REVIEW: Resident Evil 4: VR Mode (PS VR2)

Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 Remake VR Mode stands as a testament to their technical expertise, building on their recent success with the Resident Evil 4 remake, which earned a Game Of The Year nomination at last year’s Game Awards. Demonstrating how effectively AAA games can make the transition into Virtual Reality, Capcom released a free VR Mode for the PS5 and PS VR2 on Dec 8, 2023, just nine months after the remake’s initial launch, marking their third VR update since their debut effort with Resident Evil 7 on the original PS VR headset.

Gameplay

The Remake introduces modern gameplay tweaks, notably enhancing the knife mechanics, which shine in the VR rendition. Combat against life-sized adversaries feels incredibly intense, especially with the inclusion of real-life weapon reload mechanics, demanding quick actions amid swarming enemies.

Considering RE 4’s age compared to RE 8, certain concessions exist, such as simplified shotgun reloads.

In RE 4, interactive items are purpose-driven, including containers housing keys or treasures, valves, levers, notes, or photographs.

The game’s inventory system is presented against a black background in VR, allowing players to manipulate objects similar to the flat game, including rotation and zoom for closer inspection.

Capcom’s attention to audio detail must also be highlighted, positioning environmental and opponent cues spatially, enhancing the immersive 360-degree soundscape. The PS VR’2 Sense controllers and headset haptics amplify these cues, adding to the overall sense of immersion through vibrations and feedback.

RE 4 leverages VR for puzzles, presenting them in a three-dimensional manner, allowing manipulation with both hands for enhanced engagement. Collectible figurines and even Leon’s model can be viewed in greater detail and life size.

Visuals

Capcom’s achievements with the aging technology of the PS VR1, utilising external camera and light-based tracking, remain impressive. For the first time in the Resident Evil series, players could immerse themselves in a fully realized, true-to-scale experience.

The advent of the PS VR2 and the processing power of the PS5 has enabled Capcom to elevate their standards. The gap in visual quality between the flat versions of RE 8 and RE 4 is diminishing. While RE8 was visually striking, the Resident Evil 4 Remake surpasses it. The noticeable visual disparities between RE8 and RE4 partly stem from game settings and partly from Capcom’s improving proficiency in VR conversions.

Two significant visual discrepancies between RE 4 & 8 are lighting and visual detail. RE 4 features expansive areas with foliage, rendered with near photo-realistic detail, including trees, leaves, grass, and weeds. The interplay of shadows, accentuated by flashlight lighting and the deep blacks of the PS VR2’s OLED display, sets a new standard for VR visuals.

Conclusion

Resident Evil 4 for PS VR2 represents a significant milestone for the platform, showcasing the potential for delivering AAA First Party Gaming experiences, demonstrating what the PS5 platform coupled with VR technology can achieve, alongside the likes of the free PS VR2 update for Gran Turismo 7 and the AAA first party title, Horizon: Call of the Mountain. 

Resident Evil 4: VR Mode Pricing & Availability

Resident Evil 4: VR Mode for PS VR2 is a free update for existing owners of Resident Evil 4: Remake on PS5. The base game is available on sale now for €30.09 on PlayStation Store.