Resident Evil 4 VR Guide

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Latest posts by Adam Braunstein (see all)

Resident Evil is a franchise that is a household name at this point. Whether you love horror games or not, the name has grown past the boundaries of gaming and even has a TV show as well as an animated series and a long list of movies to its name as well. While the first few games of the series were massive hits, they weren’t for everyone and featured some of the clunkiest controls imaginable, which stood out even for its time back in the mid-1990s.

The game that really changed everything with the franchise was Resident Evil 4. It ditched the zombies of the other games and got rid of a scene-to-scene level structure and instead introduced us to an interconnected world where the enemies actually lived. You could no longer escape by opening a door to another place because now, the enemies could just knock that door down and come after you. With such an iconic and terrifying mechanic, it opened up entirely new ways to play, and now, that experience is in VR.

Resident Evil 4 VR is an example of the magic that can happen when a big-name developer actually wants to put some effort into VR. It’s an absolutely terrifying game that struggles at times with using technology from 2004 for most of the design, but in spite of that, it’s one of the most gripping VR experiences you can ever have, and if you can stomach it, it’s one of the best games available right now on the Oculus Quest 2.

When it comes to taking a non-VR game and putting VR into it, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to getting a grip on the game, so let’s explore everything there is to know about Resident Evil 4 VR.

Bottom Line Upfront

Resident Evil 4 VR is among the best VR experiences to date. It’s got terrifying situations, some solid graphics, and most importantly, rock solid VR gameplay that brings a game that came out in 2005 into the modern era of gaming with little issue. It’s also got multiple modes, a new game plus, and a bunch of secrets to discover and unlock, so if you’re an Oculus Quest 2 owner, make sure you grab this one as there are few VR games like it. 

Getting Around the Game World

Resident Evil 4 VR Guide

Now that you’re in VR, the world of Resident Evil 4 should seem a little less frightening simply for the fact that you can move so much faster and more accurately than you could with a controller. Gone are the tank-like controls of the past, and in its place is the full directional capability that you’d expect from a modern game.

You have the ability to teleport if you’d like, but to me, this cheapens the experience greatly and makes it pretty dizzying in the process, so I’d just stick to the normal movement here. You can also opt for snap turning in the menus as well, which might alleviate some VR sickness from moving your camera in VR, though I didn’t see a need for this either.

The best enhancement to Resident Evil 4 VR is the fact that you can now move around while aiming. Yes, it’s not exactly the most novel concept as it’s been a staple for any shooter for the past 15+ years, but in the original Resident Evil 4, you had to stand still while aiming your gun, which made for some very tense moments but limited the gameplay in the process. Now, you can move around with guns drawn, and it gives you a ton of flexibility when it comes to your combat strategy.

Combat

The combat in Resident Evil 4 VR is greatly improved from the normal version, and it introduces entirely new ways to take on enemies. The AI of the enemies remains relatively the same as it was from the original game, but it still does a good job here of making you work for your kills.

Gunplay

The gunplay at work in Resident Evil 4 VR is pretty outstanding and makes the game a joy to play through. You start out with your basic pistol, but over the course of the game, you’ll gain access to machine guns, shotguns, and even rocket launchers. Shooting is smoothly handled and helped along by a red laser dot that you use to pinpoint your aim on enemies. This makes shooting enemies in specific places very easy to do. When you shoot enemies in the legs, you can stagger them, and this is crucial when it comes to buying you valuable time that you need to escape.

Resident Evil 4 VR comes with all the modern VR bells and whistles when it comes to gunplay, and that means manually reloading that changes depending on what gun you have. It adds a lot to the game when you have to physically reload your gun, and it’s part of what makes Resident Evil 4 VR so superior to the original version.

Completely new to the VR version is the ability to dual-wield weapons as well. There are a ton of different options here, but the caveat is that you still need to reload, so your choices here are either quickly switching them out or literally tossing one into the air while you reload the other to pull off a move that would be more at home in The Matrix than Resident Evil.

One of the best parts of VR is the flexibility you have in dealing with enemies, and with the gunplay in Resident Evil 4 VR, you have an immense amount of freedom that you never had in the original game. First off, any time you find yourself struggling to pull off a shot, feel free to run up close and personal to your enemy and take a headshot at point blank range. You’ll be exposing yourself to an attack for sure, but you’ll also guarantee a high damage shot that should kill them pretty fast in the process.

