Highlights
- Resident Evil 5 may not be the best choice for the series' next remake due to its tonal inconsistency and its departure from the horror roots of the franchise.
- A remake of Resident Evil Code: Veronica would be a stronger choice, given its story implications and the desire of fans for such a remake, but Capcom can go back even further.
- The original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0 are ripe for remaking, as shown by the success of the remaster of Resident Evil 0 and the continued interest in the series' origins. These remakes could further expand on the horror roots of the franchise while remaining faithful to the original vision.
Resident Evil remakes have become a staple of the contemporary video-game landscape. 2019's Resident Evil2 kicked off a chain of remakes for the series, and for good reason. Capcom's new vision for Resident Evil 2 re-imagined the title in a way that perfectly blended new and old, and though Resident Evil 3's remake was a bit more divisive, Resident Evil 4's remake was released in March and has been one of the year's most well-received titles. Now that Resident Evil 4 has been conquered, the future of Resident Evil's line of remakes is uncertain. While the obvious choice is Resident Evil 5, it may not be the best choice for the series' next entry.
Resident Evil has something of a checkered past. While the original four mainline games and Code: Veronica are generally well-regarded, the series had a little bit of an identity crisis beginning in the late 00s. Resident Evil 4 is a masterpiece, but it was also something of an anomaly for the series. Rather than lean into its horror roots, the game was campier and lighter-hearted than previous entries. It is also more of an action game, putting some of the series survival horror tropes on the back burner. RE4 worked because it struck a strong balance, but RE5 and RE6 would double down on non-horror elements to mixed results. As such, a Resident Evil 5 remake would need to be reworked significantly to fit the new tone. Instead of putting in all that effort, returning to a horror-focused entry makes sense, and before Capcom jumps back to Code: Veronica, it should go even further into the past.
Resident Evil Remakes Are At A Fork In The Road
Resident Evil 5 Remake would face an uphill battle in a number of ways. The first is that the original isn't very scary, leaning much more into the action shooter elements of RE4 than the series horror roots. Another issue it faces is that it came out for seventh gen consoles, meaning that its presentation is - compared to other remade titles - still fairly modern. A remake for Resident Evil 5 could work, but it might need to do more re-inventing than previous remakes have. While the RE2 and RE4 remakes had a strong foundation to work from as horror games, Resident Evil 5's tonal inconsistency and relative newness mean that it would have to enhance its horror elements to justify being more than a remaster.
A Resident Evil Code: Veronica remake is something that has been requested fairly heavily by fans, and it appears Capcom isn't totally opposed to the idea. Code: Veronica was developed as the true follow-up to Resident Evil 2 and has wide-reaching story implications. Coming out in 2000, the game could stand for some modernization as well. While Code: Veronica would be a stronger choice than RE5 for a remake, there is another set of games that the series could revisit next that would also help to flesh out series lore for fans discovering the franchise through its remakes.
Resident Evil And Resident Evil 0 Are Ripe For Remaking
The original Resident Evil was remade for the GameCube in 2002. This remake is the definitive way to play the original game, but it is still a far cry from the modern remakes the franchise has enjoyed. In recent years the remaster of Resident Evil 0 has sold well, showing that fans still have interest in the series origins. The perfect remakes for the series to tackle next could be Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0. If Capcom wanted to get ambitious, it could remake them as one narrative given the proximity of the events, but more traditional remakes of each game could be bundled together as well.
Resident Evil and its prequel are the perfect choice for the franchise's next remakes. While Code: Veronica is an important part of the lore, so is the story's very beginning, and a Resident Evil remake would be able to lean into the franchises' horror roots and expand on them with modern presentation. Resident Evil 0 is so tightly connected to the original that it's inclusion would make sense. Resident Evil 2 remake was so well received because it enhanced the original while remaining faithful to its vision, and the original Resident Evil is the perfect candidate if Capcom wants to recapture that magic.