Cut Intro From Resident Evil 4 Remake Had You Play As Ashley

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A previously cut opening sequence from the 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4 has been found and put back together. It reveals that players were originally intended to start the game as Ashley Graham before switching to controlling Leon Kennedy. The reason for removing this introductory level isn’t known, but it offers a fascinating glimpse at an alternate version of the game.

The 2023 version of Resident Evil 4 had big shoes to fill, considering how beloved the 2005 original was. Luckily, the remake was a critical success, quickly becoming the best-selling game in the Resident Evil series. Like other recent Resident Evil remakes, it successfully updated the gameplay while staying true to the spirit of the original. Resident Evil 4 especially impressed players with its deeper exploration of the relationship between Leon and Ashley, and Capcom’s improvements to the often-frustrating escort missions. Interestingly, the game almost featured a completely different opening sequence.

Resident Evil 4 Cut Intro Has Gamers Play As Ashley

As a big Resident Evil 4 fan, I was blown away by some footage Thekempy shared! Apparently, they dug up a completely cut intro from the remake where you would have played as Ashley before she gets kidnapped. It’s called “Chapter 0” and it’s built from leftover files in the game’s code. The cool thing is, it wasn’t about fighting – it was all cinematic, showing Ashley trying to escape the villagers in the woods before Leon even shows up. The whole thing takes place in a dark forest, and you can see where things were supposed to happen – like spots where enemies would spawn to trigger events. It’s amazing to see what could have been!

Thekempy hasn’t been able to fully recover a lost section of the game, so only fragments are left. Players can still explore the area as Ashley in the Resident Evil 4 remake, and some leftover running animations exist. However, the planned cutscenes and enemies are missing. Notably, the original announcement trailer from June 2022 showed Ashley running through this forest area, suggesting it was cut relatively late in development – which explains why remnants of it are still found within the game’s files.

It’s still unclear why Capcom removed the opening village sequence from the Resident Evil 4 remake, but it was a memorable part of the original game, so they likely wanted to keep the remake’s introduction familiar. Reactions to the change were mixed, with some commenters on Thekempy’s YouTube video noting that the sequence provided important story context – specifically, explaining why Ashley immediately attacks Leon after being rescued. One commenter put it this way: “Removing it hurt the story, but made the gameplay faster,” as it allows players to jump right into controlling Leon.

Next month will see the release of Resident Evil Requiem, featuring the return of Leon Kennedy. As the ninth major game in the popular Resident Evil series, it’s one of 2026’s most awaited titles. While fans are excited for the new release, many are also hoping Capcom will remake Resident Evil 5 sometime down the line. Considering how successfully Capcom has updated previous games, a remake of RE5 would likely be a huge hit.

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2026-01-04 20:04