Resident Evil four VR Evaluate | RE4 Oculus Quest 2

New ports of the fan-favorite Resident Evil 4 are nothing new, but Resident Evil 4 VR, now available on Oculus Quest 2, is the ultimate survival horror experience fans of this classic have been waiting for. Not only can players enjoy a truly immersive experience battling the Los Illuminados, but the quality of life improvements and VR tweaks are effectively bringing this game into 2021, leaving behind many of the outdated mechanics that longtime gamers have been all too using are familiar. Check out more of our Resident Evil 4 VR review below.

Resident Evil 4 VR will surprise even the most seasoned gamers

RE4 VR brings to an end a game that many of us have played countless times and makes it feel like a whole new experience. The least immersive part of this virtual reality Resident Evil game is definitely the cutscenes that are shown on a screen in front of the player’s face instead of putting you in the middle of the action. This also applies to many of the actions Leon takes during the game. If you kick a villager to the ground or do a suplex, the game momentarily leaves the first person VR perspective and instead gives you a glimpse of Leon doing the action. This also happens whenever Leon is grabbed by an enemy or beheaded by a chainsaw.

Exploring the different locales in RE4 VR makes it easy to see details that you may never have noticed before, or see angles of areas that were impossible with an over your shoulder perspective. Perhaps you look at the dusty beams of a house in the village or look at the shiny metal harpoons inside the boat on the lake. Even searching closets for items is more fun when you grab the handles and pull the doors open to discover what’s inside. Are you trying to move through the game more secretly? Room-sized play areas allow you to completely walk around a room or peek around corners to assess a threat before engaging. And once you get busy battling the multitude of enemies in Resident Evil 4 VR is one of the most fun you can have with an Oculus Quest 2.

Some of the best VR gun games are in Resident Evil 4 VR

Empty pistol in Resident Evil 4 VR

First person shooters are extremely well designed for VR gameplay and Resident Evil 4 VR is no exception. When you stand with immersive settings, you can easily grab the weapons you need from the holsters on your body. Your pistol and ammunition are on your hips, your shotgun or other two-handed weapon is on your back, healing items are near your left shoulder, and your knife and grenades are attached to your chest. Leon also wears a wrist watch that shows the current ammo and health status, making it easy for you to keep track of all the vital information you need while playing.

The overhaul of Resident Evil 4 VR has been particularly successful when it comes to the weapons. Quick drawing and shooting is great when you are in a tight position, or you can stabilize the barrel and aim at the sight for precise kills. Reloading is now becoming an important part of gameplay as you have to learn the movements of loading a magazine and picking up the slide, but a great thing is the ability to do so on the go. This makes running and shooting an important part of Resident Evil 4 VR. Therefore, an important part of the strategy is to complete this adventure in one piece by being aware of your surroundings and having an escape route. Pulling the pen on grenades and throwing them at a group of enemies is also a super fun mechanic that made me go to my grenades more often than in previous playthroughs.

Hand grenade in Resident Evil 4 VR

When reloading your shotgun, you can drop grenades by fiddling with the buttons. Also, every time you perform the pumping action, you throw out a grenade that you cannot retrieve. So be careful when reloading and firing when enemies swarm around you. Likewise, you need to learn the movements and mechanics of each weapon. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget to carry the shotgun, reducing a satisfying, head-splitting shot to a whimpering click.

Whether you’re a fan of aiming the sniper rifle scope, holding onto the TMP while unloading fully automatic cartridges, or clearing every space in the barrel of your shotgun, there’s a lot to appreciate about the gun and target design of this game. The original laser sights are fitted, but I chose to turn these off to better enjoy the aim of any firearm. The customization options in this game for convenience and gameplay make it something that any gamer can absorb and enjoy.

RE4 VR has excellent comfort settings

Chainsaw opponent and shotgun in Resident Evil 4 VR

Before you dive too deep into the history of Resident Evil 4 VR, be sure to play around with the comfort settings to see which will best suit your play style. You can take an immersive approach while the weapons are attached to your body, or you can hold the left trigger to bring up a weapon wheel and from there select your preferred weapon. There are settings that can be tweaked to help tackle motion sickness, and you can even turn off the quick-reaction prompts that come up during cutscenes.

As with most VR titles, you have the choice of either standing or seated play. Sitting works fine, but I had some problems grabbing the right weapon I wanted or interacting with objects in the area when I couldn’t actually go up and touch them. Standing is definitely the way to go, and if you have enough wiggle room, you can go around the world to better interact with the elements around you. Plus, there’s no greater satisfaction than reaching over your shoulder to pull your shotgun off your back and crush an enemy at the perfect moment. The game can be customized to suit your preferred play style, so make it work for you. Hopefully this is a great opportunity for people who haven’t played Resident Evil 4 to get into the game for the first time.

Sometimes you just want to listen to the rain

Resident Evil 4 Lightning & Rain

Resident Evil is known for its great atmosphere and creepy surroundings. Resident Evil 4 may be more of an action game than a survival horror, but the virtual reality design brings these places to life in a brilliant way. I noticed that the darkness has been reduced a bit in some scenes, which makes areas like the building where you fight the Big Cheese appear much brighter on the Oculus than they do on a TV. However, the scenes in the village at night when it rains are some of the best, especially when lightning bolts illuminate the entire sky.

When you have a moment when you are not being chased by ganados, take some time to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the beautifully rendered 3D world that was built as your playground. You can feel the warmth of the candles as you explore the castle and even experience the tactile feel of the typewriter when you save the game. This game is definitely fast paced, but don’t forget to look around and enjoy the different environments in the game.

Should I buy Resident Evil 4 VR for Oculus Quest 2?

Big cheese in Resident Evil 4 VR

Resident Evil 4 VR is possibly the best version of RE4 yet (the Wii edition is just a second). If you’re a huge Resident Evil fan and don’t own an Oculus Quest 2 yet, it’s worth getting one to play with, and if you already own a Quest 2 it’s totally worth the price of entry to return this game on a whole new way.

TechRaptor checked Resident Evil 4 VR on Oculus Quest 2 with a review purchased copy.

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