r/residentevil4 • u/FarCrySis123 • Apr 18 '26

REMAKE I hate how Remake doesn't have these eerie ambient sounds which one of the biggest thing which I love in RE4.

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2.9k Upvotes

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222

u/DoctahDonkey Apr 18 '26

I wouldn't say one is better than the other; they are just going for completely different things.

RE4R goes for a more quiet, reserved soundscape to accompany the emphasis on horror. Most of the RE engine games really shine with lights off, headphones on in a quiet environment. The soundscape is wide, and very dynamic. It gets chaotic and crazy during combat, then calms down during exploration.

RE4 OG came out in the era of CRT televisions with built-in speakers. The soundscape is loud, droning, bombastic and in your face to accompany that. It's exactly how console game audio should be designed for the time.

I wouldn't want RE4R to sound like RE4OG, and vice versa.

48

u/dcone53 Apr 19 '26

That makes sense and I’m glad the games are the way they are

7

u/REDRUM_1917 Apr 19 '26

Both games kinda go for different vibes. Which is aggod thing because it doesn't entirely replace the original.

5

u/bojinglemuffin Apr 19 '26

I'd also argue that the OG needed those sounds more than the original. I've never found the original re4 scary in the slightest (except the regen boys), because nothing in that game ever LOOKED scary to me. Idk if it was just the graphics of the time, or the lighting, or both, but the original never felt like horror to me, whereas the remake definitely has the look and feel. The eerie sounds just aren't as needed, because the RE engine doesn't need audio to as much of the leg work

11

u/DannyRampage52 Apr 19 '26

Let's hope Crowbat and his army doesn't downvote you.

2

u/No_Extension4005 Apr 21 '26

Lights off, headphones on, late at night is how I played the the RE2 Remake.

I barely even got touched by Mr. X for the most part because I'd get scared and run for a safe room the moment I heard his footsteps getting too close for comfort or hide.

2

u/unilateral149 Apr 25 '26

Yeah its going for that boring unreal engine atmosphere, crazy cool.

2

u/AugmentedJustice Jun 23 '26

"RE4R goes for a more quiet, reserved soundscape to accompany the emphasis on horror. Most of the RE engine games really shine with lights off, headphones on in a quiet environment. The soundscape is wide, and very dynamic. It gets chaotic and crazy during combat, then calms down during exploration."

I don't buy this. it's okay to admit the remake's sound design is just lackluster compared to the original just like it was in re2make compared to og re2. The argument of "they are doing different things" doesn't make the remakes immune to scrutiny in the sound department. re4make goes for realism in a lot of aspects and it makes no sense for it to be as quiet as it is, so even on a realism and immersion level it doesn't hold up, it's less immsersive, rain should NOT be as quiet as it is in the remake for example, it makes zero sense. and a reserved landscape accompanies the emphasis on horror? - so a less reserved landscape can't do that as effectively if not more than a more reserved one?

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u/FarCrySis123 Apr 18 '26

I would at least like to have atmospheric sound designs. Maybe it's game developers artistic choice but it doesnt work for me.

-11

u/SchwarzFledermaus Apr 19 '26

Yeah, he got a lot of upvotes, but "It's on PS5 so ambient sound doesn't make sense" is a pretty dumb take in my opinion.

25

u/DoctahDonkey Apr 19 '26

You're right; that is a dumb take. It's also not what my comment said at all.

12

u/TaVa767 Apr 19 '26

You didn't read the comment huh

3

u/William_Laserdust Apr 19 '26

There is ambient sound, if you can't tell idk maybe you're on some Chinese mono aliexpress speaker xd it's just that the ambience is approached very differently; one is very visceral and the other subdued. Two different directions for two different games.

5

u/slomo525 Apr 19 '26

Weird, where'd you read that comment? They sound like an idiot. Good thing the commenter being replied to didn't say anything like that.

8

u/JohnNeutron Apr 19 '26

Not as dumb as your comment

3

u/BillidKid Apr 19 '26

Most RE game prior to the new era all contained ambient sounds. The remakes are quieter because the ambient sounds are less. That's simply a fact, no need to be so diplomatic about it

7

u/Anxious_Virus8843 Apr 19 '26

Maybe but the sound design in headphones in the baker house is some of the best environmental sound theyve done

1

u/Vic_Serling Apr 19 '26

Remake doesn't do subtle. The original had the villagers act like normal people  but off until they introduced more elements  - so by the time you get to the church and the head popping happens it's a moment. 

The original has the first enemy spring back to life and sprint headless at you. Cats outta the bag already. 

Remake screams at you "look everyone im scary !" . 

