The newcomer’s guide to Resident Evil 4

No franchise shaped the survival horror genre like Resident Evil. Spanning around 30 games (including spinoffs and remakes), Capcom’s flagship series evolved countless times since its 1996 debut. Among the series’ storied legacy, however, 2005’s Resident Evil 4 stands out as one of the most significant entries. Yet, jumping into the upcoming remake of that iconic title could appear daunting to someone who never played a RE game before. So, what about the newcomers who are coming to Resident Evil for the first time via the Resident Evil 4 remake?

With the hype surrounding the upcoming release, it’s inevitable that many players will jump into the series for the first time. Whether you’re starting straight with Resident Evil 4 remake, planning to get the previous two remakes under your belt or even jumping into the 2005 original first, you’ll want to know what you’re getting into. That’s why we present this newcomer’s guide to Resident Evil 4, which contains all the story and gameplay info you need to know beforehand.

As a note, this article will contain spoilers for Resident Evil 2 (remake), Resident Evil 3 (remake) and Resident Evil 4 (original). Spoiler-filled sections of this guide have been marked, but read at your own discretion!

The gameplay of Resident Evil 4: what you need to know

Overall, the gameplay in all Resident Evil games revolves around combat encounters against infected bioweapons. Though you’ll certainly have guns, however, ammunition for your weapons is a different story. While Resident Evil 4 (2005) is known for being significantly more generous with ammo than previous entries, conservation still plays a role.

In fact, managing your inventory in general is crucial to success in the game. You’ll need to rearrange weapons, ammo and health items in various combinations to keep space open to pick up more useful goods as you progress. Alongside the brainwork involved with inventory management, the game also periodically challenges you to solve various puzzles throughout the story.

For those who played the RE2 and 3 remakes, you should feel at home with RE4’s gameplay. Featuring an over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective, this remake differentiates less significantly from its original counterpart than the previous two remakes. However, one major change the remakes brought forth that separates RE4 (2023) from RE4 (2005) is the ability to move while you aim. In addition, the remakes abandon classic tank controls in favor of more fluid character and camera movements.

However, the gameplay mechanics of Resident Evil 4 won’t be a simple cut-and-paste job of RE2 and 3 either. One new command coming to RE4 is the ability to crouch. In addition, you can now parry attacks and counter using your knife.

Staple features from the original Resident Evil 4 will also carry over into the remake, such as the ability to stun enemies with a roundhouse kick. Another core gameplay mechanic coming back for the remake is the merchant, who allows you to sell treasures to buy new weapons and upgrades.

The lore of Resident Evil

But what exactly are you doing in Resident Evil? Why is this Leon guy shooting a bunch of angry villagers, and just what is a bioweapon in this universe anyway?

Let’s quickly explain the lore of the Resident Evil series to get you up to speed. For an abridged summary of the previous two remakes and the original RE4, see the next two sections. (Those sections will have spoilers, so beware!)

Resident Evil’s lore dates back to the discovery of the Progenitor virus in the 1960s by Umbrella Corporation co-founders Edward Ashford, James Marcus and Oswald E. Spencer. Over the following decades, the researchers would use Umbrella’s pharmaceutical business as a coverup to study the virus for potential use as a bioweapon. With the help of virologists William Birkin and Albert Wesker, Umbrella would successfully create both the T-Virus and G-Virus, which turned humans and animals into monsters.

In 1998, the viruses would inevitably leak across Umbrella’s two main laboratories in the Arklay Mountains: the Training Facility and the Spencer Mansion. When Raccoon Police Department sends its elite S.T.A.R.S team to investigate, the truth behind Umbrella’s bioweapons research comes to light. However, even after Umbrella blows up both labs and destroys any evidence of wrongdoing, it wouldn’t be much longer before the viruses would leak again… this time in the streets of Raccoon City.

What’s the story so far?

WARNING! Spoilers for Resident Evil 2 (remake) and Resident Evil 3 (remake) below!

