The last 2D Zelda was released in 2004 – The Minish Cap . It was followed by Twilight Princess , Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword , A Link Between Worlds, Tri Force Heroes, and Breath of the Wild. Now, we have a sequel to the latter on the way. 2D Zelda seems to have died out, but that’s because 2D as a whole has seemingly been tossed to the wayside. Even now, remakes of 2D games opt to 3Dize them (if that isn’t a term, it is now). When I say that Nintendo should release another 2D game, I’m not talking about a remaster or remake or even the style of the 2D games but in 3D a la Link’s Awakening for needle Knight Leda the Switch. I’m talking flat, 2-dimensional sprites – the whole kaboo
Ever since the release of the Resident Evil 3 remake earlier this year, fans of the survival horror franchise have been wondering which game will be re-imagined next. Although there is still no official confirmation from Capcom, several leakers are claiming that Resident Evil 4 will be Capcom’s next remake after the release of Resident Evil 8 sometime next year. Of course, given the popularity of Resident Evil 4 , it is no surprise that this would be the next game that Capcom is eyeing to remake in the fut
Since then, the Resident Evil remake was ported to the Wii before getting an HD remastered version for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It is worth noting that the only time the Resident Evil remake sold a significant amount of copies was when it was remastered to current-generation consoles. However, despite its lackluster initial sales, the Resident Evil remake is often regarded by most fans as the best one yet, given that it stayed 90% faithful to the original material. There were some minor additions to the game’s story such as the Lisa Trevor storyline, but most of the changes were improvements such as a major graphical overhaul, a new script, and better voice-over, which is a vast improvement over the infamous voice acting of the 1996 original g
Breath of the Wild followed the evolution of RPGs across the industry – open-world, 3D, and filled with side objectives and little tidbits to do besides the main story. The difference was that it revolutionized open-world games, as evidenced by the titles it has since inspired like Genshin Impact, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and Horizon Forbidden West, but Nintendo’s been there and done that… twice now. Whatever comes after Breath of the Wild 2 will determine Zelda’s future trajectory in a rather significant way. For current generations, BOTW is what put the series on the map. I had friends that played the DS and Game Boy ones at school but it was never a part of my childhood. What really drew my eye to the series was BOTW. Granted, I’m 21 so in my age group, I’m no doubt an anomaly. I imagine that for those much younger, however, Zelda is known as that open-world jaunt on the Swi
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but Zelda has always been a wonderfully diverse series. Not to the extent of Mario which has crossed all manner of genres in its years, but it is diverse all the same. It has shaped the RPG genre numerous times since the ‘80s, inspiring the likes of Dark Souls, Secret of Mana, Shadow of the Colossus, and now, the aforementioned Genshin Impact. You can see how much the RPG genre varies with Zelda’s inspirations alone and that’s telling. After Breath of the Wild 2, it needs to do something different again. Going back to the classics might not scream new. In fact, it sounds like a step back, aye? Well, that’s the thing. The triple-A space seems to be scared of its own history, desperate to move past it and become more cinematic, more graphically domineering. It’s all about tech and visual prowess. But art style is just as import
If Zelda goes back to 2D, it stands alongside the indie scene. It showcases that these older takes shouldn’t be abandoned due to their age. Many other games are doing this already, but none have the clout of Zelda. Going back to 2D with its next main entry – not a remake, remaster, or spin-off – would set a major precedent: not every new triple-A title needs to splash out to make a big blockbuster. It could be a hybrid like Octopath Traveler with its 2D sprites on top of its paper-like background, or it could go the full mile and be completely 2D. Whatever it does, going back would be refreshing for gaming and it could pave the way for other studios to do similar things with their own catal
Shortly after its release, the Resident Evil 2 remake received glowing reviews from fans and critics, and it even outsold the lifetime sales of the original game . This goes to show that staying faithful, even when some of the events have been reshuffled, is an important factor for a remake’s success. Another thing that fans loved about the RE2 remake is the addition of new storylines and the re-writing of some of the characters and events that all made sense in the grand scheme of things. In the end, the Resident Evil 2 remake is undoubtedly Capcom’s most profitable
