Resident Evil 5 seems like a shoo-in now for Capcom’s next remake treatment, and while that has not been confirmed there are many clear signs that point to a Resident Evil 5 in the future. There are certain trepidations fans have about any classic game being remade, but now that Resident Evil has returned to its survival-horror roots it is worrying that a Resident Evil 5 remake could thrust the franchise back to bombastic action. However, with the addition of one Resident Evil 5 DLC campaign, the remake could easily remain poised in survival-horror mechanics.
Resident Evil 5 is hectic enough as it is without being remotely close to the horror elements its predecessors possessed. Players can get cornered easily in the game’s earlier enemy ambushes, even in Resident Evil 5’s co-op gameplay. Resident Evil’s latest games have all been leaning a bit more toward action-oriented gameplay anyhow, though Resident Evil 5’s Lost in Nightmares DLC is a wonderful punch of nostalgia that would not only give it more horror undertones, but also give its narrative the perfect in-game prologue to start its story off on the right foot.
Resident Evil 5’s Prologue Perfectly Establishes Its Narrative
Lost in Nightmares is a prologue campaign that frankly deserves to be the opening of a Resident Evil 5 remake, and it is surprising that it wasn’t the original game’s opening, either. If for no other reason, Lost in Nightmares is crucial for Resident Evil fans to experience since it directly underscores the entire emotional weight of the fifth installment.
Not having any knowledge of Lost in Nightmares leaves the player in the dark and diminishes the base game’s reveal of Jill Valentine. Otherwise, players have no perspective on what Chris and Jill went through, let alone how Chris lost her.
It is great that this was available as a supplementary DLC campaign, but because it is so paramount to the entire narrative, players will also not have the full picture of Chris and Wesker’s rivalry without it. There is a history between Chris and Wesker that dates back to the events of the original Resident Evil, but seeing Jill tackle Wesker out the estate window makes seeing her brainwashed by him later a much more emotional moment that is lost on fans if they are unfamiliar with the DLC.
Resident Evil 5 Remake Needs the Lost in Nightmares DLC as a Prologue Chapter
Lost in Nightmares takes Resident Evil 5’s Jill and makes her a playable protagonist once again through co-op gameplay. Exploring a Spencer estate together, it is incredible to see Chris and Jill together again, and it is surprising that it was only made possible through a DLC.
If Resident Evil 5 does receive the remake treatment next like it is certainly being teased, then it would be fantastic to see this DLC chapter be made into a prologue chapter that the remake opens with. Capcom would need to resist the urge to include it again as DLC if this was the case, and for that reason, it is unlikely it would happen.
But in order to make Resident Evil 5’s narrative as succinct as possible, Lost in Nightmares needs to be included in the remake. If Resident Evil 5’s remake was to lean heavily into the original game’s action anyway, Lost in Nightmares would be a great opening chapter for survival-horror fans due to its dark corridors, lack of weapons or combat early on, and an emphasis on puzzles that the Resident Evil franchise is known for.
Resident Evil 5 is available for PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
