Resident Evil 4 Remake Introduces ‘Chapter 0’ to Restore Deleted Content

Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 4 took a bold step in reimagining this beloved classic. The game revamped several sequences, eased the frustrations of the original escort missions, and introduced the cool ability to parry a chainsaw. One standout change was the expansion of Ashley’s playable segments, which became much more engaging, culminating in a terrifying encounter with armored foes in a crypt.

Interestingly, it appears that the remake initially planned to include even more Ashley-focused content. Data miners uncovered hints of a scrapped prologue chapter that would have followed Ashley as she evaded her pursuers the night before Leon arrives in the village. Although Capcom never finalized this sequence, a modder took the remnants of this “Chapter 0” and combined them with existing game assets to create a playable version available on NexusMods.

In this mod, Ashley uses her phone as a flashlight while she navigates the village under the cover of night. After witnessing cultists murder an outsider, she also sees Luis being captured. The modder has provided a thorough breakdown of what was restored, recreated, and added from the game files. Most of the animations, camera angles, and unique features, like Ashley’s phone flashlight, were sourced from the game’s assets, while everything else was pieced together from existing materials. The mod integrates the prologue seamlessly, allowing it to play right after the game’s opening cutscene and before Chapter 1.

While we can only guess why Capcom decided to cut the prologue chapter from the Resident Evil 4 remake, it’s possible they felt it over-explained elements that are already implied throughout the game; after all, we know both Luis and Ashley end up captured. This sequence might also detract from the tense buildup in the game’s opening moments as Leon first encounters the Ganados. Regardless of the reasoning behind “Chapter 0” being left out, the mod is a fascinating glimpse into what could have been, as deleted scenes in video games are a rarity. The game industry’s notorious secrecy and the fundamental differences in how games and movies are produced make it uncommon to see this kind of insight.

Difficulty modifiers, gun accessories, and a shirtless Leon Kennedy.