Resident Evil 2 : Remake

[Black Plague***]

A lot of people having been asking for/wanting this ( me included ) and it sounds like it might be happening. There are HEAVY rumours of a Resident Evil 2 ReMake!

Hello RE fans! This is H again!

Right after the RE HD Remaster project was finished, I actually started putting together my ideas for this "RE2 Project". So, I just brushed it up and went to see my boss to present the basic concept of the project already…

[Estumas]

Well thats not a rumor. Thats a producer at Capcom showing he's been pitching the idea of a Remake to the upper management. He also promoted it on the official Facebook for the franchise asking for peoples opinion.

Problem is when I looked at the comments there was almost 10,000 and no one really agrees on anything. Some people say they shouldn't bother because they'll cock it up of course.

But aside from the idea they shouldn't, people are arguing over traditional survival horror, action, RE4 camera, Remake/Zero style, Rev style, include RE3, remake Outbreak instead.... so on and so on. There is no way any game released is going to please anyone, leading me personally again to the point of why bother.

[Gwarden]

Well as a creator you should never let the fact that not everyone will like your work, prevent you from trying. On the other hand, if it is just a cash grab, you may as well cater to the widest possible demographic. So it comes down to why you're doing it.

[EvaUnit02]

REmake HD sold well despite not being a RE4-esque action game. I say just go the full old school RE route with fixed perspective camera angles, OPTIONAL tank controls, etc.

[ChrisB]

re-record the awful English VO and I'm in. Actually if SH2 could get the same treatment I would be very happy.

[Black Plague***]

re-record the awful English VO and I'm in. Actually if SH2 could get the same treatment I would be very happy.

But, the bad VO's are what made the series initially, especially RE1 "Barry, where's Barry" LOL.

Silent Hill 2 would be nice, it's a shame the HD versions that were released weren't that great ( So I hear )

[Estumas]

^ Yeah, they weren't flash. Some of the issues were fixed in a patch for just the PS3, not for the 360. The worst of which was random lock ups on SH3 because the game was ported from an unfinished version of SH3 for the PS2 to begin with.

As for RE2, the simple fact they're doing this publicly says its going ahead. They're not going to turn around now and not say it's happening, it'll turn into a FF7 event, fans will bug the company even more for years if they don't, and it'll have to happen eventually anyway... so with the success of RE HD I guess this is a better time than any.

Well as a creator you should never let the fact that not everyone will like your work, prevent you from trying. On the other hand, if it is just a cash grab, you may as well cater to the widest possible demographic. So it comes down to why you're doing it.

Normally I wouldn't disagree with this, but there are two factors I think are working against this particular project. Firstly, if they hadn't 'pre-announced' this and just made it and shown it off (similar to what happened with the original Remake when announced in 2001) no expectations would have been made, and everyone would just take it or leave it much easier. So already this kinda sets it up for a fall for a lot of people.

Secondly, and more importantly, this is because the consistent game vision of the franchise is in a fairly massive mess. For every post like Eva's asking for an old school RE, there is one asking for a RE4 style, ones asking for RE5/RE6 action to be added, etc. as I mentioned. Capcom hardly knows what to do with the new games and what they should be like (RE6 is a Frankenstein mess of ideas, to many all done poorly, Revelations is one-half RE4 one half old school RE, but doesn't feel comfortable switching). Even the times they've revisited RE2 in the past (most notably the Wii shooter Darkside Chronicles) it's been turned into an over the top action fest which most people didn't like.

This is always going to be an uphill battle that can't be won just simply because how splintered the franchise is. RE HD sold successfully based on nostalgia and curiosity, but also because Remake was a fairly solid game to begin with. I'll be interested to see if the less well recieved Zero does as well, but also when we're talking well done we're only saying "1 million plus digital sales." Good for a decade + port.... but a Remake of RE2, a game that sold almost 5 million copies when first released in 1998 (let alone all the other ports) and is held up so highly in the franchises history is probably is going to want better than that as a new "remake.'

I'll be interested to see where this goes.

[Bt]

The feedback and most popular comments seem to want old school style. There weren't many people after RE4 style and next to no one wanted RE5/RE6...

I'd be happy either way.

[Black Plague***]

The feedback and most popular comments seem to want old school style. There weren't many people after RE4 style and next to no one wanted RE5/RE6...

I'd be happy either way.

As far as the "Old school" games go, I'd prefer the remake to have the old control scheme. Don't change a good thing

[Bt]

I didn't mind the revised control scheme in the PC remake but it made the game heaps easier once you got used to it.

[Estumas]

Thats a nice change from when I looked part way through the first day.... the three most popular at the time were split between old school/and or with RE3, in the style of RE4 but not too close to RE5/6, and there was also a bunch saying 'don't bother.'

However there is a lack of confidence I've seen before that will probably come up that Capcom will be unable to stick to any style of pre-render and/or 3rd person camera angles out there, so "old school" isn't going to exactly be old school if they can't work out a better control system than those used in the HD remake. If you've played RE5's Lost in Nightmares DLC, there is a hidden bonus camera in the starting area... but it can't last into any combat areas with the controls so it stops... it's the closest the franchise has come to 3rd person since RE Zero's original release in 2003, HD ports withstanding.

It's worth noting that while the HD port got good reviews, the large number of reviewers still called the controls unforgiving and clunky... and those with history seem to not like the revised controls saying it made it too easy, similar to what BP said above. Once again, no one can agree on anything

[EvaUnit02]

re-record the awful English VO and I'm in. Actually if SH2 could get the same treatment I would be very happy.

