Key Highlights:
- Resident Evil 4 VR Mode launched as free DLC for the PS5 version on 8 December 2023.
- The entire main story can be played in first-person using PlayStation VR2 and PS VR2 Sense controllers.
- Separate Ways and The Mercenaries are not supported in VR Mode.
Quick Links:
Resident Evil 4 VR Mode is available as free DLC for the PlayStation 5 version of Resident Evil 4.
Capcom released the mode on 8 December 2023, converting Leon S. Kennedy’s full main campaign from third-person into first-person virtual reality.
Players need the PS5 version of Resident Evil 4, a PlayStation VR2 headset and PS VR2 Sense controllers to use the mode.
Capcom also released a free standalone VR demo on the same day. The demo does not require ownership of the full game and includes the opening Village section and shooting range.
Resident Evil 4 VR Mode Reworks Weapons and Knife Combat
Capcom redesigned Resident Evil 4’s weapon handling around physical VR interactions.
Players manually draw weapons, handle ammunition and reload using the PS VR2 Sense controllers rather than relying entirely on conventional button inputs.
Weapons also behave differently when released. Instead of immediately disappearing, they briefly remain in the player’s hand space before returning to inventory.
Knife combat received similar changes. Leon can physically swing the knife, use the knife parry system and perform stealth takedowns using motion controls.
The system also allows players to wield a knife in each hand.
One of the clearest examples is Leon’s Chapter 11 knife fight with Jack Krauser, where the original parry system becomes a two-handed VR interaction.
PS VR2 Features Add Headset Feedback and 3D Audio
Resident Evil 4 VR Mode uses several PlayStation VR2 hardware features.
The Sense controller adaptive triggers provide different resistance depending on the weapon being fired.
Headset vibration reacts to events such as explosions and impacts.
3D audio helps players locate enemies through directional sound, which becomes more important when playing from Leon’s first-person perspective.
The move from third-person to VR also changes how larger enemies are perceived. Encounters with creatures such as El Gigante place Leon directly beneath enemies that previously occupied more of the screen at a distance.
Some intense first-person sequences can switch temporarily to third-person to reduce discomfort.
Puzzles and Interactions Were Redesigned for VR
Capcom also adapted environmental interactions for motion controls.
Players can destroy crates and boxes manually with weapons or use a conventional button command.
Development began in early 2023 after work on the base game was nearing completion. Producer Masato Kumazawa said the team was able to build on experience gained from previous Resident Evil VR projects.
Certain puzzles and quick-time interactions were rebuilt so they could be performed using physical VR inputs rather than simply reproducing the original controller actions.
Does Separate Ways Work in Resident Evil 4 VR Mode?
No.
Resident Evil 4 VR Mode supports the main story campaign only.
The Separate Ways expansion and The Mercenaries mode are not compatible with VR Mode.
That means Ada Wong’s Separate Ways campaign remains playable through the standard version of Resident Evil 4 rather than PS VR2.
The limitation remains listed on the PlayStation Store alongside the requirement for the PS5 version of Resident Evil 4.
