Resident Evil 4 Fan Remakes the Game as a 2D Side-Scroller

One dedicated developer has reimagined Resident Evil 4 as a 2D side-scrolling adventure game. Originally released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2005, Resident Evil 4 is widely considered one of the highlights of the franchise.

In March 2023, Capcom released a full remake of Resident Evil 4 which brought the aging title into the modern era. The remake presented players with high-definition graphics and modern gameplay mechanics wrapped around the original story and was a sales success. Capcom reported Resident Evil 4 Remake was one of the fastest-selling games in the franchise. One fan, however, has decided to produce a different take on Leon S Kennedy’s adventure.

RELATED: Resident Evil 4 Players Are Loving This Fan-Made ‘Demake’

Over on Doomworld, forum member DooMero-21 has revealed gameplay footage for their Resident Evil 4 demake. The game is being built on the ZDoom engine, a modified version of id Tech’s original Doom engine that allows developers to create games in a retro style for modern hardware. Since the 2D version of Resident Evil 4 is being developed around a video game engine designed in 1993, it allows the game to look more like a title from the original PlayStation rather than the modern platforms that the high-definition remake was released on.

DooMero-21 has been developing the 2D version of Resident Evil 4 since 2016, although they admit the development has had a few breaks along the way. When Resident Evil 4 Remake was released to high praise earlier this year, the dedicated fan was motivated to finish the project. Numerous gameplay updates have been released across both the Doomworld forum and YouTube, both of which have gained positive reactions from fans. The project is being praised for the unique approach to the survival horror game which is currently aiming to be completed by the end of 2023.

While fan creations such as the 2D side-scrolling version of Resident Evil 4 are generally an expression of admiration for a franchise, the original developers could still potentially step in and pull the project. DMCA takedowns are rife throughout the video game industry as developers move to protect IPs from potential infringements. Cases that recently come to light include Activision issuing takedown notices against Fortnite as players were recreating Call of Duty maps in Fortnite Creative 2.0.

Currently, the future of the Resident Evil franchise has not been disclosed, and there are no official plans from Capcom as to where the survival horror franchise will go next. Speculation continues to grow about a potential Resident Evil 4 Remake DLC, however until this is confirmed, many fans will be hoping that DooMero-21 can finish their work on the 2D side-scrolling version of Resident Evil 4 to get their fix of Leon S Kennedy gameplay.

Resident Evil 4 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.