Because the Resident Evil 4 remake exists within the canonical timeline of the RE2 and RE3 remakes, this section will examine the stories for these two titles.

It’s during the Racoon City outbreak when we meet Leon S. Kennedy, the central protagonist of both RE2 and RE4. However, Leon’s humble beginnings see him as merely a rookie cop on his first day on the job for Raccoon City’s Police Department. And what a first day it would be!

On his way into Raccoon City, Leon encounters Claire Redfield, the sister of missing S.T.A.R.S member Chris Redfield. After encountering some zombies at an outskirts gas station, the two would head together into the city towards the police station. However, after a car accident split the two up, Leon and Claire would go on separate but parallel journeys throughout the zombie-infested RPD.

Eventually, they each work their way into an underground laboratory known as NEST. The lab, established by Dr. William Birkin to study G-Virus, is the epicenter for the outbreak and holds both a sample of the virus, as well as its cure. Leon also meets the mysterious Ada Wong. However, Leon and Claire both must deal with the imposing G-mutated Birkin before escaping the exploding lab on a train.

During these events, S.T.A.R.S member and Spencer Mansion survivor Jill Valentine faces her own nightmares within the zombie-infested Raccoon City in Resident Evil 3. As she digs deeper into Umbrella’s corrupt plot and fights her way through the city, she also must contest against the B.O.W Nemesis, who Umbrella created solely to hunt and kill S.T.A.R.S members. Alongside naïve Umbrella mercenary Carlos Oliveria, Jill manages to escape the city before the U.S. government flattens the former metropolis in a nuclear missile strike.

Everything we know about the plot of Resident Evil 4

For obvious reasons, the plot of the Resident Evil 4 remake is not a mystery. Anyone who played the 2005 game already knows how it plays out. However, if you haven’t played RE4 but plan to jump into the remake, here’s a brief spoiler-free synopsis of the plot.

Years after the Raccoon City outbreak, Umbrella goes under and Leon finds his way into a new job serving directly under the President of the United States. The game kicks off when Leon goes on a mission to Europe to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter Ashley. However, with the looming threat of the Los Illuminados cult and the new parasitic bioweapon Las Plagas, Leon must once again face evil head on in a mysterious village.

WARNING! Spoilers for Resident Evil 4 (original) below!

Upon entering the village, Leon meets his first Genado (Plagas-infected villager) while exploring an old house in the woods. The crazed villager promptly attacks Leon, kicking off a tense sequence that climaxes in the main village. From there, things become more intense as Los Illuminados leader Lord Saddler infects Leon with the Plagas parasite.

As Leon continues to search for Ashley, he encounters new foes like the eccentric Salazar and allies himself Luis, who turned against Saddler after unleashing Las Plagas. In addition, Ada Wong reappears, this time on a mission to secure Las Plagas for her own mysterious gain. Ultimately, Leon manages to rescue Ashley, while curing both her and himself from the parasite, as the two escape Saddler’s island before it explodes.

Though the remake will generally follow the basic storyline of the original game, there is one significant change that sets it apart. Where the original game was cheesy to the point of being comedic at times in the tonal delivery, the remake appears to have a much darker atmosphere. This time around, it seems like we’ll be seeing the story through the perspective of a more weathered Leon, dealing with the trauma from Raccoon City.

Resident Evil 4 crawls out next month!

With this newcomer’s guide, you’re now hopefully ready to jump into Resident Evil 4 without hesitation!

Resident Evil 4 will launch on March 24 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S and PC, costing $59.99. In addition to the standard edition, the game will also receive both deluxe and collector’s editions. The deluxe edition comes with new skins, weapons and the ability to switch the soundtrack to the original version from 2005. The collector’s edition comes with the extra DLC from the deluxe edition, as well as some physical goodies.

Resident Evil 4 Collector’s Edition content

• Resident Evil 4 + Steelbook
• Extra DLC pack product code
• Digital soundtrack
• Leon S. Kennedy figurine
• Artbook
• Special map
• Collector’s box

What are you most excited for in Resident Evil 4? As always, let us know in the comments!