The original Resident Evil 4 is a stroke of game-design genius. Its systems of resources and combat make for fights where every second demands decision and every decision matters. Every safe action has a riskier, rewarding alternative. That goes for things outside of the combat loop too: exploration, inventory management, and shopping for upgrades. I think my character died well over a hundred times, but each failure was a welcome chance to form a new plan and adapt as it falls apart.
The shortcomings of the gameplay are minor and seem like they would be addressed by the remake. The tank-like controls rightfully make the player-character vulnerable, but freer movement would expand the design space for opponents and hazards. There are many situations where opponents are unaware or vulnerable, begging for the kind of stealth mechanics that have found their way into most action games. The quick-time-events are relatively inoffensive in this game, but there is no decision or risk involved; it's always best to do one. Since most of the Q.T.E.s are contextual ducks and rolls, the remake probably generalizes those actions. The only real flaw in the gameplay is the failure to use some types of opponents more than once or in synergy with some other types.
The game's mood and story are messy and disastrous, respectively. The village and Spanish country of the first act promise more creepiness and disturbance, but only a few moments in the latter acts deliver. Like past Resident Evil games, the tension of the gameplay does much of the work for mood, but something is wrong when there is a literal castle-with-lava. The narrative of the series has always been at the level of a B movie. Resident Evil 4 adds spectacle to the mix which only magnifies the camp and goof. The villains literally give speeches and walk away. They make calls to the protagonist just to quip. There is a character fighting and doing acrobatics in a seductive dress and heels for no reason; she never attempts to seduce anybody, and nobody acknowledges it. Not once does a character break down or falter in the face of unspeakable horror. Some people like this stuff and label it unique and confident, or they enjoy how bad it is. I can't stand it. It's jarring and the whole experience suffers because of it. It can't survive into the remake. 7 or 8