You’re not hardcore unless you live hardcore
As a remake of a game that’s over 15 years old, Resident Evil 4 presents a surprising conundrum right up front. The minute you start the game, you’ll be asked to select a difficulty option. Your choices are as follows:
- Assisted
- Standard
- Hardcore
Verbiage aside, this is a fairly standard spread of “easy, normal, and hard” difficulty settings. However, the default choice is set to Hardcore, and the description reads “For players who have played Resident Evil 4 (2005).” This might lead you to believe that Hardcore is the recommended difficulty setting, but you may not necessarily want to select this option. That includes people who have, indeed, played Resident Evil 4.
The differences between each difficulty in Resident Evil 4 remake
Assisted is fortunately straightforward in its differences. Playing on this difficulty will activate aim assist, create more ammo when crafting, recover health automatically when you’re at critical health, and lower the price of certain items. If you play on Standard difficulty, you’ll have the option to turn on Assisted mode whenever you die. This is the recommended setting if you’re new to action horror games, or you’re trying to play on Steam Deck.
It’s the differences between Standard and Hardcore where things get a little confusing. Hardcore notes that you’ll face “stronger enemies and harder challenges,” but this is more significant than it sounds. In the opening minutes of the game alone, enemies will take notably longer to kill and stagger. This changes the way you’ll approach combat situations, pushing the game more towards survival horror than pure action. If you know Resident Evil 4 like the back of your hand, this will likely be a welcome change. You’ll have to lean into the new mechanics of the remake, which should make for a fresher experience.
However, if you last played Resident Evil over a decade ago, Hardcore won’t necessarily be a great time. This is especially true if you initially experienced a port like Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition and now want to play the game with a controller. Much has stayed the same in the remake, but there are enough changes to the core gameplay to make this a new experience. You can’t rely on the same tricks that you did in the original.
Should you play on Hardcore mode?
A more accurate description for Hardcore mode would be “for current fans of the Resident Evil series.” If you want to have a more challenging experience, Hardcore is definitely the way to go. However, if you’ve taken a hiatus from Resident Evil for a while or just want a more nostalgic experience, go with Standard. You’ll have an easier time getting a headshot on an enemy and running in to roundhouse kick an entire mob to the ground, just like old times.
Also, keep in mind that Resident Evil 4 is replayable by design. Like in the original, you’ll unlock new additions like Professional mode, which is distinct from Hardcore difficulty. In the end, it’s up to you to decide how you want to play the game. Pick the difficulty that is the most fun for you, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