Melee

Melee Gameplay

Melee combat doesn’t fare quite as well as the gunplay in Resident Evil 4 VR, but it is passable at least. In the original Resident Evil 4, you had a couple of melee maneuvers that you could pull off if you were attacked up close by an enemy, and here is the same ideal; unfortunately, Capcom couldn’t quite figure out how to implement melee into VR here, so when you escape an enemy’s grasp up close here, you’re thrown out of the first person view for a second here and shown a quick animation of Leon doing a roundhouse kick. The effect is pretty jarring, to say the least, but it works well enough, and you’re quickly teleported back into first-person view the second it’s done. I can’t help but think that there was a better way to deal with melee combat here, like maybe a punch, for example; oh well. 

The other option you have for melee combat is more conventional in the form of a knife. The knife here doesn’t work as it does in most VR games as there is no real physics involved, so yeah, you can slash to your heart’s content, but you won’t really feel any of the impact, unfortunately, which takes away from the act of using it a bit. It’s an effective attack, though, and can really come in handy if you happen to run out of bullets at any point. 

Explosives

Aside from guns and melee combat, there is also the option to use explosives. Whether it’s Molotov cocktails or grenades, you have the option to use these highly damaging items as long as you have them in your inventory. In Resident Evil 4 VR, you actually get to throw these too, which adds a ton to the immersion and allows you to throw them with some pinpoint accuracy as well. The best way to use these is by luring your enemies into a tight spot such as a house and letting them loose. The splash damage is definitely lesser than it was in the original Resident Evil 4, but you can still take out groups of enemies with them if you use it right. 

Defend Yourself

Defend Yourself

Resident 4 VR provides ways to defend yourself from enemies that the original game simply didn’t have the capability to. In VR, your body is part of the experience, and here, the same thing applies. You are going to be assaulted with various weapons throughout your time in Resident Evil 4 VR, and luckily, you have the tools to defend yourself this time around. 

Ducking and Dodging

The Oculus Quest 2 gives you a wireless experience for a reason, and that’s so you can move around your playspace without worrying about wires getting tangled up. In Resident Evil 4 VR, you can fully utilize that play space, and that means when an enemy is launching an ax at you, you have the option to physically duck or dodge out of the way of it. Some attacks can’t be dodged like grenades or Molotov cocktails, but pretty much every other attack on you in the game can. 

Shooting

That’s right; your gun can be a defensive tool as well as an offensive one. If you’re being pelted with axes from afar and can’t seem to duck out of the way in time, an option you have is to aim at them in mid-air and shoot them to stop them from hitting you. It’s a tough maneuver for sure, but it comes in handy in a pinch and can be the difference between you escaping with a sliver of health or seeing the game over screen. 

Quicktime Events

Quicktime events work their way into the game as they did in the original, and here, you’ll be tasked with either shaking the controller like a crazy person or pressing the triggers together. Some of these situations are particular events in the game, but others will happen quite a bit, like when a villager gets their hands on you. Boss fights, in particular, will utilize these events, and it will always involve a cutscene of sorts playing out to want you when you’re going to have to start pressing the triggers or shaking them. 

Inventory and Equipment

Inventory and Equipment

Your inventory is different in VR as well, and instead of navigating through endless menus to find what you’re looking for, you’re actually going to be grabbing the items and rearranging them physically as well as mixing them together, and this can get a bit confusing as it’s not entirely clear what you need to mix with what in order to get the desired outcome. 

There are multiple versions of controls you can play within the game, but for me, I used the immersive controls to get the best pure VR experience possible. One thing this means is that you’ll need to actually grab all your weapons and items that you want to use. 

For example, your one-handed weapon, such as the pistol, will be attached to your right hip, and you’ll need to reach and grab that area in order to equip it. Your two-handed weapons like machine guns and shotguns will be holstered over your right shoulder, so you need to physically reach over your shoulder in order to equip those. Your knife is on the left side of your chest, so quickly reaching and slashing from will be a move you need to master in a hurry. Finally, your consumable items like herbs are equipped on the left shoulder, so you’ll likely be reaching with your right hand to grab and consume them. 

You have a quick select menu available to you here, and this is where you can equip a bunch of items that you can do on the fly. This gives you a ton of things to choose from that can quickly be grabbed from the menu to use in battle or to heal yourself. 

Immersive Mode Vs Quick Select

You have two options when it comes to how you want to play Resident Evil 4 VR. You can go with Immersive Mode or Quick Select. 

Quick Select

If you’re not a veteran of VR, this might be the way to go because it requires far less direct interaction than Immersive Mode. Quick select only requires one hand to get things done in the game, and that makes things more streamlined and could be a benefit to those without the use of both hands. It also makes certain situations less stressful because you don’t have to worry about using your other hand. It’s a less immersive style of play for sure, but some might prefer it. 

