Resident Evil 4: Gold Edition

Praise

• Resident Evil 4 strikes an excellent balance between faithfulness to the original and modernization. Although it makes some minor technical compromises in resolution and frame rate compared to the other ports, Capcom once again proves its expertise in optimizing an essential title. Stepping into Leon S. Kennedy's shoes once again is an incredibly enjoyable experience, whether playing in docked mode or on the go.
• I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say that this remake of one of the greatest games ever made is also one of the greatest games ever made, but it’s darn close. I didn’t even crack into everything in this review; there are cosmetic unlockables, including a jacket for Leon that I must own and crazy sunglasses that are wildly out of place and, thus, hilarious; CP points earned from in-game accomplishments that can be used to unlock all sorts of collectibles and extras; filters to alter how the game looks; the ability to toggle legacy music and UI sound effects. It’s a lot, dear readers, and all of it coalesces into a survival horror phenom that takes the best of the original and mixes it with new, bright ideas. In some cases those changes shine brightly, while in others maybe not quite so much. Regardless, I would argue that even the most diehard fan of the original RE4 will have a lot to enjoy about the remake, while everyone else (or those who aren’t quite as picky) will love the heck out of it.
• The Nintendo Switch 2 port of Resident Evil 4 remake is possibly the weakest version technically speaking. However, it is still easily playable for the average person, and particularly if you prioritize portability over minor graphical and performance issues then this is the option for you. If you do care about exactly how the game will run, or you are planning your hardcore hitless playthrough, then you'll likely want to go with another version.