Over the past eight years, I’ve tried playing horror games a few times, but I typically end up pulling off my headset within the first moments. It’s not generally a genre that appeals to me because I don’t enjoy being frightened, but when I was challenged to check out Resident Evil 4 VR, I promised I’d make a legitimate attempt.
From the perspective of someone who has never played flat games and who knew nothing about the long history of the Resident Evil franchise, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the first Resident Evil game, known as Biohazard in Japan, was released in 1996. Created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara for PlayStation, the game is credited with defining the survival horror genre and bringing zombies into pop culture.
Almost 30 years later, the franchise continues to thrive and is the best-selling horror game series, with over 154 million copies sold worldwide as of December 2023. In October 2021, the series received a completely new perspective through immersive reality when Resident Evil 4 VR was released as an exclusive on the Meta Quest store by Armature Studio, in partnership with Oculus Studios and original Resident Evil developer Capcom. It was later released on PlayStation VR2 in December 2023. Although I haven’t played the PS VR2 version, it’s my understanding that it’s fantastic.
So, obviously I’m a bit late to the party, but sometimes it’s good to have a fresh perspective, so let’s jump into some specifics of my experience playing Resident Evil 4 VR on the Meta Quest.
One thing I noticed right away was the use of sound to make this game much more intimidating. When you’re walking around in the woods, for example, you’ll hear rustling sounds to the side or behind you, which is concerning. In fact, I probably wasted half my time during my first session just trying to make sure nothing was following me or trying to jump out of the bushes to kill me.
The graphics are appealing, particularly when you’re looking at details like your hands or the phone, so it’s easy to be completely immersed. That’s a great thing until the zombie-like Ganados, who are infected with the Plagas parasite, come straight toward you with a pitchfork or ax.
From the very beginning, you’re given information and instructions on your objectives. This is very helpful, especially for someone who wasn’t familiar with the backstory at all. I was able to jump right in and play the game, but I began to research the history because I wanted to know more. It reminded me a bit of doing genealogical research, where you know some of the details, but it’s fun to dig deeper and discover a much greater world of information. The lore for Resident Evil is expansive!
I also greatly enjoyed the tutorial and accessibility options. The user experience is very well-thought-out and information is dispensed in such a way that it comes along as you need it, rather than a 30-minute long tutorial at the beginning that you’re going to forget anyway. You can also easily access information again by going back to the menu or choose to skip something entirely if you end up repeating a section. The only thing I had difficulty with was figuring out how to save a game. I started over with a fresh game the first three times I played because I didn’t know you were supposed to use the typewriters to create a save. (I finally looked it up online.)
Most of the reviews I’ve seen of this game mention the fact that virtual reality brings a new level of excitement to the gameplay for those familiar with Resident Evil from consoles or PC gaming. The reactions and reviews are incredibly positive, boasting an impressive 87% positive (5-star) rating on the Meta Quest Store with over 12,000 votes. From the perspective of someone who has only ever played VR, I can say it’s one of the best story-driven games I’ve played.
One other thing I thought was interesting were the cutscenes. Normally, I dislike these because I prefer to interact with action in VR, not watch it. In Resident Evil 4 VR, however, the cutscenes were essential to the storyline at the moment, and they they almost served as a buffer that helped me accept my in-game death (which happened a lot) and prepare for my next decision.
Final Thoughts
Resident Evil 4 VR is an engaging, remarkable experience. Whether someone is new to the franchise or a long-time fan purchasing their first headset, I’d highly recommend the game as an addition to your immersive library. While it is a little terrifying at times, it’s not so frightening that it’s impossible to play. For others like myself who might not typically prefer the horror genre, I still recommend this game because it’s simply so well-made. But keep the lights on and maybe just play in the daytime…
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