Double trouble: gamer attempts dual resident evil 4 runs, chaos ensues
The lauded remake of Resident Evil 4 has become the latest victim of a dedicated gamer's peculiar ingenuity – and a testament to the challenges of multitasking in the digital realm. While critics and players alike celebrated Capcom’s faithful yet fresh reimagining of the survival horror classic in 2023, YouTuber Lawrus discovered a loophole that turned the experience into a uniquely frustrating, and undeniably compelling, experiment.
The setup: two leons, one brain
Lawrus stumbled upon a method to simultaneously input commands into both the PlayStation 5 version of Resident Evil 4 Remake and the original PC release by connecting a PS5 controller to his computer. The result? A bizarre scenario involving two Leons S. Kennedy navigating the same perilous environments, controlled by a single, increasingly bewildered player. “Two Leon. The same neurona,” he quipped on his channel, humorously documenting the situation's escalating absurdity, with one Leon occasionally firing at unseen enemies while the other wandered aimlessly.
Initially, the setup seemed surprisingly functional. Menu navigation and even initiating gameplay synced seamlessly between platforms, with no perceptible lag or adverse effects. But the novelty quickly wore off as Lawrus attempted the ultimate test: completing both games concurrently. The stark differences between the original's tank controls and the remake's modern scheme immediately presented a dizzying hurdle. Leon’s movement felt disconnected, his movements jarringly contrasting between the two screens, a constant source of disorientation.
The level design, too, proved a significant obstacle. The drastically different layouts made coordinated navigation a Herculean task. And then there’s the combat. What began as a whimsical experiment rapidly devolved into a chaotic dance of missed shots and frantic button mashing as Lawrus desperately tried to focus on one game at a time, while the other Leon haphazardly expended ammunition.
The pinnacle of frustration arrived during the infamous Mendez boss fight – occurring simultaneously on both versions. Lawrus's attempt to juggle two intense battles at once exposed the sheer impossibility of his endeavor. His resulting video, a fragmented chronicle of this unusual shared playthrough, offers a glimpse into the chaotic reality of his multi-Leon existence—a fascinating, if ultimately unsuccessful, undertaking.
But Lawrus's ambition doesn't end with Resident Evil 4. He’s already moved on to a more ambitious project: attempting the same dual-gameplay feat with Resident Evil 2 Remake and the original, a pairing even more divergent than the two RE4 iterations. The internet, it seems, is rife with individuals eager to push the boundaries of gaming absurdity. Others have attempted similar feats, like one gamer tackling Dark Souls II and Scholar of the First Sin simultaneously, and a daring (though incomplete) attempt to play Hollow Knight and Silksong side-by-side, limited to boss battles.
The experiment, though largely unsuccessful, highlights the enduring appeal of pushing gaming hardware and software to their limits, and the lengths to which dedicated players will go to create unique, albeit bewildering, experiences. It’s a reminder that even the most polished remakes and innovative gameplay systems can be upended by a little ingenuity – and a whole lot of patience.