Summary
TheResident Evilfranchise remains as the predominant name in horror games, despite several noteworthy attempts by other titles to snatch up its crown. That the remake ofResident Evil 4, a ground-up reimagining of an 18-year-old game, is a legitimate Game of the Year contender in an absolutely jam-packed year for the industry is a testament to how Capcom has successfully dialed in the franchise’s approach to its release schedule, with new entries supplemented by high-quality remakes of classic titles in theResident Evilback catalog. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, and all eyes appear to be on Capcom to figure out what game the company might remake next in the wake of the inevitableResident Evil 9.
The recent wave ofResident Evilremakes (Resident Evil2,3, and4) may have arrived in rapid succession, but they owe a debt of gratitude to the GameCube remake of the originalResident Evilfrom more than 20 years ago. That game established the formula that would continue to drive the more recent remakes decades later, leaning more heavily into the series' horror elements even as the mainline games drifted further into action-movie territory. The tonal consistency and high bar of quality of theResident Evilremakeshave positioned the next batch as already being some of the most anticipated titles on horror fans' radars.
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Resident Evil’s Vast Library of Titles Provides Fertile Ground for More Remakes
Part of the ability for each subsequent remake in theResident Evilfranchise to stay fresh rests on the long and storied history of the franchise. Compared to other survival horror franchises,Resident Evilhas a much deeper well to draw from in terms of titles in its back catalog that are either due for a remake or, in some cases, need one. Series likeThe Last of Us, which only has two games to its name and already has both a remaster and a remake of the first game in the series, are not on the same level as the almost 30 years ofhistory of theResident Evilfranchise.
Building off of that, eachResident Eviltitle brings something fresh to the table, whether that’s through introducing new heroes, villains, weapons, or additions to the overarching series lore. TheResident Evilremakesare able to avoid becoming old hat by consistently toeing the line between nostalgia and reverence for the unique aspects of their source material while also updating the games to be improved in various ways. That the franchise took a bit of a nose dive withResident Evil 5and6is a well-tread territory, but reimagining the things those games did right in the context of the modernResident Evilremakes could change player perception of even the less-loved titles in the series.
Tonal Consistency Across Resident Evil Remakes Has Been a Win for Capcom
In addition to having a library of 9 mainline titles and a myriad of spin-offs, with plenty of games having yet to receivetheResident Evilremake treatment, each of the remade games in the series has a tonal consistency that few other franchises are able to match. Rather than have each remake stand apart from the ones that came before it, they use similar lighting, perspective, and mechanics while also including the unique aspects of the original titles. And, best of all, each of theResident Evilremakes is firmly planted in the horror genre despite the series' action leanings.
The choice to establish consistency across the remakes of the series' classic games haspaid off for Capcom, with each of theResident Evilremakes selling well and collectively helping to reignite widespread interest in the series.Resident Evilis having a bit of a renaissance within the world of video games and pop culture, and having one of 2023’s best games be a remake of one of 2005’s best games is a full-circle moment for the franchise. If anything, theResident Evilremakes establish that the series has nowhere to go but up.
