There’s also the added benefit that this is essentially a port of an old GameCube game, meaning even as one of the underpowered headsets on the market, the Quest 2 can still make the visuals of a 16-year old game sing. Resident Evil 4 and VR are a perfect match, really: the original campaign is already a solid foundation to work from, and of a more substantial length than most single-player VR games that typically last just a few hours. Kennedy, now a special agent on an assignment to rescue the US president’s daughter, Ashley. Resident Evil 4 VR, however, has been reworked from the ground up exclusively for Oculus Quest 2 to really put you in the shoes of the legendary Leon S. Sure, there have been VR ports of 3D games before (such as Skyrim) and for this series, Resident Evil 7 got there first, but it only lets you play with a controller. Instead, it’s this surprise VR port developed by Armature Studio that truly piqued my interest as it’s not just remaking a game, but taking it to a new exciting medium. Which is why the thought of a remake greenlit by Capcom last year has me nervous.
To me, Resident Evil 4 is such a flawless game – even in the areas where people find it dated – that I simply can’t imagine the game being improved upon.
In that time, video games have gotten better graphics, better acting and storytelling, and even better control schemes, but when it comes down to Leon’s rescue mission in rural Europe, it’s the platinum-standard of video game campaigns, with set pieces, pacing, and variety that other games don’t come close to matching. I realise that the game is celebrating its sweet sixteenth this year, but it’s true.