Resident Evil has been a thing for nearly thirty years now! Any franchise running for so long will have had it’s high and low points. But right now – in video games at least – it’s enjoying an amazing run including both new entries and remakes of older stories. There’s something here for everyone. But there are questions. What’s next? More remakes? New entries? Wipe things from continuity?
I figured I’d try and offer some ideas. This isn’t exhaustive; it’s just some thoughts on the bits that I’ve remembered to think about.
Re-remake 1 with bonus 0?
RE1RR? Arguably a waste when the GameCube remake is so well regarded. But I would love an RE1 in the style of the 2/3/4 remakes. Each one has taken the core of the original, given them great mechanics, and ironed out a lot of the kinks. Importantly they never completely lost the character. So whilst I’ve judged the first remake of 1 for making it boring and losing all the campiness, I’m hopeful some of that will remain this time around. Also, it will give RE1 the chance to join up properly with the other new games. Bring in the Jill from 3R, the Wesker for 4R, and you’ve not only got a consistency, but you’re also teeing up CV and 5.
Imagine exploring the Spencer Mansion with the new movement and shooting! The remake always felt a bit clean to me. As though no one had been there in years, yet it was spotless. Not as though things had gone wrong. Would be a pretty good way to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary in 2026 too wouldn’t it?
Plus maybe we could get a proper ending with all the survivors together. That would be nice.
Then there’s RE0. For me it’s at best DLC for a new RE1. I couldn’t care less about Billy. Chris can find Rebecca in the mansion, and she can fill him in on some details. Then the DLC is Rebecca, and perhaps a more fleshed out Bravo Team. Wesker and Birkin appear too, further detailing their parts in everything. Like 2R and 3R flesh out the downfall of Raccoon City, 1 and 0 could be the entire Mansion story. With all the knowledge gained from 5 and 8 in respect to lore, have even more joining up.
Give Code Veronica a better name?
By RE4 we’ve played as Jill and Leon twice. But what about the Redfield’s? And what about Wesker? More please! To my mind Code Veronica should have been the fourth numbered entry in the series, not made to seem somehow ‘other’ with its naming. And to be fair, it’s a shit name.
1 and 0 for the Mansion. 2 and 3 detail the downfall of Raccoon City and its various survivors spreading out to discover more. Then CV as 4 continues the story of the Redfield’s alongside the return of Wesker. Then what would be 5 comes back to Leon and Ada along with a little more Wesker. RE5 then becomes 6 with the culmination of the Chris/Wesker story.
I don’t think they’ll be so bold as to remake CV as a numbered entry, so what I’d like is less Ashford, and more explanation of Wesker and his company shenanigans. Maybe show a slightly beefier Chris as he progresses to Boulder punching.
Can we remove Steve? Probably not. But could he be a bit less…crap and annoying? That would be cool. I don’t need to see gold Lugers again. Regardless, remake it Capcom. CV got caught in-between styles, so updating it could give the chance to shine.
Don’t change RE5 too much
I saw an article stating that it wasn’t possible to remake RE5 as is because, among other things, it was seen as racist. It’s what prompted this whole piece. Let’s break it down.
There are design choices that take the series further away from the Raccoon City/Survival Horror feeling that I love. I don’t agree with them in terms of what I think an RE game should be. But I did enjoy the game, and my view of it has improved since release. It was a fun co-op experience, and Chris punches a boulder.
But isn’t racist, and when – because it’s really just a matter of time – it gets remade, the fundamentals of the story don’t need to be changed. You can’t set a game in West Africa and the bulk of people/enemies you interact with not be black. No one is complaining about Chinese people being shot in China in RE6 or Spaniards in RE4. Having a story look at the beginnings of Umbrella, and it tie into the literal birthplace of humanity, is interesting! Could it be more sensitive? Yes. I’d expect the story and its tone to be worked on as it’s been fifteen years. But like 1, I’d really like to see it brought into line with the other remakes. Bring it on.
I’ve got mixed feelings on including co-op. On one hand, it made the game for me back in the day. But it’s been a long time and co-op is harder to do. I’ve got a family and stuff now! So selfishly, I could leave it. But as RE5 is known for its co-op, and Sheva could be a great character, overall it’s worth doing it again. 4R improved the Ashley situation. Maybe 5R could reintroduce Sheva and her not be more than a single player item box.
But they must keep the boulder! If anything, they need to double, no triple down on it. I don’t want a boulder punched off a ledge. I want two boulders! Two ledges! Push the ledge up the boulder! After all, we’ve all had enough of Wesker’s bullshit haven’t we.
RE6…hm
Honestly I could do without it. Most of it is tat. Some fundamentals, such as the President attempting to shine a light on BOWs, and Chris dealing with years of fighting, could stay. The rest though? Let it fade away. Jake’s inclusion as Wesker’s son is dumb, and Sherry didn’t need to return.
If you’re going to have a big get-together, have it include the right people. Which means all the Raccoon City survivors. And though it doesn’t need to directly link to RE7, at least line up the timeframes and characters.
And don’t forget Nivens. NIVEEEENNNNSSS.
There are a lot of RE games. I’ve only played nineteen of them. Maybe you could make cases for the Revelations game, or the Outbreak files. Maybe even Gun Survivor!
But for now getting the core games made prior to the introduction of the RE Engine feels like a good way to go. Avoid the excesses and pick out the positives. Might be tricky with RE6 (hahaha) but a consistent and modernised RE story up to RE7 would be great. We’re a ways off anyone wanting to remake 7 I hope. Though they should change the Chris Redfield model in that. So weird.
Some Survival Horror is good, so more must be better! Hopefully Capcom can keep it up.
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