Resident Evil 4 marks a huge turning point for the series. It was the first game that adopted the over-the-shoulder camera angle, providing us with an experience that was more akin to a third-person shooter. For better or for worse, Resident Evil 4 was the title that sent the series down the action-y path, but it definitely didn’t skimp on the campiness that Capcom’s beloved franchise is so known for.
Here are 10 iconic moments from Resident Evil 4 that we absolutely can’t wait to relive in the upcoming remake.
The Village Introduction
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
Nothing sets the tone of the entire game quite like that introductory sequence where Leon enters the village for the first time, and is immediately assaulted by every single villager in there. There’s a sense of dread as you approach the village entrance, and things quickly get dialed up to 11 as soon as the first villager spots you. All of a sudden, you’re running for your life, dashing into the nearest building and barricading the doors, hoping to scrounge up enough ammo to fend off your foes.
There’s never been a sequence quite like this in any Resident Evil game, and Resident Evil 4’s village introduction sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the adventure. Your enemies are going to be relentless, and you’re going to have to think quickly on your feet if you want to have any chance of surviving.
The entire sequence wraps up nicely once the bell rings, and all the villagers start shambling off. Leon’s left alone in the village square, and wonders to himself, “Where’d everyone go? Bingo?” Please, Capcom, please keep that line in the remake.
The First Regenerator Encounter
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
While Resident Evil 4 is known for being the first action-focused game in the series, it definitely delivers on the horror front as well. The Regenerator continues to be one of the most frightening enemy types in the entire series, and we’re absolutely excited to see how they’ll be handled in the remake.
The Regenerators are terrifying because of one simple fact: they can’t be killed by normal means. Shooting them might stun them for a brief period of time, but they can’t truly die until Leon obtains a special scope that allows him to see their weak points. Even then, Regenerator encounters are still a harrowing affair because of their creepy movement and their ability to kill you instantly.
The Chainsaw Man Encounter
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
Without a doubt, the first encounter with the chainsaw-wielding maniac is one of the most exciting moments from Resident Evil 4. It pretty much comes out of nowhere, as you’re greeted by a villager’s manic yelling and are forced to start running for your life.
The chainsaw man wears a dirty ol’ sack on his head, and his only purpose on Earth is to dash straight at you with his chainsaw held high. Letting him get close to you will almost certainly mean fatal death; as badass as Leon is, even he can’t survive getting his head lopped off by a lethal chainsaw.
Surviving this encounter requires players to have good spacing and enemy management. Aside from dealing with the chainsaw man himself, you’ll need to manage the other ordinary villagers swarming you and make sure that you’re always a safe distance away.
The Bitores Mendez Boss Fight
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
Bitores Mendez might not be the main baddie of Resident Evil 4, but he sure as hell is one of the scariest ones in the game. He’s the strong and silent type, which often translates to menacing and incredibly sinister in horror games. Leon has multiple run-ins with him in the first half of the game, but it’s not till a little later that we finally get a proper boss fight with this terrifying figure.
The fight against Bitores Mendez takes place in a burning shack, and he finally reveals his true form: a centipede-like skeletal figure that still gives me nightmares to this day. Just like most other fights in Resident Evil, the key here is spacing and making sure that he never gets close enough to deal damage. The problem is that he has such a long reach, and he’s speedy as hell too.
The entire vibe of this fight is so intense and memorable, and even if Mendez gets cut way too early, he continues to be one of the highlights of the entire game.
The El Gigante Boss Fight
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
Speaking of boss fights, El Gigante served as the first proper boss players got to face off against in Resident Evil 4. He’s a huge lug that throws things around and crushes tiny humans under his feet, but he’s absolutely no match for Leon, master of suplexes.
The El Gigante fight opens up with a fun cutscene where the villagers have completely failed to keep him under control, and just as he swipes at Leon, our favorite rookie cop performs a stylish backflip to dodge out of the way and get ready for battle. Mechanically, this isn’t a very tough fight, but it’s definitely a visual spectacle that showed off just what the GameCube was capable of at the time.
As a nice touch, Leon can also get assistance from a friendly dog in the middle of the fight, assuming you helped it out of the bear trap near the beginning of the game.
The Del Lago Boss Fight
Iconic Resident Evil 4 Moments We Want to See in the Remake
Capcom certainly wasn’t shy about experimenting with different boss types in Resident Evil 4, and that really shows in the Del Lago encounter.