Resident Evil, the horror action series that first began in 1996, has had an impressive streak of successful games in the past few years. While the series has gone forward with new plotlines and characters ever since Resident Evil 7 introduced players to Ethan and a new moldy plague to battle against, Capcom has simultaneously gone back to its classic games for current-generation remakes. A game that hasn’t received the remake treatment is the very first Resident Evil, which is now long overdue for a modern update. Since Capcom has yet to announce what its next Resident Evil title is, now would be the perfect time for RE1 to receive a remake.

While not all classic games need an update to appeal to modern audiences, Resident Evil 1 definitely deserves it after the massive success of the Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 remakes. Technically, Resident Evil 1 has already received a remake by Capcom, but since that remake is older than the original Resident Evil 4 by three years, it’s safe to say enough time has ed to justify another. The biggest change a new remake of RE1 can do is provide a third-person camera experience in the iconic mansion, just like Resident Evil 2’s remake gave players a third-person experience in Raccoon City.

Capcom Has Remade Almost All The RE Classics

Every Remake Has Come Out To Critical And Commercial Success

Resident Evil as a series has been in a golden era since the release of Resident Evil 7 in 2017. The introduction of a first-person perspective, a new set of protagonists, and even a new strain of mold-based infection to trace back to the Umbrella Corporation all came together for an unforgettable horror experience in the bayou. Followed by another visit to a spooky, vague rural Eastern European area in Resident Evil Village, the series is on track for another horrifying entry. Not long after RE7, Capcom released its first modern remake: Resident Evil 2 in 2019, kicking off a separate branch of remade RE games.

Instead of starting at the beginning with Resident Evil 1, Capcom instead decided to remake the second in the series with new graphics, a third-person camera, and a more modern combat system. Resident Evil 2 was a resounding success upon its release, earning near-universal praise from major gaming publications. Even without the trappings of the original, mainly the fixed camera angles, Resident Evil 2’s remake managed to pay homage to the original while giving a fresh and modern horror experience in Raccoon City with rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield.

Utilizing those same design choices, Capcom also remade Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4, which each came out to equal critical and commercial success, especially the latter. Safe to say, the Resident Evil remakes have been a win for Capcom since 2017, so the question remains why the company still hasn’t gone back to the original for a modern remake.

Resident Evil 1 Needs A Modern Remake

The First Remake Came Out In 2002

There’s no question that the first ever Resident Evil is an iconic game. The unique combination of strange puzzles and zombie-based horror, alongside a fixed camera angle, created a new type of horror game that spawned a decades-long series. In fact, not long into the series, Resident Evil 1 received a remake by Capcom in 2002. This remake perfected the game’s rough edges and fine-tuned its gameplay. Years later, the RE1 remake received an HD remaster in 2015, which came out to critical acclaim once again for its updated graphics and polished gameplay.

Normally, that much attention to a single game would be more than enough. However, after the remakes of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4, leaving the original behind with a 2002 remake doesn’t make sense. It’s been over twenty years since the first remake, and though the 2015 remaster was well received, it doesn’t seem like enough when other RE remakes have gotten such amazing modern remakes. The remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 proved that a more modern camera angle and combat system works astoundingly well for the older entries in the series.

There’s no reason to believe that the first Resident Evil wouldn’t also benefit from this type of remake, especially since more faithful remakes already exist for longtime fans of the series to enjoy. While good gameplay is always the most important part of a game, updated graphics are also an important factor. Graphics have come a long way since the first Resident Evil remake and its 2015 remaster, which can be seen by playing the game's original version on PC.

Changing The Fixed Camera Angle Would Make For An Interesting Experience

A Fresh Experience For A Classic Game

The staples of early Resident Evil games are zombies and fixed camera angles. Those two elements in combination are what made RE such a standout series from the mid-1990s to mid-2000s. When Resident Evil 4 came out and changed not only the series, but action games as a whole, the fixed camera angle became a thing of the past. While the ever-changing camera angle does seem inseparable from the first three Resident Evil games, Capcom has already proved that it’s possible to make a fantastic remake with a now standard third-person over-the-shoulder (OTS) camera.

In Resident Evil 2’s remake, the OTS camera was used to great effect without compromising the claustrophobia players felt while dodging zombies and mutated dogs in the maze-like police station. Any modern remake of Resident Evil 1 would be able to leverage the same strengths as Resident Evil 2, since the environment of the mansion is functionally the same as RE2's police station.

The best thing a modern remake of the first game could do is give players a fresh experience in the mansion that started it all, and the modern OTS camera angle would achieve that beautifully alongside updated graphics. Thankfully, any longtime Resident Evil fans that prefer the fixed camera angle can enjoy the 2002 remake and its 2015 remaster. But to continue the hot streak of remakes, it would be a missed opportunity if Capcom didn’t bring the original Resident Evil into the modern era.