Resident Evil 4: Is The Remake Longer Than The Original?

The "Resident Evil 4" remake is looking like a best-case scenario for a remake of one of the best video games of all time. Not only does the new version of the game offer updated graphics and sound, but it looks to expand upon many of the sharp gameplay mechanics that made the original action-horror hybrid such a hit. Players know to expect plenty of tussles with infected villagers, creepy cultists, and disgusting bosses like Ramón Salazar, but how long will it take to save Ashley Graham and escape from Los Illuminados?

During a chat with PC Gamer back in October 2022, producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi answered the question of how long players can expect to invest in the story mode of "Resident Evil 4." Although the game was still months away from release at that point, development had progressed far enough that Hirabayashi felt confident in estimating that players will spend a similar amount of time conquering the remake as they did in the original. Here's what Hirabayashi had to say about the runtime of 2023's "Resident Evil 4."

According to Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, the remake's runtime was all but ensured after the release of the "Resident Evil 3" remake. That game was roundly criticized for feeling too brief and offering little in the way of replay value. Hirabayashi told PC Gamer, "When we started production on 'RE4' we looked into what people thought was good ... and what could've been done better. One example is the play time for 'RE4' is about the same as the original game."

This is good news for fans, since the original version of the game is already relatively lengthy on its own — it even took up two discs in its original GameCube release! If the new game sticks to roughly the same length, players can expect roughly 15 hours of playtime. This estimate can stretch to 20 hours or more for completionists who have to track down every upgrade and hidden letter in the game, meaning players have a good bit of Las Plagas-blasting to look forward to. Compare that to the 11 hours it takes to clear the story mode of "Devil May Cry 5," and you have a throwback game that can hold its own with modern heavy hitters.

The "Resident Evil 4" remake releases on March 24 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.