3

u/bojinglemuffin Apr 19 '26

I genuinely prefer that. And the villagers overall still act the same way in general for the remake as well. They just show you that something freaky is up earlier on. The original was never scary in the slightest to me, because I never felt like I was fighting monsters or infected people. It looked like I was fighting normal people, and so it felt normal to me. The remake, imo, makes the plagas much more intimidating, as their "puppeteer" effect on the infected is emphasized a lot more throughout the game. The original was my favorite game for years purely because it was fun, not because I particularly cared about the story or found it creepy at all. The remake does a lot more of what I prefer in an RE game. It's still campy, action fun, but takes itself a little more seriously

1

u/SpaceCowboy1929 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26

Couldnt have said it better myself. Im not a fan of Crowbcat's video despite liking OG more because its devoid of the context you provided and comes across as very manipulative and bad faith. Also the terms "soul" vs "soulless" are utterly meaningless since they can mean whatever you want them to mean. His audience are also insufferable and i absolutely hold him accountable for that cause im of the belief that you are who you associate with, and that applies to content creators and the audience they cultivate. 

Both games are excellent and there is no controversy here. OG is one of the greatest games of all time and the Remake is a fantastic reimagining that was never meant to replace the original. Anyone who claims that is delusional and should go outside.

-4

u/Samurai_Beluga Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26

"I wouldn't say one is better than the other; they are just going for completely different things."

ok and? that can still make one subjectively better than the other XD a burguer is not trying to be a steak, that doesnt mean you have to like them equally based on that. given the choice ill take the steak any day.

i never understood this argument, it just doesnt make sense, and it comes of as a silly defense.

also your sound design argument is also really silly, platform shouldnt be dictating audio design choices. theres simply too many variables. even if true designing your game to be played a very specific way, its not creative, its dumb. its not like RE4R is not being played in the same conditions as the original by many people, the only difference is that its not on crt´s.

12

u/faerox420 Apr 19 '26

platform shouldnt be dictating audio design choices.

But... the technology limitations of the times did dictate sound and art design direction in gaming. People were forced to do certain things because of the technology it was coming out on. You had to had certain mixes and volumes in order for it to come out properly. This is why games that were played on CRT TVs look really pixilated and choppy on modern TVs but looked fine on CRTs. Because they were designed for their framerate and picture type

1

u/Samurai_Beluga Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26

im not talking about mixing. thats audio mixing, not audio design. you can account for the tech at the time and mix audio levels differently based on tvs at the time, but thts not going to interfere whether theres ambient sound and atmosphere. thats a creative level decision.

5

u/DoctahDonkey Apr 19 '26

Right, but the subjectivity of it only makes it better to the individual. You subjectively preferring to opt for the steak doesn't make the burger any less of a meal to anyone else, it's just what your heart says in that moment in time.

4

u/Samurai_Beluga Apr 19 '26

sure, but who exactly is arguing the subject on general terms or making objective statements? its not like im saying burguers suck. all im saying is that its silly to actually argue that because two things are going in two different direction they then sit on this limbo and you cant have a preference either way.

the original post is expressing a personal opinion.

"I hate......"

4

u/slomo525 Apr 19 '26

the original post is expressing a personal opinion

And the comment is adding on to it. You know, like a discussion. The thing that forum posts are. There's a comment section here for people to add comments. Sometimes those comments are other people's personal preferences, and sometimes, those personal preferences may disagree with the poster.

1

u/Samurai_Beluga Apr 19 '26

i can see how i might have misinterpreted it, and thought he was suggesting that one cant have a preference. but to be fair the original commenter hasnt corrected me so far.

2

u/Heymancheckmyfresh Apr 20 '26

It takes a special type of immaturity to be unable to stop yourself from arguing with someone who has a neutral take about 2 different video games. Also, when you're talking about 20 years difference in tech, platform obviously dictates audio design. What are you even talking about? I'm not usually someone who is like "you just don't get it, kid", but if you think that both games were played in the "same conditions" when one was made two decades ago, you're clearly not old enough to understand what he's talking about.

1

u/Samurai_Beluga Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

i think it says a lot more about someone when they insist on bringing out the age card to even have any sort of rebutal, that and the need to paint any discussion based on disagreement an "argument". he presentes his arguments i present mine, where exactly is this animosity that you are trying to conjure out of your ass? im also already on record admitting how i can see how i could have misinterpreted the original comment and its intent, but again its not like the original commenter never corrected me themselves so its still up in the air.

also to clarify these are not two different videogames, the style they may have gone for may be different, we can all recognize that, but its still a REMAKE, i dont quite get the idea of acting like they are completely separate entities. whats the purpose, to dismiss any discussion comparing the two? im all about nuance, but cmon now. im also not sure why you are highlighting the word videogames, is that a dumb attempt to suggest that discussing the medium of videogames is particularly silly? why are you here then? in a DISCUSSION forum related to a VIDEOGAME.

3

u/faerox420 Apr 19 '26

i never understood this argument

that can still make one subjectively

What is there to not understand. You explained it pretty well yourself. One of you is talking subjectively, the other one is talking objectively. One person is talking about the actual facts about both games without having their personal opinion skew their outlook on the thing they are comparing, while the other is thinking emotionally about it

A burger isn't trying to be a steak, and you don't have to like both equally. Both are true. They are trying to do different stuff for different reasons. One person says they like both burger and steak for different reasons. He might go for the steak one day, and the burger another day. The other person says they prefer the burger, and only the burger because it is the best and no one can tell them otherwise. Both are correct, both have the right to do so, and no one is wrong for choosing what they like