In theResident Evil 4 Remake,players can play as Ashley in a revamped mission that sees players use different and more compelling mechanics to the original game. There are various speculations about what the future of the survival horror game franchise might look like and who its main protagonist might be, with a possiblereturn to third-person gameplay inRE9after its increased community demand, resurgence, and popularity in the most recent Shadow of Rose DLC.
TheResident Evil 4 Remakedoes some curious and spine-tingling things with Ashley’s gameplay moments in Chapter 9, with some drastic and worthwhile changes compared to the original Ashley play style that wasn’t well-loved by many fans. Playing as Ashley in the Remake feels a lot scarier as players once again step into the shoes of an Everyman-style character, as the franchise did inResident Evil 7: BiohazardandResident Evil Villagewith protagonist Ethan. Playing as Ashley in the Remake has brief but powerful moments that could be a sign of things to come inResident Evil 9.
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How Resident Evil 4 Remake Ashley Light And Puzzle Survival Mechanics Create Everyman Horror Gameplay
TheRE4Remake changes things about Ashley, who is a lot more competent when compared to the original, and it’s her turn to save Leon in Chapter 9. That said, playing as Ashley feels vulnerable and increases the tension significantly compared to playing as Leon as her only defense against terrifying patrolling Armadura enemies is by holding up a blue-flamed lantern that temporarily freezes them, allowing her a few moments to sneak past before they reactivate. Tense stealth combines with heart-pounding puzzle moments when players must choose the correct key in a traditional horror-movie moment frantic fumble.
AlthoughEthan Winters isResident Evil’s Everymanprotagonist with a more frightening first-person playthrough, even he knows how to shoot. In contrast, in theResident Evil 4 Remakeplaying as Ashley feels more relatable as she can’t even throw lanterns at attackers like in the original and is instantly killed by the Armaduras if hit. Ashley’s reliance on lantern-lit stealth, solving puzzles, and outwitting her opponents in many ways creates a more realistic and relatable horror survival experience somewhat seen in theShadow of RoseDLC, but without Rose’s powers or weapon-wielding capabilities.
How Resident Evil 9 Could Continue Ashley’s Everyman Horror Game Play Style
When the T-virus outbreak first struck Racoon City, how everyday people fought to survive the infected and their stories could potentially provide the most room for developing the franchise while keeping it rooted in the classic survival horror that many fans fell in love with.Resident Evil 9could expand the revampedsurvival horror gamepuzzle mechanics introduced in Ashley’s story in theResident Evil 4 Remaketo keep its horror at heart while bringing something fresh. Choosing a new Everyman protagonist over more recent complex characters like Rose could be the way to introduce a different style of game that focuses more on puzzle survival than combat.
Resident Evilhas many playable charactersincluding more vulnerable ones in previous games. However, inResident Evil 9, it could also be interesting to see a protagonist who starts with low combat or survival capabilities and gradually becomes more competent or adept at surviving. It might include learning how to use weapons from other survivors or new tricks to keep the infected at bay instead of knowing how to use traditionalResident Evilweapons instantly. Whether using first-person or third-person,Resident Evil 9could use a different kind of Everyman to dramatically shift the gameplay and give players a new type of immersiveResident Evilexperience.
TheResident Evil 4Remakeis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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