Around 2009, Capcom entered a phase of peak audacity. Buoyed by the monumental triumph of Resident Evil 4, the publisher was eager to double down, pivoting its premier survival-horror franchise into a full-throttle action spectacle. While Resident Evil 5 attempted to capture that same lightning in a bottle with polarizing results, Capcom’s ambitions suffered a spectacular collapse in 2012 with Resident Evil 6. It was an infamous blunder that nearly jeopardized the series’ future, requiring the grounded horror of Resident Evil 7 Biohazard to salvage the brand’s reputation five years later. Generally speaking, it is not the sort of title that earns a prestige remake.
Yet, after experiencing the masterfully executed Resident Evil Requiem, I am starting to think that over-the-top ambition deserves another look. I am now fully convinced that Capcom possesses the toolkit to successfully reinvent Resident Evil 6—and I promise this isn’t just an attempt to manifest another ironic Morbius-style internet campaign.
Resident Evil 6 was a grand, if bloated, attempt to deliver a definitive climax, weaving together disparate storylines into a global epic. The narrative converged fan favorites like Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield as the fallout from Umbrella’s bio-organic research sparked international chaos. The plot is a fever dream: Leon is forced to assassinate the President of the United States, there are two separate Ada Wongs, and Troy Baker appears in a role that feels curiously shoehorned in.
The game’s poor reputation was well-earned. It took the franchise’s most preposterous elements and dialed them up to an exhausting degree. The lore-heavy script was frequently incoherent, the melodrama was stifling, and the mechanical execution felt sluggish. It was a case of Capcom misinterpreting its own success, attempting to court a mass-market action audience while losing the tactical precision that horror fans craved.
Despite being widely regarded as the nadir of the mainline series, the game still has its defenders—myself included. Resident Evil 6 isn’t necessarily “good,” but it is undeniably entertaining in its absurdity. It leans into its B-movie roots with a level of commitment that is almost impressive. Where else can you perform a German suplex on a zombie until its head explodes? The campy energy was there, but it was hampered by a clunky control scheme that made high-octane combat feel like a chore. At the time, Capcom simply hadn’t refined the transition from slow-burn tension to fast-paced gunplay.
Fast forward a decade, and Capcom has finally cracked the code. Resident Evil Requiem evolves the mechanics introduced in the celebrated 2023 Resident Evil 4 remake, delivering combat that is as fluid as it is visceral. It’s no longer just about Leon having a massive arsenal; he can now parry chainsaw strikes, execute devastating spin-kicks, and dismantle foes with a hatchet. This kinetic energy is on full display during Leon’s initial skirmish in Requiem’s Care Center. Watching him carve through a room of undead is so frenetic and exaggerated that it borders on slapstick. It is genuinely hilarious just how efficient of a killing machine Leon has become.
That specific brand of high-octane energy is exactly what Resident Evil 6 requires to thrive. The original game possessed a comedic potential that was stifled by unrefined gameplay; a “head-scissors” takedown on a zombie should be a moment of glorious fun. The Raccoon City sequences in Requiem essentially serve as a proof of concept for an RE6 reimagining, demonstrating that Capcom can now balance ludicrous action with tight, responsive controls (the motorcycle chase alone is a testament to this).
While no one is strictly clamoring for a Resident Evil 6 remake, Capcom has proven that there is immense value in re-evaluating the series’ past. Modern entries like the Resident Evil 2 remake were transformative, casting legendary titles in a sophisticated new light. Resident Evil 6 deserves that same second chance—an opportunity to embrace its chaotic, comedic identity through the lens of modern design. It might not fix every narrative flaw, but it would certainly make gunning down a zombified President feel as exhilarating as it was always meant to be.
Source: Polygon
