2023’s Resident Evil 4 remake wowed even the most diehard fans of the original version of the survival horror classic. Helping customize the experience is a growing number of fan mods to the game. Here are the best mods for Resident Evil 4 remake.
Merchant Small Key
Small keys are among the more vital items in Resident Evil 4, unlocking a myriad of drawers and chests, each with its own valuable rewards. They are also, given their size, relatively easy for players to miss as they explore the environments in the game. Fortunately, a mod by Upisud20 helps players look for those easy treasures without making them scour every inch of the map for small keys.
The Small Key mod has the merchant provide Leon with small keys for free, right there in his shop’s inventory. The mod also allows the merchant to carry components for ammo crafting, gold tokens to use in the gachapon machines, and weapon upgrade tickets. Just remember, if this makes the game feel a bit too easy, it is something of a cheat.
John Wick Mode
With a greater emphasis on action than most of the more conventionally horror-driven Resident Evil games, Resident Evil 4 features a greater emphasis on gunplay as Leon dispatches waves of enemies. This combat often involves Leon employing a variety of handguns as he shoots infected villagers and other monsters in his adventure. When it comes to guns, there are few action heroes more memorable at this point in our pop culture history than John Wick.
The John Wick mod by SilverEzredes changes the way Leon handles the handguns in Resident Evil 4 to match John Wick’s no-nonsense style from the movies. This mod only affects handguns, though, instead of two-handed weapons like shotguns and rifles. If this mod isn’t John Wick enough for hardcore fans, the Keanu Reeves mod by Crazy Potato changes Leon’s physical appearance to match that of Keanu himself.
Enemy Health Displayed
Resident Evil 4 often pits multiple enemies against Leon at once, leaving him scrambling to prioritize and evade targets as they threaten to overwhelm him. Deciding which enemy to attack next can be a bit tricky as the regular game has no visual indicator of which enemies are weaker and can be eliminated relatively quickly. Fortunately, a mod displays exactly how much health every on-screen character has.
The Health Bars mod by GreenComfyTea conveniently places health bars over the head of every enemy character on-screen. With this, players can see how much damage each of their weapons and attacks is inflicting on their targets. And as the battle heats up and players are looking to finish off the weaker enemies to avoid being overrun, this mod comes in handy in comparing how much health each enemy has left.
Classic Appearances
As cool as the Resident Evil 4 updates for the looks of Leon, Ashley, and the enigmatic Ada Wong are, there is something to be said for the classic designs of the characters. Nostalgia is a powerful force, and those craving something that hews closer to their classic designs are in for a treat. There are mods for each of Leon, Ashley, and Ada that bring back their looks from the 2005 game to maintain throughout the story.
The Original Ashley mod by HOLS provides Ashley with her classic 2005 outfit for the entirety of the game. For those wishing Leon had the stylish haircut, striking facial structure, and classic outfit from the original game, the Classic RE4 Leon mod by XxCRAZYPOTATOxX is the perfect addition. Finally, though Ada’s outfit in the Resident Evil 4 remake certainly makes more tactical sense, for those who want her to wear her classic red dress, Ada’s RE4 Dress mod by Stevebg23 delivers the goods.
Improved Visuals
As great as Resident Evil 4 looks on a PlayStation 5 or PC with fully maxed technical specifications, there is always room for some improvement. There are a number of mods that allow the player to toggle with the game’s lighting, resolution, and color palette to their individual preferences. However, the best all-around visual presentation mod that we’ve found so far is the Visual Overhaul mod by ADAIVI.
The mod offers a number of options for players to use, from color/contrast to lighting and shading effects. Players can sharpen the game’s imagery and push the visuals as far as they can go with the game’s graphics engine, provided they have the hardware to support it. Preferences in visual presentation are a subjective field, and this mod puts the power in the players’ hands to decide how they want to alter the game’s look.
