Resident Evil 2 is one of the most influential and successful games ever made; it has inspired and influenced games ever since its 1998 release, making the franchise one of the most prevalent in history.
So it makes sense that the gaming world went absolutely nuts when Capcom finally announced that they would be remaking the game, and then the world really was set ablaze with the most recent E3 trailer that showcased what appeared to be an amazing remake of one of the best games of all time. This is all well and good (and we're excited too!) but there is still cause for concern: we are dealing with game designers here people, and Capcom to boot.
So we've compiled a list of the do's and don'ts that Capcom needs to carry out in order to make this a successful reboot. So grab some crossbow bolts, as many green herbs as you can carry, and make yourself a Jill sandwich; this is The 15 Things The Resident Evil 2 Remake Needs (And 15 It Needs To Do Away With).
30 Needs: Genuine Scares
Nothing makes a good horror game quite like the unsettling feeling that a genuinely scary game leaves you with, even after you put down the controller. The remake of Resident Evil 2 needs to have genuine scares, not cheap jump scares around every corner or gameplay that forces the game into being scary.
We're talking being trapped in a room full of angry zombies with three rounds left in the clip kind of scary — the anxiety causing situations that keep you up at 3 am.
Too many horror games these days rely on cheap scares; we're hoping that this remake will create organic, hair-raising nightmare fuel from the experiences you have in the game, and set pieces that actually stick with you.
29 Avoid: Cheap And/Or Overused Jump Scares
Essentially every horror game these days relies on jump scares to achieve their status as a "horror game" All you need these days to get streamers screaming about your game is animatronic animals or possessed Furby to stalk you around the house and you have tween horror gold.
The remake should not follow the example, instead focusing on genuine creepiness and the anxiety caused by dire situations that Leon or Claire barely escapes.
A few jump scares aren't a bad idea (think dogs jumping through windows or zombie hands grabbing at you from behind boarded barricades; that still gets us every time), but don't overdo it Capcom.
28 Needs: A Young, Believable Leon
If we're basing it off the trailer, it looks like the remake will successfully carry over the rookie Leon Kennedy who's mostly unaware of how to handle the situation of zombie apocalypse like the Leon in the original.
This is definitely preferable over a rage monster like Chris from the fifth installment of the franchise, who punches boulders into submission and can make a man's head explode with a quick jab to the face.
Having a rookie cop show up to a station full of otherworldly horrors was what added so much atmosphere and terror the original, Capcom would be foolish to deviate from that in the remake.
27 Avoid: Keeping The Whole Game In The Police Station
While the police station is one of the shining stars in the original, and will hopefully be even better in the remake, the new Resident Evil 2 should take the action outside of the police station, even a bit more than the original.
The opening of the original had either main character making their way through the ruined streets of Raccoon City before making their way to the police station, plus later sections of the game in a secret Umbrella lab (as is custom).
Capcom could take the remake as an opportunity to expand on both the ruined streets of Raccoon City, and the secret lab to really flesh out the environments seen in the original, and subsequently, the terror.
26 Needs: Sweet Relaunch Of Classic Action Figures
To go along with the smash hit of the original game, there were quite a few excellent action figures made to make an extra buck off the newest tourists or Raccoon City. Unlike a lot of the "lets make an extra buck" type stuff, these action figures were actually super awesome.
So much so that never opened figures are going for decent money on eBay and are still coveted by collectors and fans alike.
Capcom could make another mint by re-releasing the original action figure line while adding in a few new heavy hitters into the line. Heck, we'd preorder them right now if we could.
25 Avoid: Paid DLC
If there is one thing that this remake needs to avoid, it's paid DLC. While Capcom seems to have figured that out on their own (the Chris DLC for RE7 was free after all), there's so much buzz behind this remake that we're freeing the worst.
If Capcom is going to enforce paid DLC, at least make it worth it. Don't give us cosmetic upgrades at $5 a pop, give us fleshed out extra chapters or game modes that are worth are money.
Even though they could just cash in on the fact that this is a remake of one of the most beloved games in history, they should treat the fans right and make it free, or worthwhile.
24 Needs: Mercenaries
With that said in the previous post about the need to exclude lackluster multiplayer modes, the remake could definitely benefit from a mercenaries mode.
Mercenaries mode adds excellent co-op play while letting gamers play as heroes, villains, and even nonsensical characters while blasting zombies and other umbrella nightmares with fixed weapons under the threat of a ticking clock.
With the gameplay we've seen so far for the remake, a mercenaries mode could certainly create enjoyable and memorable co-op experiences, while adding replayability to an already (hopefully) awesome game.
23 Avoid: Too Many Scripted Events
While it isn't typically an ailment that afflicts the series at large, scripted events are a major downfall of video games of the modern day, and it would be a real shame if the remake suffered from the same malady.
How much of a bummer would it be to hit one of the classic moments from the original (like the fight with the William tyrant when you have the last chess piece), only to have the whole scenario replace with QTEs and a cinematic?
Let players make their own memories, don't force a scenario on us.
22 Needs: Resident Evil Zaniness
Look at the color of live action Wesker's hair up there. There is no way that anyone would actually pick that as a real hair color, and it's the kind of thing that long time fans of the series have come to expect from the series. Not funky hair colors, but a particular brand of ridiculousness that permeates through every game in the franchise.
While we don't want over the top ridiculousness (we do want a solid horror game after all), some classic franchise kookiness would lend itself well to the spookiness.
