When Resident Evil 4 VR was announced for the Oculus Quest 2, it probably came as a surprise to most gamers, and a disappointment to at least some. While the Quest 2 is a popular, reasonably affordable VR option with standalone capabilities, most people still don't own a VR headset. A full remake of RE4 has also been rumored for some time - one that would not only hit consoles and PC but get the same graphics and gameplay overhauls as Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. Both camps may get what they want, however, if rumors are correct.
A fair amount about Resident Evil 4 VR remains unknown, but teaser footage shows that players will be able to interact with weapons, objects, and the environment on a level they couldn't with Resident Evil 7 in PSVR. A player can be seen tapping a typewriter, pulling back the bolt on a hunting rifle, and even dual-wielding a knife and pistol. A VR interpretation of RE4's inventory system is planned, hopefully borrowing cues from VR-native games like The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.
A full-scale remake is still in the works, leak source Resident Evil remakes, it seems improbable that Capcom would skip one of the most popular Resident Evil titles of all time. The only issue is the scope of work involved, since there's a jump in complexity versus RE3 that could demand extra development time.
Will RE4 VR Be Superior To The Console Remake?
It's possible that Resident Evil 4 VR players will get the short end of the stick in some respects. The game's visuals are closer to earlier ports than Quest 2 owners might like, a compromise necessary to make it a standalone game - full-fidelity VR involves pairing a headset with a mid- to high-level gaming PC. There also don't appear to be any dramatic gameplay changes apart from interaction options, though more could be revealed during the Oculus Gaming Showcase on April 21.
If it's successful, Resident Evil 4 VR could be a shot in the arm for both the Quest 2 and VR as a whole. Although VR gaming is still growing, AAA releases have still been slow to roll out. That's produced a chicken-or-the-egg situation in which some people won't buy a headset without more games, while developers won't commit AAA resources until they can guarantee an audience. It may take more leaps like Half-Life: Alyx - and ideally, more Resident Evils - to get players to open their wallets.
Source: Dusk Golem/Twitter
