Is there anything that can save VR? Before I played Resident Evil 4 VR, I probably would have said this is as good as it gets for the Quest 2. Now that I’ve got my hands on it, however, I firmly believe that remakes are the future of
Say what you will about remakes being played out, it's still highly profitable. Capcom has made millions of sales when it comes to Resident Evil remakes and remasters. The long-awaited remake of Resident Evil 2 outsold its original PlayStation version by over 800,000 units. Similarly, HD remastered versions of Resident Evil and RE0 both outsold their original GameCube releases by at least a million un
No matter what happens, it remains important to consider the symbolism behind Zelda’s appearance, and how her luscious new hairstyle could be a sign of change for her character that allows her to abandon the shackles of royalty and strive for independence beyond grief and trauma. It’s a powerful message of perseverance for a woman who deserves agency, even more so when you consider the classics that inspired her and how female characters in the world of gaming are finally earning a similar level of respect to their male counterparts.
VR remakes like Resident Evil 4 are a much easier sell to non-VR players than other games in the medium. I can preach about how remarkable Half-Life: Alyx is until everyone hates me (which happens often) but it's impossible to really understand how great that game is unless you play it for yourself. This has always been a huge barrier for VR, which is why Oculus was so keen on developing a wireless model that could more easily be taken on the go and shared with friends. People need to try VR before they really get it, but remakes of classic games like RE4 might just be compelling enough to convince people to take the dive sight unseen. "It’s Resident Evil 4, but you’re actually walking through the village yourself" is easy to wrap your head around, and a pretty intriguing premise
Other rumors suggest Resident Evil 4 will get the remake treatment next. Is that necessary? It has been ported numerous times in various HD quality enhancements. That said, some things cannot be fixed with mere graphical makeovers. So if the game really is getting remade , here are some things Capcom should, and should not, do with
By all measures, Resident Evil 4 was a very good-looking game for its time. Some incredible animations and advanced textures have helped it hold up graphically in the years since its release, and it's still easy to see why the game was so technically impressive to players in 2
Ashley is annoying on many levels. She is the stereotypical damsel in distress that can’t do anything while following Leon around. Sometimes there will be a garbage bin for her to hide in safely, but more often then not she’ll be tagging along just to get in the
Most people assume that Studio Ghibli's movies are mainly for kids and don't feature any mature themes, which couldn't be further from the truth. Movies like Grave of the Fireflies prove that the studio doesn't shy away from tackling more disturbing topics, with this legendary movie being a great example of how fragile human life becomes in the throes of
It’s a symbolic gesture of growth, a sign she is able to move forward with an appearance that abandons the regal pretense of her namesake and the royal family she was born to serve no matter the cost. Zelda has long been bound by the shackles of her own lineage, NG+1000 run and it’s something this iteration of the character will not be constrained by. She’s confident, bossy, and compassionate in a way that Zelda has seldom been before, and cutting ties with these other versions of herself through abandoning her golden locks is a fitting end to a character arc filled with misplaced doubt regarding exactly where she belongs in the world.
Catra from She-Ra and The Princesses of Power and Amity Blight from The Owl House also change their hairstyles to serve their character development, whether that be accepting their own sexuality and leaving behind oppressive familial structures or welcoming those who once pushed you away and putting aside a toxic life of villainy. Once again, these are all female characters confronting a heteronormative society and fighting back against it, even if said worlds are fantastical in nature and far more eccentric than our own. If done right, characters can still be grounded and relatable, as their struggles become ones we can sympathise with. It’s beautiful, so perhaps there’s a reason this tried-and-true trope has so much staying power in modern media.
Princess Zelda’s new look could be little more than an aesthetic makeover, but that would cheapen what her character is capable of, especially given how much room she’s given to shine in Breath of the Wild. While she’s seldom seen outside of flashbacks and cutscenes, watching her initial reticence to Link ’s presence and how it evolves into a willingness to confide in the Hero of Time as a lasting companion is emotional to watch, especially once we become aware of everything Zelda has lost and seeks to regain while keeping Calamity Ganon at bay. She’s the integral fabric of this narrative, while Link is the weaver who joins all of these incoherent threads together.