The upcoming Resident Evil 2 “remake” (a term Capcom rejects) has many fans excited, but others are already disappointed by this entry’s changes. Naturally, there are graphical improvements and updated character models. But there are also larger tweaks, such as story alterations, player performance adjustments, camera angle differences, and changes to the control scheme. In a recent interview with GameIndustry.Biz, Capcom weighed in on why the company strayed from these old hallmarks and risked dividing fans.
While many fans claim tank controls and a fixed camera angle are key factors in creating intensity and stress within the context of the game, Capcom didn’t feel it would translate well to this new version of Resident Evil 2 (especially for a modern audience). Fans may say they want it, but Capcom doubts that. Capcom Europe COO Stuart Turner weighed in, stating:
The world has moved on and these players have changed. And if we did [introduce old school mechanics], these fans might play it and actually decide it’s not what they wanted after all. But we played around with a few things in development. We did try first-person, we did try fixed camera. But the way the game has been designed, we decided that a third-person view works better.
Turner later added, “So the response to that, the pre-orders we’ve seen already… we have been a little taken aback by how well it has gone down.”
It’s hard to strike a balance between listening to fans and trusting your own game design expertise, but Capcom is sure it has made the right decision. EMEA Marketing Director, Antoine Molant, reflected on the shift from concerned to confident and said:
We knew there were expectations around the game, and we knew it looked great and would be a good game. But around the point of the tank controls and fixed cameras, we were worried that the fanbase would be divided. But, although there might have been some initial dissenting voices, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
If you’re an old school fan frustrated by Resident Evil 2‘s modern updates, you may want to keep an open-mind on this one. Capcom seems confident and people seem to be reacting well.
Overall, this game is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games of 2019. In fact, RE2 was even awarded the Best of E3 2018 at the Game Critics Award. Be sure to check out our E3 2018 hands-on preview of Resident Evil 2 “Remake” to prepare for the game’s release on January 25, 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.
[Source: GamesIndustry.Biz]
