With a newResident Evil 4remake revealed at the most recent State of Play, it seems like Capcom refuses to slow down as it revamps its classic horror franchise. However, with this latestResident Evilentry making it Capcom’s third remake, the studio may need to refocus itself in order to preserve the momentum it’s already gained, making the most out of the market of nostalgic fans and series newcomers. ThoughResident Evil 5may potentially be getting sized up for the next remake followingResident Evil 4,there’s a far better candidate that’s more deserving of a revisit:Resident Evil Code: Veronica.
Not only isResident Evil Code: Veronicaone of the better appreciated and well-likedResident Evilgames, but it would fit well intothe timeline that Capcom has currently reestablishedwith its other remakes. Better yet, much like its other predecessors,Resident Evil Code: Veronicasuffers from the same graphical limitations that now hold newer players back from catching up with the series, so a modern remake is long overdue - even if it’s only to stall time while Capcom figures out how to reworkResident Evil 5into a more horror-focused game.
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Code: Veronica Will Help Resident Evil’s Story
At present, bothResident Evil 2 and 3have either for the first time or once again introduced players to the likes of Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Ada Wong, and so on. Now, withResident Evil 4on the way, this means that players will be following some of these characters once more, chief among them beingfan-favorite Leon Kennedy. Chronologically speaking,Resident Evil Code: Veronicatakes place after the events ofResident Evil 3but just prior to4, providing Capcom with the perfect buffer between a potential remake for the fifth game withCode: Veronicaas its “replacement,” allowing players to pick up the story of Claire as they are about to do with Leon.
In addition to this however, since the originalResident Evilremake was released back in 2002,Code: Veronicawould provide the ideal refresher course in picking upChris Redfield’s story where it had left off. Following the events of the first game, Chris fell off the radar of mainline games untilResident Evil 5, meaning a reintroduction to his character would require more nuance than Capcom just assuming will catch up on their own accord. ACode: Veronicaremake would help ease players in by reminding them about the plot of the first game as well as some core characters such as Chris and Albert Wesker, leading smoothly into their return duringResident Evil 5. Some diligent restructuring and reorganizing on Capcom’s behalf would be ideal, with the company carefully considering which games are next to be remade to help establish a more concise, coherent narrative.
Code: Veronica Can Help Improve Future Remakes
While it was critically acclaimed and universally well-liked by audiences,Code: Veronicawas an early sign that the series was beginning to drift away from its roots as a survival horror game. The game has been likened to that ofa Hollywood action featureand is more “movie-like” than previous games in the series, which while not outright bad may have been what influenced the decision to make games such asResident Evil 5and6based less on survival and more on the action.
The current approach thatCapcomhas been taking to these most recent remakes makes it clear that it is determined to keep to the principles of survival horror to recreate the ethos of the series. Should aResident Evil 5remake be on the cards, thenCode: Veronicawould be the best first step to take to work out the kinks of adapting previous games with more action to the current survival horror style.
Curiously,Code: Veronicahas already received a “remake”, though this was due to market forces behind a defunct Dreamcast system, and soCode: Veronica Xwas made as a port-come-remaster to other platforms over its lifetime such as the PlayStation 2. However, given thatCode: Veronica Xcame way sooner than ordinarily intended for remakes, it means Capcom can do much to improve the game for an updated release today. Areas for improvement include the likes ofCode: Veronica’s control schemeand the game’s overall tone and pacing.
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The Likelihood Of Code: Veronica’s Remake
ThoughCode: Veronicaremains just as popular today as when it was first released, it may sadly be just enough removed from the main line of games that Capcom could overlook it. One glaring hint of this is thatResident Evil 4was actually developed and released in 2005 afterCode: Veronica,which launched initially in 2000. If Capcom had intended to follow the chronology of its games and develop remakes in line with this, thenCode: Veronicawould have been first on its list, notResident Evil 4.
This doesn’t explicitly rule outCode: Veronica’schances of a remake, but it does cast sufficient doubt that’s led many fans to suspect a remake isn’t coming. However, it’s unclear why Capcom would disregardCode: Veronicaat this point, as already fans are modding the current remakes to make their own updated version of the game, and evenClaire’s voice actress has expressed her interest in reprising her rolefor aCode: Veronicaremake.
For many fans, it feels as if all the right pieces are there and the timing could never be better, but Capcom appears to be going in different directions. One possible explanation is thatCode: Veronicaisn’t explicitly within the main line of games, and giving it special treatment could mean that all other spin-offs may suddenly spark fan demand for remakes as well. Another reason could be thatCapcom is possibly trying to reboot theResident Evilstory, condensing all its disparate parts into a greater whole so that if and whenResident Evil 9comes around, it will have more stable ground from which to start its story.
Whatever the actual case may be, fans are still hopeful thatCode: Veronicawill be considered for a remake; if not Capcom’s next project, then maybe the one after. WithResident Evil 4andResident Evil Village’sDLCare still fresh in everyone’s minds, however,Code: Veronicalikely not high on Capcom’s agenda right now.
Resident Evil 4will launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on May 18, 2025.
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