In the remake of “Resident Evil 4” Ashley will function a little differently than in the original and will follow the player’s every step. In an interview, two directors of the game explained why this mechanic was chosen.
The remake of “Resident Evil 4” is fundamentally based on the horror classic from 2005. At the same time, the developers wanted to introduce some modifications and improvements that sometimes have an impact on the gameplay.
This includes changes to the AI companion Ashley Graham, who can no longer be placed anywhere like an inventory. In the remake of “Resident Evil 4” players are able to give her some basic instructions. But she will always follow Leon wherever he goes.
It was such a waste
In the original, players could set Ashley down in a safe spot to take out enemies in front of her. Yasuhiro Ampo and Kazunori Kadoi from the development team explained why the team decided to change the concept in an interview with the magazine Game Informer.
“We wanted to have her as a character by your side so that she makes an impression,” says Ampo. “And as a game, it was kind of funny that she hid while you were fighting in the original. But having a character like Ashley and then just letting her disappear for a while felt like a waste. We wanted to avoid that in the new edition.”
Kadoi added, “When you’re making an AI, you don’t want it to get in your way. But when you can just forget about her and she takes care of herself, you don’t feel like you’re really protecting her. It is difficult to find a balance between these two aspects.”
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Ashley repays players for having to keep an eye on her with some useful moves that come into play on the surrounding obstacles. These co-op obstacles can be found long before Ashley is rescued, giving players a reason to revisit areas to explore further with Ashley’s help. “We wanted the game to change when Ashley is with you,” Ampo said.
Watch out for kidnappers
Ashley has no health bar in Resident Evil 4 remake. If she takes too many hits, she falls into a state where the player has to get her back on her feet. If this chance passes and Ashley is hit again, it’s game over.
Additionally, Ashley can be picked up by enemies and carried away, which will also fail if she gets too far from Leon. However, the latter can intervene, either by shooting the kidnapper dead or, in a new twist, through a melee execution – by thrusting his knife into the opponent’s neck, freeing Ashley.
More Resident Evil 4 news:
Resident Evil 4 Remake will be released on March 24th, 2023 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. Pre-orders are among others via Amazon* possible.
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