Long before remakes of AAA games were a surefire success, Capcom took a risk and remade the originalResident Evilfor the GameCube. In the process, Capcom unexpectedly established a bar of quality for remakes moving forward, showing that it was possible to pay homage to the original title’s mechanics and aesthetic while updating more than just graphical fidelity. After being rumored for nearly a decade, 2019 saw the anticipated release of theResident Evil 2remake.
The release and reception ofResident Evil 2served to prove that Capcom had a winning formula on its hands, and it was one that the studio proceeded to run with over the last several years. While the remake ofResident Evil 3was enjoyed by many, the recent remake ofResident Evil 4shows thatthis formula continues to be successful for Capcomand that fans can’t seem to get enough of theResident Evilremake series. With so many options for where Capcom could apply the remake treatment, players are likely in store for a continued franchise renaissance.
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The Success of Resident Evil 4’s Remake Proves Capcom Has Hit Its Stride
Despite a gap of almost 20 years between the GameCube re-imagining ofResident Eviland the arrival ofResident Evil 2’s remake, bothResident Evil 3andResident Evil 4’s remakes arrived in relatively rapid succession. What’s admirable about Capcom’s approach to each ofthe remakes in theResident Evilfranchiseis their ability to maintain a consistently dark and foreboding tone, bringing the series firmly back into its horror roots.
WithResident Evil 5andResident Evil6being what many considered a bridge too far regarding those games' action film-inspired plots and gameplay, the series received a desperately needed shot in the arm withResident Evil 7and has arguably hit a franchise peak since. Some were concerned aboutCapcom’s choice to remakeResident Evil 4considering that it is held by many as the best entry in the series, but the critical and commercial reception of the game render those concerns unfounded.
Capcom has now established that its formula of releasing a remake of a classicResident Eviltitle in-between releasing numbered sequels benefits both fans and Capcom itself. This is especially true of the recentResident Evil 4remake. There are plenty of different options for which game in the series Capcom may choose to remake next, but as long as that title adheres to the consistent tone, tight third-person gameplay, and reverence to the source material of the otherResident Evilremakes, it’s safe to say it’ll be another win for the studio.
Resident Evil’s Future As a Franchise is Ripe With Opportunity
From the Arklay Mountains to Raccoon City and, eventually, to the snow-capped hills of dilapidated Eastern Europe, theResident Evilfranchise has taken players on an incredible series of journeys across almost 30 years. Now that theResident Evil 4remake has released, it’s likely that players will see Capcom announce some information regardingthe existence and development ofResident Evil 9.But the question remains as to which game in the series will receive the remake treatment after the eventual release of the next main series sequel.
No matterwhichResident EvilCapcom chooses to remake next, the future of the series is clear for the first time since its genesis. Capcom’s success in remaking beloved titles fromResident Evil’s history has served to inspire other studios to take a crack at remaking their own classic games, and this year saw the release of aDead Spaceremake as well as an upcoming remake ofSilent Hill 2.It’s now clear that Capcom can see greater success and goodwill by staying true toResident Evil’s horror roots.
Resident Evil 4is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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