A couple of weeks ago, Capcom released Resident Evil 4 VR for the Oculus Quest 2, allowing fans to experience the critically-acclaimed Resident Evil game in a whole different way. Resident Evil 4's transformation into VR shifted its third-person over-the-shoulder perspective to first-person, allowing players to feel like they're actually in the game themselves.
While Resident Evil 4 VR is barely a month old, it continues to receive much praise from both players and critics. It is also worth remembering that Resident Evil 7's VR version is often regarded as one of the best PlayStation VR exclusives, proving that the Resident Evil franchise works well within the VR format. Although Capcom still hasn't announced any plans of bringing other Resident Evil games to VR, many would probably agree that if the studio decides to make another Resident Evil VR, it should be the first.
Capcom Originally Intended Resident Evil to Be in First Person
Twenty-five years ago, Capcom released Resident Evil, which is widely credited to have pioneered the classic survival horror genre. At the time, Resident Evil's graphics were considered to be cutting edge, and this is because Capcom used pre-rendered backgrounds instead of full 3D, allowing the studio to make backgrounds as detailed as possible while conforming to the limitations of the hardware. However, Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami explained that the game we have today is far different from what he originally envisioned.
According to Mikami, Resident Evil was supposed to be played entirely in first-person to capture the ominous feeling of walking alone in a creepy mansion filled with zombies and all sorts of horrors. Unfortunately for Mikami, Capcom's limited experience with 3D modeling and the limitations of gaming hardware at the time prevented the studio from creating his first-person idea. However, while not all VR games are in first-person, it is apparent that the franchise works well in this format if executed perfectly, as seen from the success of first-person Resident Evil games such as Resident Evil 7, which recently became the best selling RE game in the franchise's history. Given this, now is probably the perfect time for the studio to recreate Resident Evil the way Mikami intended it to be, and doing so in VR makes perfect sense.
Exploring the Mansion in Virtual Reality Would Be A Totally Different Experience
Apart from recreating Resident Evil following Mikami's vision, a VR version of the first game would also allow players to experience it differently. It is no secret that one of the most attractive features of VR games is immersion, and the level of immersion VR titles offer works well within the primary location of the first Resident Evil game, the iconic Spencer Mansion.
It is worth remembering that both the original and remake versions of Resident Evil are played from a third-person fixed-camera perspective. Therefore, given the fixed-camera element, players cannot explore the mansion in detail and appreciate everything the developers poured into the game. However, a VR version of the first Resident Evil game would give Capcom a chance to increase the level of horror by making players face enemies directly. Players can already preview what this could look like thanks to a fan-made game that recreated Resident Evil 1 in first-person. Additionally, the VR version would allow players to examine every single nook and cranny of the mansion as if they're actually inside the Spencer Mansion itself.
Of course, in many ways, the fixed camera angle paired with tank controls made the first Resident Evil an iconic survival horror game. As such, some will feel that the original version and its remake are perfect the way they are, but it is worth remembering that a VR version, similar to RE4, isn't meant to replace the originals. Instead, a VR version of Resident Evil 1 would only serve as a new way to get immersed in the Spencer Mansion and experience the game that started it all from a whole different perspective - a perspective that the game's creator intended it to have.