Ever since the release of theResident Evil 3remake earlier this year, fans of the long-standing survival horror franchise have been wondering which game from Capcom’s back catalog will be given the remake treatment next. Currently, Capcom has not announced any official plans for anotherResident Evilremake given thatthe studio is working onResident Evil 8, which is the next installment to the series. However,Resident Evilleakers claim that fans should expect to see a remake ofResident Evil 4after the release of the new game in 2021.
Of course, given that theResident Evil 4remake remains unconfirmed, there are no official updates on its status, and it is still unclear whether the game is indeed in development. However, notableResident Evilleaker AestheticGamer recently posted a tweet saying that whileResident Evil 8appears to be in good shape, “RE4 is in a bit of a worrying position right now.” Unfortunately, AestheticGamer did not specify whyResident Evil 4is in a worrying position, but many speculate that it could be going into the directionResident Evil 3remake took, which gained criticisms from longtime fans due to its slimmed-down content. Now, if Capcom wants to avoid a negative reaction to the rumoredResident Evil 4remake, here are some major things it should avoid.
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Switch to First Person
InResident Evil’s24 years in existence, the franchise has seen many changes, the most significant of which is the transition to a different camera angle. During its early days,Resident Evilis known for its fixed-camera angles and tank controls before shifting to the more modern third-person over-the-shoulder, and currently,Resident Evil 7and the upcomingResident Evil 8features the terrifying first-person perspective. Again, given thatResident Evil 4is still unofficial, it is unknown whether Capcom plans to carry overthe first-person perspective fromResident Evil 7toRE4.
However, it is possible that most fans ofResident Evil 4won’t appreciate a shift of perspective given thatResident Evil 4is the first game in the franchise that saw the franchise’s transition to the third-person over-the-shoulder style of play. Luckily for players, it appears thatResident Evil 4remake in first-person remains highly unlikely given that bothResident Evil 2and3remakes were designed with the third-person perspective.
Cutting Content
If there’s anything that Capcom should learn from bothResident Evil 2and3remakes, it is the importance of staying true to everything that fans loved about the original games. In theResident Evil 2remake, for example,the re-imagining of Leon and Claire’s story received glowing reviewsdue to its faithfulness from the original game, while adding new things to spice things up.
However, the same isn’t true forResident Evil 3given that fans weren’t happy with the way Capcom shuffled the game’s events and removed a lot of its minor storylines, locations, and enemies. If Capcom wants theResident Evil 4remake to be assuccessful asRE2,which surpassed the original game’s lifetime sales, then it should retain all of its iconic moments while adding new experiences on top of that.
Not Changing Ashley’s AI
One of the biggest criticisms thatResident Evil 4faced when it released back in 2004 is the wayAshley Graham’sAI was designed. More often than not, players found it challenging to protect her, given that she usually gets in the way of Leon during combat sequences. Of course, storywise, Ashely’s character is a civilian, who has no combat training so it is understandable that she is unable to protect herself. However, Capcom should probably take inspiration of the AI design of characters such as Atreus fromGod of Waror Ellie from theTLOU1, both of which are inexperienced fighters and are significantly younger than Ashley, but they are still able to hold up on their own.
Removing the Merchant
One of the well-known features thatResident Evil 4introduced in the game is the Merchant. Although the Merchant may seem out of place given the dangerous setting of the game, his presence was well-received by players given that he provided temporary relief and a sense of safety similar to the save rooms of previous games. Of course, it is without a doubt that The Merchant has since become an iconic part ofResident Evil 4, even if his existence in the game doesn’t really make that much sense.
Retaining QTE’s
Another feature thatResident Evil 4introduced that wasn’t present in previous titles was quick time events. Although QTE’s became a staple feature in most action games, they really don’t do well in survival-horror games such asResident Evil 4,given that they take away immersion and lessen the fear factor that should be always present in a game of its genre.
Of course, it is without a doubt thatResident Evil 4and its heavy reliance on action games features such as QTEs were carried over to succeeding games and started the franchise’s transition from survival horror to action. Developing a remake ofResident Evil 4would allow Capcom to rectify this drastic change in the game’s atmosphere and removing QTEs inResident Evil 4remakeis definitely a step in the right direction.
