Last month, after several years of teasing, Capcom finally confirmed the long-awaited remake ofResident Evil 4. Of course, the game’s announcement is hardly surprising at this point, especially since Capcom found itself the king of remakes after successfullybringing back the first three games in theResident Evilfranchise.
However, whileResident Evil 4 Remakeis still developing, players are naturally wondering what Capcom plans to do with the franchise next. The studio will likely createa sequel toResident Evil Villagefirstbefore venturing back to doing remakes, if at all. So, while it is still unknown what Capcom plans to remake next, the likeliest contender isResident Evil 5. However, this raises the question of whetherResident Evil 5needs a remake at all.
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The Pros and Cons of a Resident Evil 5 Remake
It is no secret thatResident Evil 5is often criticized for straying too far from the survival horror gameplay of its predecessors thanks to its action-heavy gameplay. However, despite the flak the game continues to receive, it is worth noting thatResident Evil 5remains the best-sellingResident Evilgame, pumping out 13.4 million units sold. Of course, much ofResident Evil 5’ssuccess can be attributed to the already established name of the franchise and the anticipation for the sequel toResident Evil 4.
However, despiteResident Evil 5’spopularity, there are many elements in the game that Capcom could improve upon with a remake. For example, one of the biggest criticisms ofResident Evil 5is its poor AI technology. So often, the AI partner gets in the player’s way, leading to a frustrating experience. Through a remake, Capcom could implement new AI technology to make it more intelligent and actually help the player as they go through with the game. In addition, Capcom could also dial down the action-heavy gameplay ofResident Evil 5by making it darker and more horror-focused,similar to what the studio appears to be doing toResident Evil 4
Of course, while most fans would probably welcome a remake ofResident Evil 5, Capcom should be wary of the potential disadvantages of re-imagining the game. It is worth remembering that the 2020 remake ofResident Evil 3did not live up to fan expectations, especially after the remake lost many of the things fans loved about the original game. Without the right team and vision to handle a remake ofResident Evil 5, Capcom could repeatthe mistakes it made withResident Evil 3 Remake.
Not to mention, if Capcom decides to keep pushing out remakes in the future, the studio could potentially ruin theResident Evilbrand’s reputation. Having a video game franchise focused on past titles could give off the impression that the series is only relevant thanks to its solid back catalog instead of developing new entries to propel the franchise forward.
Is there a Chance for Capcom to Remake Resident Evil Code Veronica?
WhileResident Evil 5is the likeliest contender as Capcom’s next remake project, it is worth remembering that doing so would be putting a nail in the coffin for aResident Evil Code VeronicaRemake. After theResident Evil 3 Remakelaunch in 2020, some fans were hoping that Capcom would redoCode Veronicanext, given that it is the mainlineResident Evilgame that comes afterResident Evil 3.
Unfortunately for fans ofCode Veronica, last month’s reveal ofResident Evil 4 Remakebasically killed its chance to become the nextResident Evilremake. However, it is worth noting that since the beginning, Capcom has developed and released remakes chronologically. So the fact that it skippedResident Evil Code Veronicamay indicate that the studio is not interested in revisiting Claire Redfield’s journey to Rockfort Island.
Resident Evil 5is out now for PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
