also be able to pick up pistols and other weapons as Leon. Better yet, you'll be able to dual-wield to hack your way through the nasties that plague the gothic horror. Turning weapons into physical objects means you won't have to leave the action and head into the menu to swap your arsenal. If you want to pull out a pistol, simply reach into Leon's holster and grab it before Dr. Salvador hacks you to pieces. If you thought RE4 was scary enough in its original form, imagine what it'll be like on Oculus 2.
This isn't the franchise's first foray into VR, and who could forget the pulse-pounding experience of playing 2017's Resident Evil 7 in VR? Some class RE7's VR experience as the scariest ever, and even if the RE4 VR remake doesn't look like it'll top that, it's still sure to be a lot of fun. Elsewhere, this is the first Resident Evil game to be designed specifically in VR, meaning there's a lot riding on the project.
What do the fans think of the Resident Evil 4 VR remake?
Seeing a Resident Evil 4 VR remake is all well and good, but what does the notoriously hard to please Resi community think of it? Even though the first reactions seemed overwhelmingly positive, a look a little deeper shows the community is divided by the idea of a Resident Evil 4 VR remake.
IGN's Brian Altano wrote, "Ummm YES, I will absolutely play through Resident Evil 4 for the 40th time, this time entirely in VR on @oculus !!! F**k yeah!", while VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb added, "Scientists said it was impossible, but Capcom has ported Resident Evil 4 to yet another new platform". The running theme is that we've already seen RE4 make the leap from GameCube to everything from PlayStation 2 to PS3 and 4, as well as iOS, Switch, and almost everything else. Then again, with such a legacy, are we really bothered?
Others pointed to their frustration that the game will be locked onto the Oculus 2. Someone said, "So Sony paid Capcom for demo early access and not this smh", and another added, "Capcom on the stream: We want players to experience this game with a brand new view Also Capcom: Only if you have this ONE pretty expensive piece of equipment you have to buy alongside a rather strong PC that is already expensive :)".
There were high hopes Capcom would release a next-gen remake in line with the current run of remaking the early games. 2019's Resident Evil 2 and 2020's Resident Evil 3: Nemesis remakes were both critically acclaimed and massive chart-toppers. It seems a shame that Capcom would waste RE4's potential on Oculus. Then again, there's always a slim chance a proper REmake is on the way. Remember, it is the 25th anniversary of the franchise in 2021. Is this all Capcom has up its sleeve for Resident Evil 4 news? Watch this space!
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