Immersive Mode

Immersive Mode

This is where it’s at for those looking for the full VR experience. You will have both your hands in full action throughout the game, and this comes with a lot of unique features. You can dual wield, have a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other, or, more importantly, steady your shooting hand in order to get more accurate shots. You can also grab herbs and consume them with each hand too. This is by far the best way to play the game, in my opinion, and I can’t really imagine it any other way. 

Tips and Tricks

This is not an easy game by any means, and if you’re particularly prone to scary games, this one will be even tougher due to your pulse racing during a ton of situations throughout the game. Fret not, though, as I have some tips and tricks to get you through this one

Shoot the Legs

One thing that comes back from the original game is that you can stagger enemies by shooting them in the legs. This is crucial because you’ll find the villagers run at you with quite a bit of speed, and they come at you in pairs a lot of times, so the chances you’ll be able to take both enemies out before they can get to you. Shooting the legs is an easy shot most of the time, and it will slow them down in the process, letting you pull off a headshot with ease as they come to a halt. 

Steady the Hands

You’re going to have a pistol for a large part of the game in Resident Evil 4, and it will be your most trusty weapon regardless of how many high-powered weapons you come across. Aiming in VR is tough sometimes, as the weight is almost non-existent with the ultra-light Oculus Touch controllers. Holding your left-hand wrist under your right hand will steady your aim considerably and also add to the immersion as this is how you’d steady a pistol in real life, especially when you have a knife in the other hand. 

Conserve and Seek Out

If you’ve played a survival horror or Resident Evil game in the past, you have to conserve all the ammo you can manage, as it’s tough to find bullets in these types of games. That’s the same deal in Resident 4 VR, and here, you want to make sure you’re only shooting when you have to. If a giant crowd of villagers is attacking you, don’t waste your stockpile of ammo taking them all out because you’ll likely run out before any of them are dead anyway. 

Instead of shooting your way out of situations, take out a couple of enemies and then find the exit. You’re likely able to escape an area if you have a key or item without defeating every enemy, and figuring that out early is super important. 

When you get a break from the action, make sure you’re using your knife to cut up all of the boxes that you can find because they contain valuable items like ammo and herbs or coins a lot of the time. 

Green and Red is Gold

Green and Red is Gold
Resident Evil Wiki – Fandom

You will come across tons of herbs while playing Resident Evil 4 VR, and you can choose to consume them individually, or you can combine them to create a more powerful version. Combining red and green herbs is the most effective combo by far as it completely refills your health. You will find a lot of these during the game, so make sure you’re combining them each time you pick them up. To make this combo even juicier, you can add in a yellow herb to increase your maximum health. 

Rely on the Knife

The knife is your best friend in Resident Evil 4 VR because it’s an infinite weapon that you can pull out when the going gets tough. When you run out of ammo, you’re likely going to panic, but as long as you have the knife equipped, you still have a chance. Up close, the Ganados villagers are scary, but you can take them out with a few well-placed knife strikes, and your ammo reserves will thank you for it. 

Games Like Resident Evil 4 VR

  • Arizona Sunshine
  • After the Fall
  • Half-Life: Alyx
  • Dead Effect 2
  • Killing Floor VR
  • Into the Radius VR
  • Fallout 4 VR
  • The Forest VR

FAQ

Question: Is Resident Evil 4 VR the only Resident Evil in VR?

Answer: Officially, Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 4 are the only Resident Evil games in VR, but there are multiple mods available for Resident Evil 2, 3, and Resident Evil: Village that pretty much flawlessly transform the games into worthy VR adaptations.

Question: Is Resident Evil 4 VR on Oculus Quest?

Answer: Unfortunately, Resident Evil 4 VR is only available on Oculus Quest 2. There may be a way to sideload it through Sidequest on your computer and play it on Oculus Quest that way, but the specs of the Oculus Quest likely aren’t strong enough to handle a task like that. 

Question: Is Resident Evil 4 VR Multiplayer?

Answer: Resident Evil 4 VR is a single-player game. You will spend the entire game playing as Leon Kennedy, and it was designed that way. No mods for the multiplayer games in the series, such as Resident Evil 5 or 6, are in the making, but it’s certainly possible.

Conclusion

Resident Evil 4 VR is one of the scariest games ever made. If you can handle it, though, you’re going to have a ton of fun playing through one of the most chilling and groundbreaking survival horror games of all time. I hope this guide helps you understand it better and makes the experience a bit easier. 

Continue reading:
FNAF VR Guide
Half Life Alyx Achievements Guide
Fallout 4 Oculus Rift VR Guide

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