How Resident Evil 4’s Directors Approached Designing The Remake

“Honestly speaking, this was something that I did not want to do.”

That was the statement of Yasuhiro ampo from Capcom, who is also the co-director of Resident Evil 4’s remake. Their team, along with Kazunori Kadoi (director), has set out to reinvent Resident Evil 4 for modern audiences. They have rediscovered the magic of the classic 2005 game and added new features. The interview was a cover story with both designers. They spoke openly about their early stages of development and the hesitation they had to take on such a daunting project. We also heard how their team identified areas that could be improved, which gave them the courage to move forward. 

Ampo, Kadoi and Kadoi both have extensive Resident Evil experience. They have combined credits that span Resident Evil: Outbreak 1996 to Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: Revelations 2. The latter two titles were all directed by Ampo. Their most significant achievement as a duo of directors is their creation of Resident Evil 2 which has been critically acclaimed. 

Ampo and Kadoi left Capcom after Resident Evil 2 was released. However, the 2020 Resident Evil 3 remake was not developed with their input. The two of them were offered the lead for Resident Evil 4, shortly after the game was launched. It is considered one of the most iconic games, and has been updated many times throughout its life. It has many fans, who care very much about its formula. 

Ampo states that the RE4 is a favorite among all the RE games and other video game series. It was impossible to make it work, and we could upset its fans if one of the updates went wrong.

“When I first heard about remaking RE4, my first impression was that since the original is a masterpiece, a remake would be difficult,” adds Kadoi. It was something I did not want to do.

Resident Evil 2 may be as beloved and loved as it is today, but its outdated presentation, gameplay, design, and overall framework makes it difficult to revisit. What is Ampo’s and Kadoi’s solution? It can be recreated in Resident Evil 4’s style. Resident Evil 4 was the first game to set the bar for third-person, over-the shoulder action gaming. Resident Evil 4 stands strong against modern games. Kadoi said that he initially didn’t believe there was enough to be updated, which only increased their doubt. 

“For RE2, you could feel how much it had been updated just from the new camera system, for example,” says Ampo. “But, for RE4, that wasn’t the case. So one of our first tasks as a group was to discuss how we would deal with this.”

That pressure can be relieved by taking the first step: Don’t try to recreate lighting in a glass bottle. The original game revolutionized a genre, so attempting to repeat that feat “wouldn’t be possible,” according to Ampo. Ampo, Kadoi and others decided instead to keep the original game intact and to incorporate the evolutions that were made throughout the series to make “a new Resident Evil” version. They might be able to pull this off and fans will accept it. 

This required that the team replayed the original to identify areas where they could be improved or changed. Ampo was immediately aware of the potential for expanding the scenarios elements, such as the plot and characters. While the core character of Leon, Ashley and other members would remain, the remake enabled them to add elements, such as additional lore notes, that allowed for their characters, back stories, and personality. 

Resident Evil 4’s quick-time events were another mechanic that stood out. Early on, the decision was made to eliminate as many as possible. Kadoi thinks QTEs have lost their appeal and popularity, which is unfortunate for the fans who enjoy pressing buttons to aid Leon in his escape from Indiana Jones-style rolling stone.  

Kadoi states, “We did not believe that players today would love them.” We thought of what could be done to replace them.

These sequences were reworked after Jack Krauser reviewed the knife fight. The original game’s confrontation is entirely played through QTEs. It was then that the team started to ask themselves: “If we want to fight with knives in the remake, what would be our options?” The remake’s knife parry mechanic was born from that question. This kept the fight alive and made it much more fun. The team quickly realized that this method could also be used in other encounters. It was a great addition that gave the team a lot of confidence and helped them stay on track. 

Kadoi says that “once the parry mechanic was implemented, then from the point I played the first, I found my self wanting to parry the original too,” he adds. It was then that I realized things were really exciting.

As far as visuals go, Resident Evil VII was used by the team to show how Resident Evil VII should be viewed from a fidelity perspective. Resident Evil 4’s sidequests were inspired by Village’s upgraded system. Players could get upgrades simply by giving ingredients to the Duke. The new sidequests connected to the most important areas Ampo & Kadoi wanted to expand, player choice and replayability. 

Resident Evil 4 may have its popularity due to the many ways players can approach it. Ampo as well as Kadoi both consider this to be one of their top favorite parts about the game. Because today’s games offer more freedom than ever before, it was essential that the redesign be as big and entertaining as possible. Capcom was looking for new methods to deal with Ganados and added paths. 

Ampo says, “Within fighting, combat is really well-done and there are many choices when it comes to fighting.” But, outside that, there isn’t much choice. We feel there could be more.

It opened up new possibilities for stealth and gave players an entirely different way to fight than running or gunning. Bolt thrower weapons were added as an additional weapon. These quiet round can be used to pick off undetected foes. Ampo and Kadoi hope that the other new specialized weapons, which they’re keeping secret, ensure Resident Evil 4 keeps players engaged no matter how many times they play it. When they realized they couldn’t put the game down themselves during development, something they also felt while developing Resident Evil 2, their early fears evaporated even more.

Ampo states, “Making games that you like playing is key.” You’ll eventually get bored if you make a game over and over again. My boredom was not with RE2 remake. This is an essential core element.

Kadoi states the Resident Evil 4 remake is the culmination of the years spent developing both it and the original game. Capcom should have the ability to create something more with so much effort behind it, according to Kadoi. While they might have avoided remaking the iconic game in the beginning Ampo feels confident that they have identified the elements they can improve on or completely redesign to make the experience more enjoyable for fans. To see Leon’s revamped rescue operation come together, we’ll need to wait till March, or hopefully, to watch a demo before.

Resident Evil 4 is available on PlayStation 5 for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 4 as of March 24th. Click the banner to access our coverage hub, which contains exclusive videos and features throughout the month.