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Intrigued by the new Resident Evil 4 Remake Ashley? Here's why it's a big deal!
Okay, so you may or may not have picked up that we are excited about this one. I mean who isn't? Resident Evil 4 (RE4) is legendary and with a track record of producing top-notch remasters, you can put your money on Capcom coming up with the goods.
And it's not even as if we're at the stage of pure speculation. The surprise Chainsaw demo dropped by the publishers last week provides a sneak preview of what lies in store in terms of visuals, gameplay mechanics, exploration, and combat. And it looks good. Really good!
With a number of upgrades, many of which won't be revealed until the March 24th launch, one significant newsflash is the Resident Evil 4 Ashley Graham rewrite. Indeed, considering the frustration associated with the mechanics of escorting Ashley through the dangers of the original game, not to mention the inappropriate sexualization of the character that has already been addressed in the VR version, an Ashley rewrite could prove to be one of the most important and impactful updates of the new release.
Join us as we take a look at why a Resident Evil 4 Ashley Graham rewrite was necessary, and what changes the remake has to offer.
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Resident Evil 4 Remake Ashley
We know you know we loved Resident Evil 4. But that doesn't mean it wasn't without its issues. And the depiction and gameplay of the abducted daughter of President Graham, Ashley was a pretty big issue.
The basic premise of a tough guy rescuing a defenseless teenage girl and having to escort her home safely was potentially always going to be problematic. Especially when the guy is the playable protagonist and therefore the character you identify with, and the teenage girl is the AI "other".
Add to this the one-dimensional portrayal of Ashley Graham as helpless, whiney, and a burden with cumbersome mechanics, a walking health bar forever calling for your help, and you have all the ingredients of a classic anti-woman trope. Cue the message boards and their hatred of the female lead, and the fact that all she does is follow Leon around making his life difficult.
And then of course there was the inappropriate sexualization and making light of harassment. Which went as far as Leon looking up Ashley's skirt as she climbed a ladder despite her chastizing him for doing so. The solution the original game came up with? Hide Ashley in a bin to make her basically disappear while you get on with the business of Leon's mission.
Starting to see the problem here?
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A Fully-Fledged Character and Companion
Fortunately, in the remake, there is no peeking up skirts or sending Ashley Graham to hide out in the bins while you get on with the game. Instead, despite the premise of the storyline remaining the same, it looks like we can expect more of a partnership between the two protagonists, with an attempt to humanize Ashley as a fully-fledged character in her own right.
According to a Capcom representative, the aim of the rewrite was to make Ashley Graham "feel more like a natural companion and less like a second health bar to babysit". Indeed, in a move away from the more robotic caricature of the original, in which the President's daughter was managed somewhat like a resource, the new Ashley actually talks during gameplay and reacts to what's happening around her. Furthermore, she makes realistic efforts to avoid danger, and the two characters work together and discuss their next moves.
To put it simply, Ashley is portrayed more like a person as opposed to a helpless mechanical escort quest. Indeed, in the words of one of the directors Yasuhiro Ampo, “We put a lot of thought into how someone would realistically react when put in those situations. And in that context, we strengthened the reality of her interactions with Leon. That goes for the conversations she has with Leon as they travel.”
Tag-Team Gameplay
As well as developing the personality of the Ashley character, an important aspect of the remake was that the game should change once you have rescued the President's daughter. You are now 2 not 1 after all.
In certain ways, this was always the case. The aim of the original game was to return Ashley home safely, and gameplay revolved around ensuring that she wasn't killed or kidnapped en route. Of course, this made life more difficult as you now had somebody to protect as you fought your way through hordes of enemies. However, as mentioned before, there wasn't much teamwork involved. Or any real benefit of having Ashley by your side. The landscape remained as challenging as ever, but nothing new opened up for you as a result of there now being two of you. This is what the developers wanted to revise.
In the remake, there are environmental obstacles that can only be overcome with the help of Ashley. For example, you may come across areas that are inaccessible to you as a lone explorer, such as narrow spaces too small for you to get through. However, if you revisit the location with Ashley by your side, Ashley may be able to crawl through the small opening to discover a door that can be unlocked from within. She can even control a wrecking ball when the time is right to do so. See, life is easier when you work together and cooperate!
The Demise of the Health Bar
I doubt they'll be many sad to see the back of Ashley's health bar in this remake. It was, after all, a source of great frustration in the original game! Especially when the AI character was so defenseless. And one stray bullet could signal an instant game-over.
Of course, this development doesn't make Ashley invincible. She is still vulnerable to attack, and it is still your mission to keep her alive. However, as we've mentioned above, Ashley is now more of a teammate and partner. Someone engaged in the mission of survival.
Much in the same way as the mechanic works in Resident Evil 5 and 6 when a co-op partner's health drops to zero, in the remake Ashley won't necessarily die if she's hit too many times. But she will be downed and in need of revival. And of course, once down, she's vulnerable to being abducted. Which signifies game-over.
This is where another new feature comes into play to give you more of a fighting chance. The ability to wield a knife and rescue Ashley from the Ganado attempting to carry her away.
Phew, there's nothing like stabbing your way out of a game-over to get your heart racing!
The Verdict
There are less than 10 days till the March 24th release of the much-anticipated Resident Evil 4 Remake. Can you believe it? And with each revelation making us that much more excited, the wait is sure to be agonizing.
Already a fan favorite, the new upgrades of the remake look set to elevate this legendary survival horror to new heights, thereby bringing the critically acclaimed masterpiece to a new generation of gamers. And the Ashley rewrite signifies an important part of this modernization process.
In 2023, it was a no-brainer to be rid of some of the dodgier ways in which the original Ashley was sexualized. But more than that, with a more realistic and humane portrayal, and smoother gameplay mechanics, the new Ashley represents an authentic partner and companion that promises to enrich your gaming experience. Now that's saying something.
Notwithstanding that it had its issues, the gameplay of Resident Evil 4 as a standalone game was pretty immense. Indeed, improving the gameplay of such a classic is pretty epic. And the introduction of a more fully-developed Ashley character looks set to do just that. Sound good? It certainly does to us!
Get in the Game ! 
