In a recent financial report, Capcom revealed plans that it will be releasing “two major titles” by the end of March 2019, with many speculating that it means the publisher and developer is referring to the long-awaitedResident Evil 2remake beingclose to setting a launch date. This news came during a drought of information regarding the forthcoming survival-horror project, but now fans may not have to wait much longer for actual concrete confirmation of its existence, as the game could be revealed at E3 2018 should a recent rumor be real.
This much has been projected by an anonymous source speaking to the site Rely on Horror, with the outlet stating its source is close to theResident Evil 2remake project and is of the opinion that it will be shown off during E3 2018 based on “the targeted release timeframe”. As with any leak or rumor such as this, though, it’s important to remain skeptical, especially since the source in this case is only offering conjecture relating to the potential reveal at this year’s industry event, and didn’t even provide an idea as to when theRE2remake might hit store shelves to further support their statement with a sense of accuracy.
If Rely on Horror’s source is to be believed, then not only could theResident Evil 2remake be unveiled at E3 2018, but also it might very well be the best-looking entry in the series to date, as the title runs on the RE Engine with significant optimization and upgrades to new tech, including a revamped lighting and shadow system. What’s more is thatREmake 2seems to be shooting for a solid 30 FPS at 1080p on a standard PlayStation 4 and 60 FPS at native 4k onPS4 Pro.
Additionally, the rumor goes on to state that theResident Evil 2remake uses photogrammetry scanning likeResident Evil 7, which indicates that fans might be in for an extremely photo-realistic version of Raccoon City. Regarding the use of this type of technology, Capcom has striven to make bothLeon S. Kennedyand Claire Redfield look as close to their original game counterparts as possible, while also taking various liberties with their designs. For instance, Claire will wear a different outfit, but it will retain some similarities.
Rely on Horror’s source also offers a detail that might be considered acontroversial changeby fans hoping for theResident Evil 2remake to retain its fixed-camera perspective, for it seems as if Capcom has decided to go with an over-the-shoulder camera akin toResident Evil 4, but with a bit of a “stylized” execution instead. Furthermore,REmake 2will include campaigns for both Leon and Claire, and it is apparently much longer overall than the original with lots of new content and areas.
Finally, Rely on Horror’s source reveals that Capcom relied on outside contractors, including those who worked on bothResident Evil 2and4.This might have been the reason behind the original’s directorHideki Kamiya’s visit to the company’s headquartersseveral months ago.
Taking all of this into consideration, should the information from Rely on Horror’s source be correct, then 2018 ought to be an exciting year forResident Evil 2fans. Here’s to hoping that Capcom is able to recapture the magic of the original, while also imbuing the property with fresh, unique, and enjoyable sensibilities.