The remake treatment for SH2? They actually DID redub SH2 for the recent shitty HD Collection but the performances were actually a huge downgrade, eg missing nuances of the original performances that are important to the story being told.

I'd rather that they DIDN'T remake the PS2 era SHs, they'll probably destroy those classics if they did. Unlike the RE series the classic Silent Hills were not big dumb, schlocky game based on B-Horror films. (I consider SH2 to be one of the best written games of all time.) I'd want just faithful ports onto Steam and modern consoles, put a good developer like Bluepoint who've a solid track record with treating classic games with the respect that they deserve.

The graphical fidelity on SH2 & 3 was actually always top notch. I consider them to be some of the best looking games on PS2. Faithful ports to PC especially so that we could preserve these important games is definitely the route that they should take IMO.

[Krichul]

REmake HD sold well despite not being a RE4-esque action game. I say just go the full old school RE route with fixed perspective camera angles, OPTIONAL tank controls, etc.

I'm pretty sure RE2 did have optional tank controls. Either that or the "dualshock version", IIRC the game was released around the same time as the dual analogues were released (unlike RE1, which was made before PS1 had analogues at all).

If they were going to halfass it, maybe they could just copy that one guy's fanmade remake? I don't think they would halfass it to the point of just outright buying it off him. At least now they know what can be done with their games in Unreal.

[EvaUnit02]

I'm pretty sure RE2 did have optional tank controls. Either that or the "dualshock version", IIRC the game was released around the same time as the dual analogues were released (unlike RE1, which was made before PS1 had analogues at all).

I never played RE2 on PS1 so I wouldn't know. The Gamecube version which I played didn't, IIRC.

The N64 port of RE2 definitely had optional tank controls. I remember critics crowing from the rooftops about that back in the day, in addition to the N64 version being a technical powerhouse that lost nothing in translation from CD-ROM to the lower capacity cartridge format. IIRC It was the game with the highest capacity cartridge ever produced for N64.

[Estumas]

I'm pretty sure RE2 did have optional tank controls. Either that or the "dualshock version", IIRC the game was released around the same time as the dual analogues were released (unlike RE1, which was made before PS1 had analogues at all).

If they were going to halfass it, maybe they could just copy that one guy's fanmade remake? I don't think they would halfass it to the point of just outright buying it off him. At least now they know what can be done with their games in Unreal.

Indeed. The 'Dual Shock' version supports the left stick analog but it's still functioning roughly as default tank with selectable optional control layouts (3 IIRC), but not much really is different other than allowing the use of a quick turn on the stick I think. RE3 is similar as I recall. It's certainly not any different enough to feel massively changed as I recall. Even the better stick support in the N64 version isn't that far removed, I'd call it halfway between tank and the 'modern' version in the HD RE remake almost. And I suspect would still be criticized for being 'tank' like if used by certain people and reviewers sadly. Don't get me wrong personally, I'm fine with the original controls... but it's just I'm unsure if the general masses are down with it and therefor it'll be something Capcom tinkers with I expect. I'd be happy for the same system as the HD remakes, with the two options myself.

That guy's fanmake is actually using large amounts of assets from the version of RE2 in the HD port of Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles, so technically Capcom probably does have those assets around. But then again if most people want a traditional game, not an RE4 like experience, then it wont be much use.

Eva - SH3's PC port is actually really good, I don't think much could have been improved... and what little was needed tinkering with the files solves the issues as I recall, although I have to admit it's been maybe 8 or 9 years since I touched it. At least no textures needed replacing, and everything else is top notch. SH2 sadly never got the same love, but the PC version - isn't bad by any standard when it works.

[EvaUnit02]

Eva - SH3's PC port is actually really good, I don't think much could have been improved... and what little was needed tinkering with the files solves the issues as I recall, although I have to admit it's been maybe 8 or 9 years since I touched it. At least no textures needed replacing, and everything else is top notch. SH2 sadly never got the same love, but the PC version - isn't bad by any standard when it works.

I haven't played the PC versions of any "classic" SHs, but the main things that would may have to be addressed are compatibility, stability, implementation and implementation in general when re-releasing older games on PC - really obvious stuff.

• Have it run nice on modern hardware and OSes. (Modern Windows support at the minimum, but if you can support minority platforms OSX/Linux to keep the vocal minority from crying then that's gravy.)
• Support for modern resolutions and aspect ratios up to 4K and the theoretical beyond.
• Native support for Xinput controllers (i.e. 360/X1 gamepads).
• Don't have software limitations that are frowned upon like FPS caps in place if you can help it.
• Actually make the games available for sale on Steam/GOG/etc so we don't have to resort to "abandonware" or stupidly inflated prices from Ebay

[Estumas]

It's officially happening.

[Black Plague***]

Haha yes! I saw that this morning! I'd wager it'd be later 2016 before it's released though.

[Estumas]

Personally I expect early 2017 at the earliest, but with a full showing of early work completed so far beginning in late March 2016 - as that will be 20th anniversary of the franchise. That's on the 22nd in Japan and 30th in the States (the game didn't come to PAL areas until August '96).

[Bt]

Here we go boys, first FF7 now RE2... its happening!

[EvaUnit02]

OMG, I have wanted this project to happen for 13 YEARS!

[Black Plague***]

OMG, I have wanted this project to happen for 13 YEARS!

Yeah, this'll be the first game I've bought Day One in a long time. I wonder if they'll have a physical release for this in the West?

[Haisley]

Good news.

Note to self: Must install and play RE remake.

[Ins0mn1ac]

This is awesome Rather they just remake the old ones than make new shitty ones

[Krichul]

finally the only worthwhile resident evil game gets justice