The Resident Evil franchise has made a big comeback in the last few years through brand-new entries like Resident Evil: Village as well as strong efforts to remake older titles such as Resident Evil 2. The latter variety of games seem set to continue with a long rumored remake of the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 4. Originally released in 2005, the game has since gone on to numerous accolades and endless praise from critics and players alike, often being hailed as one of the best games of all time.
The project has yet to be officially confirmed by Capcom itself, but based on the numerous rumors regarding a Resident Evil 4 remake, It's possible it could be on the way. Obvious improvements that could be made from the original would be a big boost to the graphics and gameplay tweaks, but the narrative is a key element that could also be reworked this time around. In a recent interview, the original's director Shinji Mikami revealed that he wrote the story in roughly three weeks, and hopes to see it improved in a potential remake. This does not mean the original's story is bad, but there are a few notable areas in which is can be made even better.
Incorporating RE4 Into The Larger Resident Evil Mythos
Although gamers aren't required to play every single installment to understand the story in a new release, there is a deep universe in the Resident Evil series that connects everything together. Hidden documents, passing references, and other Easter eggs make call backs to other games in the franchise, creating a feeling there is a bigger story being told. The recent Resident Evil: Village in particular makes numerous nods to the series' lore, dating back to the earliest moments in the franchise.
The remakes for Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 made some small changes from the original iterations to more closely interweave the overarching plot. This isn't to say that the Resident Evil 4 remake needs to completely rework what functioned so well in the original game, but including clever alterations to tie into the mythos as a whole would be wise. Perhaps a subtle line of dialogue that foreshadows later events in Resident Evil: Village or obtainable newspaper clippings that allude to the Raccoon City Outbreak could work wonders in helping a new version of Resident Evil 4 feel like one chapter in a bigger tale.
Adding Further Depth to Resident Evil 4's Story
Considering that Shinji Mikami claims he wrote Resident Evil 4 in just three weeks, its quite remarkable how smoothly everything comes together. It's by no means anything provocative or mind-blowing, but everything moves along at a steady pace and functions perfectly well as a pop corn action thriller. That being said, there is now an opportunity to more closely examine the pre-existing narrative, what has come out since, and see if there is some way to flesh it out into something even better.
The added story expansion "Separate Ways," for example, could be altered so that it is just part of the actual storyline this time. Similar to the alternative campaigns for Leon and Claire in Resident Evil 2, perhaps the Resident Evil 4 remake could create two entirely different story modes, which both intersect and play off each other.
Furthermore, Albert Wesker is only hinted at as the mysterious villain in the background, and he could be made a larger threat this time around - especially since he goes on to be the primary threat in Resident Evil 5. For an extra touch, some more explanation regarding Luis Sera's own time as a police officer could help flesh him out as a character alongside Leon Kennedy.
A Resident Evil 4 remake is rumored to be in development.