If Capcom makes the game too serious, it could turn off a few of the old fans that like the ridiculous nature of the original trilogy of the series.
21 Avoid: Some Of The More Tedious Puzzles
What should really be said here it avoid some of the more tedious sections of backtracking and unclear prompts. The puzzles are some of the best elements of the original game, but Capcom could definitely afford to polish a few and make them less tedious.
In addition to that, it wouldn't hurt to add a few new puzzles in that break up the action and will make faithful fans of the series smile.
We're not saying to get rid of any puzzles that are synonymous with the original, just give them a rethink and a new coat of polish and we'll gladly scratch our heads trying to figure them out.
20 Needs: Playable Aya Chapters
It's a serious competition in RE2 to figure out who is the more butt kickin' chick: Ada or Claire? Regardless of your preference, the remake is definitely going to need Ada chapters after the main story is completed.
Or, maybe it could spin them right into the main narrative? Instead of waiting to beat the game and only having Ada show up to save Leon's butt constantly, we could experience her story in real time with the other traditional sections.
Regardless, we need more Ada in this remake, she is easily one of the baddest babes in the entire series, and needs to be treated as such.
19 Avoid: Adding Too Many New Enemies
Not to say that new enemies won't be welcome, we just don't want to see the traditional enemies being overshadowed by some concept that doesn't even hold a flame to the excellent design of the original enemies.
The same goes with the main villains. Capcom should not try and forcibly insert some new head honcho villain who is suddenly introduced and is responsible for the whole outbreak. We already know that it's essentially Chief Irons fault anyway.
We wouldn't mind seeing a few of the other classic entries from the original trilogy make an appearance either.
18 Needs: An Updated Police Station
This does seem like a given, but you never know. The police station in the original Resident Evil 2 was one of the most daunting environments in the series and is considered the best locale in the series by many a fan.
That said, a few changes to an outdated floor plan are never a bad idea, but there is definitely a thin line to toe.
Change too little and leave fans feeling like they could have just stuck with the original game. Change too much, and you have fans up in arms, carrying pitchforks and torches.
17 Avoid: Too Many Tweaks To The Map
That last point made, it's important that the map stay true to the original; as stated before, it's a delicate line to toe.
Much like how the remake of the original added meaningful, thought out expansion to the mansion, the remake of Resident Evil 2 needs to naturally expand on the map of the original.
After all, fans don't want an entirely new game; the point of a remake is to update and modernize a classic; deviating too far from the floor plan is an easy way to skew what the remake could be.
16 Needs: More Weapons
Not to say that there was anything wrong with the line up of weapons in the original installment of Resident Evil 2, but a few more weapons in the arsenal are definitely not going to hurt anyone (unless you're a zombie).
Why not have a few different sets of gun parts lying around for different handguns, shotguns, and the like?
And it certainly would increase the replay value if guns could be unlocked on subsequent outings into the police station. It also wouldn't hurt to introduce a few new arms along the way for better zombie slaying.
15 Avoid: Gratuitous Ammo Pickups
One of the key elements that made the early Resident Evil games, and the survival horror genre at large, so nerve-racking is the lack of ammo to use in all our survivors' shiny, shiny weapons.
A Beretta doesn't do much good if the clip is empty, unless you expect S.T.A.R.S. members to start throwing their sidearms.
Ammo needs to be a luxury, not an expectation. While it's mostly dependent on the player, their needs to be enough ammo for Leon and Claire to defend themselves, but not so much that they can afford to waste it.
14 Needs: Kick Butt Tyrants
The remake definitely needs some Tyrant love, at least akin to the Tyrants that the original had. There are few gaming experiences that are as chilling as running down a hallway, only to have Mr. X smash through the wall and pursue you with its unblinking glance and raging fists.
We're pretty sure no fan would be upset to see a few more encounters with Mr. X, or mutated William Burkin for that matter. Most probably wouldn't hate to see additional tyrants either, just saying Capcom.
13 Avoid: Too Much Back Tracking
In many gamers' humble opinions, the first 3 (or 2 depending on who you ask), Resident Evil games were masterpieces; survival horror gems that still endure to this day.
However, there was one glaring problem with the series' early entries — the tremendous amount of backtracking.
Any puzzle, item, or cut scene required running halfway across the map most times, if you knew where you were going. With some quality re-imagining, the remake could have some nifty shortcuts, or alterations made to the map to make getting around to key areas a bit less of a hassle.
12 Needs: Great Music
The original Resident Evil 2 soundtrack was a work of pure genius; it set the tone to an excellent game, with tracks that set tension in the player at unseen horrors lurking around the next corner, and genuine relief when the save room theme started playing after a desperate escape.
The remake should definitely follow suite, the music should be a crucial fabric that weaves a great horror experience, not a pounding techno soundtrack or cheesy nu-metal medley.
The music should be expertly crafted and implemented, drawing up the horror felt in the original, while quickening the player's pulse for the unknown in the remake.
11 Avoid: Quick Time Events
QTEs aren't necessarily the devil, but with the amount of use they've had in some of the more recent installments in the series, they're pretty darn close.
While a QTE here and there isn't going to break a lot of gamers' love for the remake, it only takes a few too many to make the game into a button mashing mockery of what it could have been.
Escape events and a few scripted scenes are fine; welcomed even. But as soon as we find ourselves involved in QTEs for everything from running to punching boulders, we're out.