Resident Evil 4 Remake may be bringing back some enemy designs that were cut from the game's original release. Over the course of its six-year development, the original Resident Evil 4 went through many iterations. Each one was distinct from the last, with the original concept straying so far from Resident Evil conventions that it eventually went on to become the prototype for the action-adventure game Devil May Cry.
The different versions each incorporated unique locations and monster designs that appeared in trailers and previews, but more often than not, were forgotten each time development was restarted. However, it looks like at least a couple of these discarded monster designs could join Resident Evil 4 Remake’s cast of ridiculous bosses and enemies. A pair of enemies that appear to be based on scrapped designs for earlier, canceled versions of Resident Evil 4 have already popped up in trailers and previews for the upcoming remake, provoking plenty of player speculation.
Resident Evil 4 Remake's Masked Cultist May Be Based On A Scrapped Design For A Female Zealot
Twitter user AestheticGamer highlighted trailers for Resident Evil 4 Remake briefly show what appears to be a female cultist, resembling scrapped designs for the original's zealot enemies. The zealots are functionally similar to the Ganados villagers, and earlier design documents of Resident Evil 4 depict female variants of this enemy type; two of whom partially cover their faces with cloth. By the time the game was released, however, all the zealots turned out to be male. While the supposed female zealot in the trailer also has a sheet of cloth over her head, making it hard to say definitively if that is indeed what the character is, it wouldn’t be the first time Resident Evil 4 Remake changed an original character.
The Minotaur-Like Brute May Take Inspiration From A Goat-Headed Resident Evil 4 Enemy Cut From The Final Game
Game Informer's coverage of Resident Evil 4 Remake depicts an imposing enemy called The Brute, who wears a bull's head as a mask and swings an enormous sledgehammer. The new enemy looks reminiscent of a scrapped design that appeared in concept art, a more Leatherface-like figure who wears a goat's head. The influence of the original design is apparent in Resident Evil 4, though, as the zealot leaders wear goat skull masks with prominent horns.
The final game's Chainsaw Man boss also seems to draw from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films in his weapon of choice, although he wears a burlap sack over his head instead. As intimidating as he looks, this new enemy's role is still unclear amid Resident Evil 4 Remake’s many gameplay changes.
These two are far from the only enemies who were cut from the final release of Resident Evil 4. Most notably, the Hook Man, a ghostly enemy who appeared in previews of the game shown at E3 2003, was scrapped when developers eschewed elements of psychological horror in favor of the series' typical survival gameplay. The Hook Man has since become something of a fan-favorite mystery, with many hoping for him to reappear. Players will have to wait until the game's release on March 24, 2023, to find out if any additional scrapped designs have been restored in Resident Evil 4 Remake.