Remakes have become a trend for the Resident Evil franchise. After RE2 and RE3 remakes, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is published to put a layer on another old experience. But after three successful projects, which one of the Resident Evil Remakes has better reimagined the original RE game?
While remastering a game is much easier for the developers, Capcom started a new series of remakes for the old Resident Evil games. Compared to remaster, a remake of a videogame means directly changing the gameplay.
Qualities and Downsides of Each RE Remake
The goal of a remaster is to upgrade the graphics, but a remake’s purpose is to make an old game have a new and better experience. Now with that in mind, here we dive into all the essential changes that have been made in Resident Evil Remakes to see which one has done it better.
Resident Evil 2 Added Layers to The Story
Meta Score:
- PlayStation: 91
- Xbox: 93
- PC: 89
Graphic and gameplay changes are the highlights of the Resident Evil 2 Remake. But we can’t rely on this aspect to compare all the Resident Evil Remakes. Each remake has added a unique layer, and RE2 Remake has much to offer.
In the most critical part, this game adds a lot to the story we knew from Resident Evil 2. The original plot was about a drunk cop late for his first day and a girl looking for her famous brother, Chris Redfield. However, the remake offers many new details to the story that make it much better.
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Capcom did a very good job adding backstory to Leon (instead of being drunk) and gave more characteristic values to him and Clair. In the remake, the two main characters have more connections.
Also, one of the most important changes in Resident Evil 2 Remake is giving more story and gameplay details to Sherry Birkin. In the original game, Sherry’s parents are static villains waiting to be killed by the player throughout the story. But in the remake, that’s not the case.
William and Annette are villains in this Resident Evil 2 Remake, but they show love for their daughter. This is something that gives more emotion to the scenes, making RE2 Remake’s story a better one than the original.
Resident Evil 3 Brought Less Story and Gameplay
Meta Score:
- PlayStation: 79
- Xbox: 84
- PC: 77
Of all the Resident Evil Remakes (till now), the RE2 version had the most playable characters and story layers, while the RE3 and 4 remakes are more of a linear approach. In the original RE3, many endings were possible due to player choices.
Resident Evil 3 Remake has many cut locations, boss fights, and even some Nemesis early fights. There are many puzzles in the original RE3 that we don’t see in the remake, either. RE2 Remake had some cut content, but they added more than what was cut from the original.
However, there are two things that Resident Evil 3 has on top among all the remakes: the multiplayer mode and Nemesis! In fact, RE3’s multiplayer mode was not as successful as it should have been, but the addition was quite exciting for the RE fans. A new experience is always welcome!
Besides the multiplayer mode, the more dynamic Nemesis was another gameplay addition to Resident Evil 3 Remake that made it better. This supervillain was one of the scariest and most brutal of a kind back in the day, and the developers did a fine job remaking his style. He’s still an undying killing machine, but in the remake, he slides, jumps, and moves even faster, Making him more of a threat.
What makes the RE3 Remake a weaker version than RE2 one? So much cut content! Maybe Nemesis is better and scarier here, but the removal of many details makes RE Remake a downside compared to the previous remake.
Resident Evil 4 Remained True to The Original
Meta Score:
- PlayStation: 93
- Xbox: 91
- PC: 93
Resident Evil 4 was a masterpiece to most of the RE fans. This game was the first in the videogame series to bring an on-shoulder camera and overhaul the gameplay mechanics. However, Resident Evil Remakes also have this system for gameplay. So, what could be the advantage of RE4 Remake?
This game was great, but the remake does its job to make it better. Aside from the astonishing graphics, RE4 Remake stays true to the details we saw in the original game. But the cool part is that it adds even more content to an already fantastic game!
There are new references and details in the game than it was before. The developers have even used the speed runners idea for the original game as a speed charm in the remake!
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Among all the Resident Evil Remakes, the RE4 version offers more gameplay. There is no vital piece cut from this game in the remake, and there is more characterization regarding Leon, Ashley, Ada, and even the villains.
Resident Evil 4 2005 was a great game, but it came with some limitations due to its release time. However, now with better technology, Capcom has removed those limitations and made a benefit out of them. Leon can now walk while aiming, and parry attacks with his knife to intensify close combat.
Which One of the Resident Evil Remakes Is Better?
Overall, you might have realized the verdict on which RE does the job better. RE2 Remake changes some features of the story and adds valuable content. Resident Evil 3 rebuilds the original well but has many cut details from the story and gameplay. And at the end, it is Resident Evil 4 that doesn’t miss anything and also does not add too many new details to fade the original.
In fact, all the Resident Evil Remakes are tremendous, and fans have shown their love for them. This isn’t a competition, but if we measure each game’s changes to the original, one can see which game is better remade for the current generation.
Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 Remakes are currently available for PlayStations 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
