Parents' Guide to Resident Evil 4 (2023)

Game Xbox Series X/S , PlayStation 5 , Windows , PlayStation 4 2023
Resident Evil 4 box cover

Common Sense Media Review

Paul Semel By Paul Semel , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 18+

Graphic, bloody, mature but exciting horror action game.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 18+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Leon facing off zombies
    1:10
  • Resident Evil 4 (2023) Trailer
  • Resident Evil 4: At numerous times in this game, Leon finds himself surrounded by many angry cultists.
  • Resident Evil 4: Along with controlling them, the parasites inside the villagers can also cause them to mutate, which gives them sharp tendrils they c
  • Resident Evil 4: Leon can stun some enemies by shooting them in the face, which gives him an opportunity to take them out with his knife or a roundhou
  • Resident Evil 4: Along with the infected villagers, Leon sometimes has to face tougher enemies, such as this sharp-looking fella.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 7 parent reviews

 

 

See all 7 parent reviews
age 13+

Based on 16 kid reviews

Kids say the game is regarded as a masterpiece of action and storytelling, highlighting the engaging mechanics and moderate horror elements, although the graphic violence, including gore and frequent profanity, may not be suitable for all players. Many reviews suggest it’s appropriate for teens who can handle such content, as the intense gameplay and character development overshadow the darker aspects.

  • masterpiece
  • graphic violence
  • suitable for teens
  • engaging mechanics
  • mixed horror elements
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 16 kid reviews

What's It About?

In RESIDENT EVIL 4, Leon S. Kennedy has been sent to a small town in Spain to rescue the daughter of the U.S. president from a mysterious cult called Los Iluminados. Except when he arrives, he finds that the villagers are not religious zealots, they're infected with a mind-controlling parasite called Las Plagas that makes them act like zombies. And that's not the only horror Leon has to survive in this game. It's a good thing he's a good shot and knows what herbs can be ingested and combined to heal himself, and that he can solve the complicated puzzles they use to lock the doors and gates that are between him and, well, more unruly villagers.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 7 ):
Kids say ( 16 ):

Like the other updated remakes of games in this series, this remake of the classic third-person survival horror shooter is just as engaging and frightening as the original. In Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy travels to a small Spanish village to rescue the U.S. president's daughter from a cult, only to find the cultists are controlled by a parasite. That's why Leon shoots a lot of mind-controlled people, as well as infected animals, insects, and monsters, while searching for supplies and ways to solve the overly complicated puzzles that keep him from proceeding to the next area he needs to explore.

For people who played the original, this remake didn't just get a visual upgrade. It got some mechanical ones as well, with improved controls and animations making it run smoother. Its gameplay is also slightly altered. Not only have many of the puzzles been redone, but your knife can now be used to parry attacks or to take out unsuspecting enemies from behind. Most importantly, this still holds up, and never feels out-of-date. For people who missed this horror classic, it plays a lot like Resident Evil Village, but with more variety in the kinds of enemies you face and how you take them out. But even just the basic scenarios -- in which you're attacked from all sides by pitchfork- and machete-wielding villagers -- are exhilarating. Which is why, whether you've survived this horror before or this is your first trip to spooky Spain, Resident Evil 4 remains an epic and effortless scary shooter.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Resident Evil 4 affected by the graphic nature of the combat in the game? Does killing a human affect you differently than when you kill an animal or monster? Would the impact be lessened if the visuals weren't as realistic?

  • In Resident Evil 4, Leon steals items from houses to survive when people are trying to kill him, but does that justify breaking and entering and theft? Is it ever OK to break the law?

Game Details

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Resident Evil 4 box cover

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