Everything We Noticed in the New Resident Evil 4 Remake Trailer

During the Resident Evil showcase on Thursday, Capcom dropped a brand-new Resident Evil 4 remake gameplay trailer and a slightly shorter RE4 story trailer. These trailers got the internet understandably excited as Capcom showed off what they were doing to stay true to the original while updating the game for modern consoles. Though there are sure to be many surprises left that Capcom is choosing not to reveal, here's a breakdown of everything we noticed in the latest Resident Evil 4 remake trailer.

A Shift from Day to Night

If there's one thing Resident Evil titles nail, it's the atmosphere, and the new RE4 remake trailer showcases a dark yet vibrant world compared to the 2005 original. The Resident Evil 4 gameplay revealed Leon investigating an area outside the village at night when he comes across the body of one of the police officers. The starts our journey off in darkness, but by the time Leon arrives in the village, the sun has risen and the iconic opening sequence takes place in similar daytime conditions as the original. Showcasing what they're doing with nighttime graphics makes me extremely excited for what's to come.

Counterattacks Upon Counterattacks

The RE4 gameplay trailer shows more counterattacks than the original. When Leon is grabbed by a Ganado, he can now counterattack, even going so far as executing a quick kill with a knife to the face. The Resident Evil showcase also revealed Leon going up against a chainsaw with his knife, blocking it to prevent the decapitation that was unavoidable if you got too close in the original. Just how powerful is Leon's knife, anyways?

Does Resident Evil 4 Have Breakable Weapons?

It's unclear if the guns will require maintenance or repairs, but the trailer did reveal what appears to be a durability meter for Leon's knife. It also looks like you can upgrade your knife in addition to the other guns in the attache case, potentially making it a formidable weapon. Is the knife something that can be repaired, or is it meant to be disposable and you can pick up additional stabbing weapons throughout the Resident Evil 4 remake? We'll have to wait and see, though I can't wait for the knife-only speed runs.

Leon's Classic Gun & Jacket Are Mostly Unchanged

Longtime Resident Evil 4 fans will immediately recognize the classic Leon S. Kennedy jacket and handgun that he's sporting in the beginning of the trailer. Though Leon loses his jacket not far into the game, maybe this time around the player will be given an option to keep the outfit. His pistol, meanwhile, features a very familiar design, though like the jacket it can also be a short-lived companion before you upgrade to the Punisher. Speaking of guns, it looks like we can expect new weapons along with the classic firearms we've become familiar with. Who knows, maybe we'll get to take on Lord Saddler with a Resident Evil Village lightsaber.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Appears to Feature a More Destructible Environment

Resident Evil has always had immersive and terrifying environments, from sprawling mansions to abandoned police stations. The Resident Evil 4 remake, however, showcases an environment that's more destructible than the original game. Don't expect to be blasting through walls and burning down homes, but we do see the chainsaw enemy cut down supports on the side of a house to cause it to crash down. What other destructible elements will be added to the game?

We See Many Resident Evil 4 Bosses

The story and gameplay trailers give us glimpses of Salazar, El Gigante, the lake monster, and more. We even get a very brief glimpse of the Big Cheese as he transforms for his big battle. With new gameplay mechanics and updated visuals, these battles should be an incredible experience to revisit or play for the first time.

Will Ashley Be More Useful?

Escort missions aren't my favorite, and RE4 features a lot of that. To Capcom's credit, Ashley is detained by the enemy for a decent portion of the game, but there are still long stretches where you need to watch out for her. The RE4 remake trailer reveals the parasite taking a firmer hold of Ashley than it did in the previous game, corrupting her to the point where she pulls a gun on someone (presumably Leon). If Ashley is capable of pulling a gun, maybe we'll actually get to see her fight this time around. Or will Leon even need to fight her if she turns evil?

Is The RE4 Lake Monster Different?

The lake (pond?) is one of the more memorable sections of Resident Evil 4. Not only is it an early boss that demonstrates the scale of some of the enemies in this game, but it effectively takes away any upgrades you may have, even in New Game+, as you're limited to the spear as a weapon. The brief glimpse of the monster we get in the trailer shows a bit of a redesign that seems more threatening than what we're used to. I wouldn't be surprised if this boss battle had more strategic elements to it than just throwing a spear at a monster and trying to not get hit out of a boat.

What's Up With Salazar's New Look?

Salazar has always been a super weird character. He simultaneously comes across as an old man and a child, throwing tantrums every time Leon escapes unharmed. His redesign is one of the most startling parts of the Resident Evil 4 remake trailer. More context is needed to get a full feel of the character, but where the initial game leaned into him being more of a cartoon character, it's possible we'll get more depth this time around. Either way, (spoilers for the Resident Evil 4 original game), I hope he still turns into a giant plant when it comes time to finally take him down.

Are you excited about the Resident Evil 4 remake? We'll be following the RE4 remake release date very closely, so stay tuned for more info as it becomes available!