Two decades on, Capcom still lives in the shadow of Resident Evil 4

According to IGN, in 2005, Resident Evil 4 (RE4) not only marked a turning point for the survival horror series but also set a new standard for the third-person action genre. Two decades later, RE4 's overwhelming success still shapes the way Capcom designs, markets, and develops subsequent products, from later Resident Evil installments to completely different franchises.

RE4 's distinctive feature was its over-the-shoulder perspective, which made a strong impression on players and quickly became the model for a series of subsequent games such as Dead Space , The Last of Us , and even the newer Resident Evil installments. This impact lasted so long that Resident Evil 5 , 6 , and even the 2023 remake of RE4 remained faithful to the old formula, albeit with adjustments to the pace and intensity of the action.

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

In an attempt to innovate, Capcom released Resident Evil 7: Biohazard with a first-person perspective, returning the experience to pure horror. However, despite being highly rated, the game still did not create a strong cultural impact like RE4. The return to the familiar action style in RE8 further shows that Capcom has difficulty escaping the orbit set by RE4 .

Not only stopping at the Resident Evil brand, the influence of RE4 also spread to other Capcom projects. Devil May Cry 4 and The Evil Within (the work of Shinji Mikami - the person behind RE4 ) both bear the mark of the combat system and the characteristic action direction that RE4 initiated.

In addition, the 2023 remake of RE4 continues to demonstrate the enduring appeal of the original game, reaping impressive sales and receiving much praise from critics. This further solidifies the "central axis" position that RE4 holds in Capcom's product strategy, even as the company continues to experiment with other directions.

With a legacy of technical, design, and influence spanning 20 years, Resident Evil 4 is not only a milestone in Capcom’s history, but also a template that the company has yet to surpass. Although Capcom has gradually innovated and renewed different brands, the shadow of RE4 is still clearly present, as an indelible mark in the company’s development genome.