We Believing These Resident Evil Rumors?
Rumors are always swirling about Resident Evil games supposedly in development thanks to its popularity, some of which are more farfetched than others. These new big rumors, though, are coming from legitimate sources, which suggest that Capcom has big plans for the franchise’s future. To be clear: They seem a hell of a lot more legitimate than recent Silent Hill rumors, a franchise that served as the main rival to RE until Konami unceremoniously killed it partly out of spite. Don’t take this to mean these rumors are bound to be true; it’s always possible for legitimate sites to be duped by bad sources, or for plans within companies to change after the rumors are provided.
The first set of them pertain to the next brand-new RE game, fittingly to be known as Resident Evil 8. It was reportedly in development as Resident Evil Revelations 3, but was upgraded after focus and test groups were very impressed with its quality. It’s planned to follow in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’s footsteps in being a first-person experience that again stars Ethan Winters as the main character, with longtime mascot Chris Redfield being involved in the story. Rebecca Chambers had reportedly returned for the Revelations 3 version, but was scrapped for the upgraded one. (This makes it a downgrade, in a way.) It’s planned to take place within a village that looks reminiscent of Resident Evil 4’s setting, and will include hallucinations and occult themes.
The setting and themes are what intrigue me the most here, which make it sound like a combination of the RE4 we received and the one we didn’t. Hallucinations and occult matters were part of the Resident Evil 3.5 version, themes that were discarded for a more conventional RE vibe. Capcom’s been taking a few risks with the newer RE titles following the misfire that was Resident Evil 6, but that’s fine when they turn out well. I also don’t mind having another first-person experience after enjoying RE7, though it won’t be to the liking of those who prefer third-person experiences like the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and the just-released Resident Evil 3 iteration.
I’m not thrilled about playing Ethan again, who was little more than a player avatar in RE7 with occasional gimmers of a personality. He could be quite a choice on Capcom’s part to be the first RE character to helm two back to back new installments. His wife, Mia, was a bit more interesting, who will also reportedly return. It would have been nice to have Rebecca take the mantle again, who’s been missing in action since Resident Evil 0 outside an appearance in the Vendetta CG film. Chris’ looks are apparently being changed from RE7, who looked so unrecognizable that longtime fans wondered who he was upon first seeing him. His face model (also used for Cygames’ Project: Awakening teaser) does resemble the Chris from previous games, so they’ll only need to adjust his in-game face.
Rumors say the game will be revealed soon for a Q1 2021 release — notably the same timeframe RE7 was revealed and released in — as a cross-generation platform game. These dates could change thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic delaying everything.
The second rumor pertains to the identity of the second remake newly-established Capcom studio M-Two Inc. is working on following their contribution to the RE3 remake: A Resident Evil 4 remake. Video Games Chronicle reports that the studio has been working on it since 2018 as their first main project. Anyone who initially recoiled at the thought of this being remade following the solid-but-disappointing RE3 remake should know that M-Two only provided development assistance for that project alongside Capcom’s internal studio, with Red Works providing the overall direction. The details imply that M-Two, headed up by former PlatinumGames team members, is in full control this time.
For as timeless as the game feels, and for how excellent it still plays, it does show its age in places. The excessive QTEs feel more arbitrary than anything now, and its controls feel sluggish compared to the newer games. Recent RE projects also highly value atmosphere, something RE4 lacked outside certain sections compared to the prototypes. These elements should be improved for a remake.
Since the remakes thus far have taken themselves more seriously, I’m concerned about whether the remake will inherit the cheesy and goofy charm the original delivered in spades. It’s stuffed with witty one-liners and humorous moments that helped it stand out compared to previous RE titles and other action games as a whole, and there’s sadly a good chance many of those could be removed from a remake. The original has some of the best pacing and level design I’ve seen in a video game, which will be a tall order for them to replicate.
I’m equally excited and concerned for this, but it helps that it reportedly has the blessing of RE creator and RE4 director Shinji Mikami. M-Two is full of his former cohorts, so it should be in good hands if the team is given ample time to polish it. It’s a shame they’re skipping Code: Veronica, if only because it would have been great to see Stephanie Panisello’s Claire again. But it could have used it because it’s easily the most unpolished among the older RE games.
Keep in mind these are rumors, meaning you shouldn’t take them as fact. But the chances of them being true are over 50 percent thanks to the sources reporting them, and they appear far more legitimate than the Silent Hill rumors. We won’t have to wait long to see if some of them are true or not — assuming the Coronavirus hasn’t delayed anything too heavily.
About The Author
Geoff
News Editor | Geoff is some nerd who writes for a blog and thinks he's knowledgeable. He write a lot about video games, but is capable of writing about other subjects, too. Twitter
