As one would expect from a horror franchise that's lasted for 27 years, the Resident Evil series is home to a plethora of wonderfully horrifying monsters. Standard flesh-eating zombies aside, Resident Evil has a slew of other iconic series monster mainstays, from the instantly recognizable Licker, to the hulking Mr. X and Nemesis, to the insect-loving Marguerite Baker. But one of the most terrifying Resident Evil monsters could be about to get a whole lot scarier with Resident Evil 4 Remake right around the corner.
Releasing on March 24, Resident Evil 4 Remake takes the beloved 2005 original and gives it far more than just a fresh coat of paint. From a reworked story to new side missions and dialogue to new forms of infected, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is going above and beyond to ensure that this experience is the perfect blend of old and new. And with this remake changing up so much of the original, it seems likely that Resident Evil 4's scariest monsters have been finely tuned to deliver even more screams than their 2005 counterparts.
The Resident Evil 4 Remake Can Take Regenerators to the Next Level
Generally speaking, it's widely considered that Resident Evil 4's second half - its island section - isn't nearly as strong as its first castle half. The pacing of Resident Evil 4's first half is a lot better, the scares are well built-up, there's slightly less linearity in terms of level design, and the maniacal villains are abundant. That being said, Resident Evil 4's island section isn't without its moments, and one of those is discovering the hidden laboratory, where one of the most terrifying monsters in all of gaming is lying in wait.
On their way to rescue Ashley in Resident Evil 4, players find themselves walking the cramped corridors of some kind of secret laboratory on this secluded island. Behind a pane of glass, players can see some kind of pitch-black monster lying on a stretcher, with no truly discernible features. Upon reaching their objective in the room, this monster springs to life, and slowly hulks its way toward the player. The player soon finds out that these monsters, the Regenerators, can regrow their limbs, and the only way to escape is to try and run past them.
Eventually, the player discovers that they can use the thermal scope of a sniper to locate and destroy Resident Evil's Las Plagas parasites keeping the Regenerators alive, and after shooting all of them, they explode into a satisfying array of blood and bits. Though the Regenerators are slow, they hit very hard, and this grave underlying threat underpins some of Resident Evil 4's most memorable interactions. The audio design of the Regenerators is a core reason behind their memorability, with their otherworldly grumbles and groans sending chills down the spines of countless players. The visual design of these monsters is also iconic, with them having some of the most simple yet effective designs in the entire franchise. All that's needed to terrify a player at first glance is long claws, a tall stature, and a wide, toothy grin.
The Resident Evil 4 Remake has the perfect opportunity to make these already-iconic monsters even more renowned, just like Resident Evil 2 Remake did with Mr. X, though not nearly as much work needs to go into the Regenerators. The overall design of the Regenerators, both audio and visual, is practically incredible, and all the Resident Evil 4 Remake needs to do is bring those technical features to the modern day, making them both sound and look more realistic. It also seems likely that the Regenerators might behave a little differently in the remake to better fit with some gameplay changes. For instance, they might move a little faster than in the original to match Leon's newfound ability to move while aiming.
Resident Evil 4 Remake releases on March 24, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.