The 2005 version of “Resident Evil 4” is possibly one of the most important horror games ever made. It was the first game to use the over-the-shoulder third-person shooter gameplay you see in so many games today.

  So, does the remake live up to such an influential history? Yes. 

  Of course, it isn’t redefining the genre; it is a remake after all. But nostalgia aside, it honestly replaces the original.

  The second version contains nearly all the content of the original, plus so much more. The only things I noticed missing while playing were the robot statue of Salazar and the infamous boss U3.

  While it would have been funny to see a massive statue chasing someone down in the new realistic graphics, I understand it wouldn’t have fit the gritty theming. 

  However, I’m glad to see U3 gone. For those who played the original version, he was the boss in the mines that destroyed the room while you fought him. He messed with the pacing and was one of the major lows of the previous version.

  There have been rumors, of course, that downloadable content will come out, adapting the original side campaign “Separate Ways” could have U3 in it, so hopefully they can do a more enjoyable adaptation.

  The remake itself isn’t without its flaws. I played it on my PC and had to set most of the settings to medium difficulty because the game kept crashing even though I outpaced the system requirements by a good bit.

  Although I had to change the settings, I honestly couldn’t tell the difference and it ran significantly smoother.

  The remake also shares the one overarching flaw of the original, being that it feels just a bit too long. The remake is better, especially with the removal of U3; however, I still found myself thinking it was dragging on. 

  The main section is bogged down by pacing problems in chapter four, and there were so many hidden treasures, challenges, and side missions that it just got boring due to the sheer amount of it all.

  These additional quests aren’t part of the original, but if you stop caring about getting all of them and focus on what’s convenient the game instantly gets much better.

  Compared to the other recent “Resident Evil” games this version is probably the most fun. While “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” still remains the best when it comes to horror in my book, this remake is just plain fun.

  “Resident Evil 4” remake is an intriguing, combat-based horror game with scarily impressive monsters, and when it does try to unnerve you, it does a really good job.

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