Resident Evil's next remake should be an It Takes Two-inspired horror

I adore the Resident Evil remakes, every single one of them. Resident Evil 2 (2019) set a new precedent when it comes to what a remake should be, adapting the gameplay for a modern audience whilst retaining the story and charm that made the original so compelling.

My favourite so far has been Resident Evil 4 (2023), mainly because I adored the original so I was more than excited to see it get the new-gen treatment. While Resident Evil 5 (2009) would be the next logical step in terms of what Capcom could do next though, rumour has it that Resident Evil 0 (2002) might take priority.

That said I wouldn't be too disappointed if it was Resident Evil 5 instead, it's a great game and like Resident Evil 0 it deserves a second chance

While it was eventually re-released on other platforms it’s…not very good. It’s quite poorly put together, the dual protagonist system doesn’t really work, and all in all, it lacks the quality of the other Resident Evil titles. Many fans have speculated that it would have been a great multiplayer game if two players could control both characters rather than one player swapping between them, but that’s clearly not what Capcom was going for.

Here’s the thing though, it’s actually a pretty neat idea. Resident Evil has, of course, dabbled in multiplayer before with Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6, but they were more action-oriented. They still had the odd puzzle here and there but for the most part, they were run-and-gun adventures.

If Capcom wants to remake Resident Evil 0 and keep the dual protagonists, perhaps it should go all-in with the multiplayer idea and create an It Takes Two-style horror game.

It Takes Two took couch co-op to another level, so why not adopt that gameplay style and make a Resident Evil game out of it? This could work in one of two ways. Both players could control characters in the same area, again, akin to Resident Evil 5/6 but with more of an emphasis on puzzles rather than combat. The other idea is to keep the characters apart like in OG Resident Evil 0, where both players need to help each other progress through the story.

Electronic Arts

Personally, I’d love to see the latter executed in gameplay, as even if you haven’t got a co-op partner, you could just switch between characters as you would in single-player. I’ve got visions of the game having the over-the-shoulder gameplay as one player has to survive in a room with a boss while another has to frantically solve a puzzle to get them out, your friend shouting down the mic that they’re running out of ammo as you’re pressing buttons and flipping switches. You could even have the two characters meet up briefly for some action segments before splitting off again.

Now I know I’m not a game developer so perhaps what I’m asking is impossible, but if games like It Takes Two can make it happen, why can’t Resident Evil? I’ve always considered the earliest games in the series to be like massive escape rooms. The Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil was filled with inaccessible paths and rooms that you’d have to come back to when you’d found the right key or hit the right switch. Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 upped the ante by having you roam through Raccoon City, the police station and other areas, and Resident Evil 4 had a gigantic murder-maze castle to progress through before the end credits.

It’s a formula I feel future Resident Evil games left behind in favour of greater action and more impactful storytelling, which is why the remakes are so fun to play as they take you back to the good old days of the series. Escape rooms are, of course, more fun with friends, so a classic Resident Evil game you and your mate can play through together just feels like it’d be right.

The real challenge would be crafting an experience that could also be played offline, as obviously some players don’t have a partner to help them out.

Capcom

I think the idea has legs though, and you can even bring back the Mercenary Mode for extra multiplayer mayhem, or maybe save it for the Resident Evil 5 remake where it’d really shine.

Resident Evil 0 really doesn’t have a lot of fans so this is a great opportunity to really push the boat out and get adventurous with the gameplay. It’d also tie in nicely with the theme of Resident Evil 5, as if both games get remade, you’d have two very different multiplayer experiences. You’d hop on the Resident Evil 0 remake with a friend for the iconic Resident Evil experience, exploring a creepy location and narrowly avoiding death traps. Alternatively, you could hop on the Resident Evil 5 remake for a more bombastic experience, where you can switch your brain off, blast away some enemies and tear through levels with a big smile on your face.

All of this is mere speculation and quite a lot of wishful thinking. We don’t know what remake Capcom is planning next, but I do sincerely hope Resident Evil 0 is at least being considered. It’s arguably the worst Resident Evil game, at least in terms of mainline entries, so surely that means it has the most potential when it comes to a remake.