Resident Evil 4 Remake Mods Creepier Than The Game Itself

A lot of truly creepy mods have already been made for the "Resident Evil 4" remake. That probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to those who follow the modding community as the "RE" franchise has always been a popular source of fan-made content. The 2019 remake of "Resident Evil 2" has the most files of any horror game on the popular mod-sharing site Nexus Mods, so it makes sense that the latest game to get Capcom's RE-make treatment would be just as popular – especially since the original "RE4" is often considered one of the best horror games of all time.

Hundreds of mods have already been made for the game in the weeks since its release. In fact, there were quite a few bizarre mods that were already released for the "Chainsaw Demo" before the full game was even officially out. There was one that replaced Leon's head with the enlarged head of baby Rose from "Resident Evil Village," and another that replaced the chainsaw-wielding maniac Salvador with Shrek — but even more haunting mods have been added to the game following its release. Here are a few mods that make the 2023 "Resident Evil 4" remake even creepier than it already is.

Replacing Salvador with Shrek can be unexpectedly intimidating, but it isn't much scarier than the original. There's another mod out there that dials the bone-chill meter up to 11 though. It's made by creator XxCrazyPotatoxX, and it allows players to replace the opening "RE4" mini-boss with the most infamous chainsaw murderer of all time: "Leatherface."

Fans of classic horror will definitely recognize this particular serial killer. He originally appeared in the 1974 film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but has since grown into an icon of the genre. He's even appeared in the game "Dead by Daylight" and will be in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" video game that releases in April.

As unnerving as Salvador is all on his own, Jedidiah "Leatherface" Sawyer represents a whole other level of terror. This cannibalistic monster wears a mask of human skin while he hunts anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. There are a lot of iconic and creepy-looking killers in the horror genre (Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Meyers, etc.), but the most horrifying thing about Leatherface isn't his unconventional diet or his unfortunate taste in headwear. One of the things that has made Leatherface stand the test of time — more than most other fictional killers — is that his character was largely based on the crimes of the real-life murderer Ed Gein. This gives the character an even more sinister continence that goes a long way toward enhancing the creep factor of any game that features him.

But even if players want to replace Salvadore with Leatherface, that doesn't mean that they have to take him out of the game entirely. One of the most popular styles of mods that have been made for "Resident Evil 4" 2023 are the ones that replace something about the protagonist, Leon S. Kennedy's character model. Most of them are simple outfit changes, but creator linkthehylian has shared a mod called "Salvador Sack" that allows players to put the good doctor's burlap mask on our intrepid hero.

This mod doesn't just slip a sack over Leon's perfectly chiseled noggin and call it good though. Players can see through the holes cut in the fabric that the eyes underneath are bulging, bloody, and lidless, indicating that the face underneath has been viciously mutilated. Aside from being generally spooky, this makes it appear as if Leon himself is one of the Plaga-infected villagers roaming the town in service of Los Iluminados — just another monster in the menagerie.

The effect is even more menacing when players pair it with linkthehylian's "Chainsaw Knife" mod, which replaces Leon's Combat Knife with the model for Salvador's chainsaw.

One of the more memorable boss fights in the game is against a mutant salamander the size of a whale called Del Lago. The creature grabs hold of a lead connected to Leon's boat and starts dragging it around the lake, forcing Leon to hurl harpoons at it while steering the vessel in order to avoid hitting any of the debris of sunken ships that are strewn about the surface. There are a couple of mods that make this fight even scarier.

The first is by the creator SupremeLeader777. It takes the already terrifying creature and replaces it with a Giant Killer Seal with bright red eyes. Players might not think that an adorable water dog is all that scary compared to a giant, tumorous amphibian, but one look at this creature's teeth should be enough to change their minds. This is a good one for any "Planet Earth" fans out there who ever wondered what the Penguin feels like.

Then there's "El Thomas." This mod created by XxCrazyPotatoxX also replaces Del Lago — only it does so with a monstrous mutation of Thomas the Tank Engine. This abomination has spokes and wheels sticking out of its fleshy body as well as several rows of sharp teeth protruding from its elongated mouth. Users who want their childhoods ruined should absolutely download this mod. It turns the friendly train into an unholy joining of monster and machine that's sure to give even the most hardened biohazard warrior nightmares.

Leon's main objective for the entirety of "Resident Evil 4" is to find and protect the president's daughter, Ashley Graham. Just imagine if, after making it all the way to the church and finally finding her, Leon discovered that Ashley had already been turned into a monster. The final mod on this list was created by zhoujihao and it replaces Ms. Graham's character model with one of the Regeneradors.

A Regenerador is a bio-weapon that was created by Los Iluminados by putting multiple parasites into a single human host. They are end-game enemies and some of the toughest creatures Leon will have to face outside the boss fights. These creatures have large, misshapen bodies with gray skin, overgrown teeth, and glowing red and yellow eyes. They can also unhinge their jaws and extend needle-like quills out of their body. They're frightening at the best of times, but having one that follows you around breathing on the back of your neck throughout the entire game is a whole other level of creepy. Especially since it's the player's job to protect it.