Capcom originally had slightly different plans for the remake of Resident Evil 4, as Ashley was meant to play a much larger role right at the start.

It is not unusual for Resident Evil games to begin with a non-combat introduction. A good example is Resident Evil: Village, which effectively offers two full “pacifist” opening segments. Players first experience a quiet domestic scene, then later venture into the village at night, where the monster encounters finally begin. While this approach is highly atmospheric for horror games, it can hurt replayability, as slow-paced mood-building tends to work best only once.

The Resident Evil 4 Remake would have featured a similar introduction in the form of a Chapter 0, where players would have controlled Ashley in the moments before her capture. Brief glimpses of this sequence appear in the trailer, but it was ultimately cut during development. This decision may have been influenced by complaints that similar prologues disrupt the pacing of other Resident Evil titles. Capcom also seems hesitant to let players skip sections during repeat playthroughs, even though that would be an easy solution.

Thanks to modder Michael Kemp, we now have a better idea of what this Ashley-focused mini-episode might have looked like. The remnants found within the Resident Evil 4 Remake files do not include actual scenes, enemies, or any tools Ashley would have used to illuminate dark areas. However, they do feature several different running animations, including an especially frantic one in which Ashley flails her arms like a chicken while being chased by a Ganado.

It is debatable whether fans should feel disappointed about the removal of this section. Another stealth sequence where players control a female character would likely have triggered fresh complaints online. After all, Resident Evil 4 fans tend to favor Leon’s spinning kicks and often speak about Ashley as if she personally ruined their experience. In that sense, it may have been for the best that Capcom decided to cut this segment from an otherwise excellent remake.

Source: PCGamer