Highlights

  • Capcom's Resident Evil remakes have been praised for recapturing the essence of the original games while incorporating modern technology and gameplay, earning them overwhelming positive reception in the industry.
  • The RE remakes have set the standard for the gaming industry by delivering engaging experiences for both longtime fans and newcomers, solidifying Capcom as a leader in the genre of survival horror remakes.
  • The success of the RE remakes, including the recent Resident Evil 4 remake, demonstrates Capcom's commitment to maintaining the highest level of quality and innovation, providing consumers with excellent experiences and revitalizing the franchise.

Resident Evil is the reigning champion of survival horror at the present moment. Over the course of nearly 30 years, Capcom has played an essential part in creating and codifying the genre. Throughout, it has navigated Resident Evil from the heights of success to finding itself in danger of losing relevance, and in recent years, back to being on top of the scene. Along the way, the series has reinvented itself multiple times, and in the process solidified RE as an unrivaled industry leader, particularly regarding its remakes.

Capcom's handling of the modern Resident Evil remakes is undoubtedly a major credit to their overwhelmingly positive reception. By recapturing what made the original titles fundamentally vital, supported by superior technology, they feel simultaneously timeless while also on the cutting edge of current capabilities. Capcom has given itself the task of ensuring the RE remakes are of the highest standard and has lived up to that with every one, proving its principles with each release.

Resident Evil Continues to Shoulder the Weight of a Genre Trendsetter
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Resident Evil Continues to Shoulder the Weight of a Genre Trendsetter

Some of the best horror and action games belong to Resident Evil, but its strong reputation means new entries are under equally strong scrutiny.

Capcom's Approach to Resident Evil Remakes Sets the Bar For the Industry

A Brief History of Remakes

While remakes aren't a new concept, they have been a more prevalent part of the gaming landscape starting around the middle of the last generation and increasingly so into the current one. It's easier and more viable than before for studios to dig into their back catalogs in the hopes of capitalizing on a remake of a beloved classic. Though a promising idea, there are numerous cautionary tales of their falling well short of the mark, disappointing fans by feeling like cheap cynical cash grabs. This is the complete opposite of what Capcom accomplished with the RE remakes.

Resident Evil: A Master of Remaking

The remake of the first RE was in 2002. Even as an early effort, it impressed with its reworking of the original, updated with improved graphics and smoother gameplay. This set the template for how Capcom would later forge ahead with the RE2, 3, and 4 remakes, starting in 2019 and continuing to this year. From the RE 2 remake onward, the studio showed exactly how to produce a remake that can be enjoyed by longtime fans and newcomers alike. It delivered an engaging experience for both and provided the measuring stick by which others both within and beyond survival horror would be held against.

The RE engine Capcom utilizes is specifically designed to make the most of Resident Evil's iconic assets, refreshing them in a way that combines a nostalgic veneer with modern top-of-the-line production values and sensibilities. Everything coheres to create a seamless experience, highlighting RE's best elements and showing why it is undisputed in its domain. The RE remakes are the pinnacle of the practice.

RE 4 remake has sold over 5 million copies since its release in March of this year, and has been nominated in The Game Awards for multiple categories, including Game Of The Year.

Capcom's Trendsetting Trajectory

Resident Evil will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. It's rare that any series lasts as long, let alone be able to re-establish itself decades later as an unquestionable force in the industry. Capcom's work ethic in producing the gold standard for remakes has paved the path for their true potential. In the way the originals set the tone for survival horror, the REmakes not only revitalized the franchise, but once again set the benchmark for all others.

Whatever form the next Resident Evil remake takes, fans can be assured their trust and faith in Capcom to deliver another excellent experience is well-founded. By refusing to rest on its laurels or stay stagnant, Capcom's commitment to the highest level of quality with its REmakes is a huge boon for consumers and gaming as a whole.