The Resident Evil franchise hasn't really left the limelight since its debut all the way back in 1996 on the original PlayStation. While the franchise as a whole has had its various ups and downs over the last few decades, it's always stayed extremely relevant, and at the forefront of the horror gaming landscape. And now, with some of the most beloved entries receiving full remakes, Resident Evil is bigger than ever. However, there is still room to expand, and there are a bunch of Resident Evil spinoffs that are ripe for the remake treatment.
Objectively speaking, Resident Evil doesn't have the best history when it comes to spinoffs. Over the last decade or so, Resident Evil's spinoffs have been pretty underwhelming, with Operation Raccoon City being a buggy mess of a squad shooter, and Umbrella Corps being widely regarded as one of the worst games of 2016. But not every Resident Evil spinoff has been so disappointing. In fact, there are a few good ones that could greatly benefit from receiving a remake, including some real fan favorites.
The Resident Evil Spinoffs Deserve Remakes Too
The first games that might come to mind when fans think of Resident Evil spinoffs are the Resident Evil: Revelations titles. Originally developed solely for the Nintendo 3DS, Resident Evil: Revelations takes place shortly after Resident Evil 4 and sees series icons Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine intercept a seemingly abandoned tanker ship, which they soon learn has been infected with a new version of the T-Virus.
Originally released just a few years after Resident Evil 5, in 2012, Resident Evil: Revelations offered fans an experience that was designed to return the series to its survival horror roots, emphasizing evasion and scares over mindless combat sequences and quick time events. For fans of the older Resident Evil titles, Revelations felt like a breath of fresh air, and the game quickly became a fan favorite thanks to these elements. A few years later, a direct sequel was released, this time being available for all major consoles of the time. While the Resident Evil: Revelations series has since been ported to just about every modern console, the original 3DS game could still do with a proper remake, as the port featured some rough controls and some dated visuals.
Another 3DS exclusive entry in the franchise, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, could also benefit from the remake treatment. Combining the Mercenaries modes from both Resident Evil 4 and 5, this 3DS game had a great premise, but failed to live up to its potential, with some awkward controls and a severe lack of content for the high price tag. The technical limitations of the Nintendo 3DS also hindered its ability to deliver. A modern-day remake of Mercenaries 3D could do very well, especially if it included content from the most recent version of the spinoff Mercenaries mode from Resident Evil Village.
The most obvious pick for a remake of a Resident Evil spinoff, however, is the beloved Resident Evil Code: Veronica. Originally released exclusively for the Sega Dreamcast, Code: Veronica sees Chris and Claire Redfield team up to take on iconic antagonist Albert Wesker, who has once again reappeared from the dead. Much like Resident Evil: Revelations, Code: Veronica has already been ported to modern consoles, but it is just a port. With Code: Veronica being such a pivotal entry in the franchise, both in terms of its in-game story and its real-world history, being the first big technological step forward for the franchise, it's very deserving of the full remake treatment.
