While bringing back characters to introducing new gameplay mechanics, but Capcom should add one particular aspect that seems tiny on the surface.
The Resident Evil title call was always iconic in the original games and even some of the modern titles, but this staple has been absent from the mainline series for well over a decade. Title calls used to be one of the defining features of Resident Evil, so much so that other horror games did the same thing, like Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare. While it's a small omission, it's one that Capcom should reverse course on.
Resident Evil's Iconic Title Call Is More Important Than You Think
It Sets The Tone
You'll be hard-pressed to find someone in the Resident Evil community who doesn't love the title calls. Often, when starting a new game, a loud, thunderous voice comes in saying the game's title, setting the tone for the rest of the experience. It gives off a horror vibe, but it also adds a cheesy element that goes very well with the series. Resident Evil isn't totally about the horror, as the likably corny characters play a big part in the various titles.
25 Years Later, This Abandoned Mode Could Make Resident Evil 9 Great
The Nintendo 64 port of Resident Evil 2 was a technical marvel and added an incredible mode that has lived a life of its own and must return in RE9.
Resident Evil's title call is a very small part of the game, but it's important because it sets the tone. It serves a similar role to the Red Gears Lionsgate intro for the Saw films, which takes the film studio's logo in a darker direction than usual. The Red Gears intro for Saw X was actually a last-minute addition. When the producers saw the standard Lionsgate intro next to the Red Gears one, it was clear which one fit better. Resident Evil's title call works in the same way, setting the tone for Resident Evil right off the bat.
The iconic title call was present in all the mainline games from RE1 Classic to Resident Evil 6. Even many of the spin-offs had the title call, like the incredibly underrated Outbreak games. I love how, in the second Outbreak, Capcom changed the title call to include File 2 at the end. However, the title calls have been absent from the standard games ever since Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
The Resident Evil Title Call Has Been Gone For Years
A Sad Omission
After Resident Evil 7: Biohazard omitted the title call, it's largely been absent in subsequent games. The exception can be encountered when buying and selecting the original soundtrack DLC for RE2 and RE4, which will play the iconic title call when entering the main menu. That's more of a DLC extra, though, and it should have been in the regular game to begin with. Plus, if you like the new soundtrack more and have it on, the title call will remain missing.
Every Resident Evil Remake, Ranked From Worst To Best
With Resident Evil 4 marking a new entry in Capcom's efforts to remake the series' classic games, it's worth examining which remakes stand out more.
It's about time for Capcom to bring the iconic Resident Evil title call back in RE9. It's a widely beloved feature in the community, does an excellent job of setting the tone, and proves to be an awesome introduction to the experience you're about to have in a Resident Evil game. Even if Resident Evil 9 is in the later stages of development, it's still worth putting a title call into the game. If Saw X can make a last-minute addition with the Red Gears intro, there's no reason Resident Evil 9 couldn't do the same with a title call.
