Keeping Evil Alive: The Remake

From Resident Evil 2 to Dead Space, in recent years remakes have given rise to the living dead. Why is there such an insatiable hunger for the horror remake, why now and why are these re-animations of the dead so important?

Let’s look at how the humble remake is keeping the horror genre very much alive and ripping.

Back from the Dead

From stark warnings in audio logs to (almost) survivors’ last words, horror can be heightened when we see or hear terrible events happening to others. These re-tellings of horrific events, through spoken folklore - or oral tradition - could be argued as the true origin of Horror. For centuries, similar stories were recounted and retold, often repurposed and embellished to suit the current circumstance or the individual. 

With every word uttered, whether a moral reminder or grave warning, horror’s notoriety continued to grow and with the advent of written literature, horror found immortality.

Nowadays, we could liken such tale telling to the rising number of video game remakes and remasters. Horror game classics as being viscerally re-imagined with high-fidelity graphics, well known stories regaled with a cinematic finesse, and heightened immersion made possible through the technological trickery of minimal load times and 3D audio.

Even before remakes reared their head, horror was  no stranger to evolution. Considered a niche genre by many, horror has repeatedly clawed its way out of the shadows and back into the mainstream.

In 2004, Resident Evil 4 redefined the survival horror genre forever. Kicking down doors (quite literally), Resident Evil 4 sought inspiration from its action adventure brethren, replacing tank controls with high-energy combat and enhancing exploration and world building by jilting fixed perspectives in favour of dynamic camera controls. By 2003, the Silent Hill series had also taken a turn for action-adventure, when submachine gun wielding teen Heather Mason made her debut. In borrowing contemporary methods from allied, more widely adopted genres, horror ensured its expansion.

The remake is a small cog in horror’s puzzle of evolution. A means for the genre to parasitically hold onto the mainstream, staying free from the niche (bloody) box it once sat in.

 

Ghost in the Machine

It’s been over fourteen years since I last boarded the USG Ishimura, yet the 2023 Dead Space remakes’ blow by blow retelling of the 2008 classic, is a fresh take on terror. Despite knowing my way around that fated mining ship better than the London Underground, this one way ticket to air-vent induced paranoia kept my nerves shredded until the final destination.

(Those sanguine warnings should seriously read ‘walk, don’t run’).

More horrifying than the Dead Space remake itself, is the fact that two console generations have passed since the Ishimura originally took flight. Originally built on the technology which powered the 2006 Tiger Woods PGA titles, the doomed mining ship is now horrifically rendered through the power of the Frostbite engine. Physically based rendering ensures that every severed limb oozes with realism, volumetric lighting helps create the perfect atmosphere for tension and geometric complexity takes ‘environmental story-telling’ to another dimension at each ill-fated location.

These technological advancements have ensured that now more than ever, developers and designers have more tools at their disposal, to craft more immersive, unique and memorable horror experiences. 

Dead Space has many memorable horror moments. One of notoriety is the ‘drag tentacle’, which presented so many technical challenges, that it almost didn’t make the cut. As the name suggests, this enemy type is a tentacle which well, drags you to your demise. From animating its gruesome guise to redesigning shooting mechanics (from the ground), this was certainly a monster to overcome. Fast forward to Dead Space 2 in 2011, and the team have tamed the ‘drag tentacle’, even giving the creature extended ‘stage time’. 

And if finely tuned enemy types and high fidelity viscera aren’t enough, Senior Game Director Eric Baptizat introduces the lovingly dubbed ‘Stress Engine’ or ‘Intensity Director’. “The Intensity Director is a [system which allows] us to control the stress level for the player, to be sure there’s always something happening. It lets us control the emotion and tension, and to always keep the player on their toes, to keep them careful.”

Like I said, walk, don't run!

Or if you’d rather run, in 1999 Resident Evil 3 introduced a whole new threat to the series, the Nemesis. The Nemesis was a persistent boss battle, a relentless pursuer who would rock up at the most inconvenient moments brandishing overpowered weapons or having mutated horrifically. The player could choose, fight or flight - Take the creature down for weapon-based rewards, or run. In 1999, the Nemesis’ pursuit was scripted, turning up in predefined locations or at key story beats. In the 2020 remake, advancements in AI meant that not all interactions with the creature were scripted. This more dynamic implementation reinforced the notion of being hunted, giving the player the feeling that Nemesis was moving freely through the city, creating tension through unpredictability.

“His AI and visuals have been updated from the original. Nemesis is way more nimble and agile than he was. He can use his tentacles and jump long distances to appear right near you,” says Producer Peter Fabiano on Nemesis’ updated AI and design. 

I can’t wait for those chainsaw wielding maniacs in the Resident Evil 4 remake then…

The creation of sophisticated systems, refining the processes laid before and solving issues of which the solutions can be applied cross-genre and cross-title, secures video games as creative innovators. 

Masterful cinematography and negligible loading times encourage engaging, more immersive gaming experiences. Proficiency in writing, motion capture and voice acting out-rival film, tv and theatre. Organically, such attributes appeal to other mediums, manifesting as comic book or tv adaptations (The Last of Us on HBO, anyone?). 

As video games continue to bleed into the mainstream, public perception of the medium is challenged, allowing them to be more fully celebrated as the artform that they have always been.

"EA's refurbished DEAD SPACE is exciting and scary," horror legend John Carpenter Tweeted,  "Great game!"

Long live the refurbishment.

 

Mutating for the Masses

I’m painfully inching my way around the corridors of the USG Ishimura. Mainly because the new Intensity Director doesn’t think my play style deserves a moment's peace, but secondly because I’m in awe of such a glow-up. In 2008, Dead Space was already lightyears ahead of its time. The HUD moved from on-screen to in-game, with status related information such as the ‘health bar’ being integrated on the protagonist’s engineering rig. Players were closer to the horror than ever before. Weaponry was dynamic, being able to flip the plasma cutter’s aim to suit the slicing and dicing needs of the moment. Players had a greater sense of urgency and progression, mastering the skill of the tool over wielding pure fire-power.

Jumping on board in 2023, such innovation is still running rife on the USG Ishimura. This time however, its sights are set on fresh meat, not just that of the usual horror die-hards. 

Horror is considered a niche or unapproachable genre by many. The mature portrayal of delicate subject matter such as loss or grief would rather be laid to rest by many. Some would rather leave gore at the door and others would rather not fall victim to a jump scare.

As we already know though, designers and developers are finding new ways of keeping the genre cutting edge, and that means luring in those usually adverse to horror.

Advancements in accessibility over recent years have ensured greater player reach and onboarding. Thankfully, features such as subtitles, menu narration and control remapping are standard in contemporary titles.

Dead Space Lead Senior Experience Designer Christian Cimon says, “... It made sense to revive that game and share it with a whole new generation. But the game came out 15 years ago, when accessibility features were less common. Things like subtitles, menu narration, control-remapping, and the like are pretty much expected now, so we wanted to make sure the remake aligns with today’s highest standards.”

https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/shademeadows/make-us-whole-dead-space-birthday

Integrations such as ‘Adventure Mode’ in Uncharted 4, allows players to dial back on combat difficulty and enjoy the story. ‘Assist Mode’ in Celeste allows players not familiar with the rogue-like genre to adjust settings relating to special abilities and in-game mechanics. Now horror is showing its softer side, with Dead Space not only offering ‘Story Mode’ but a new Content Warning feature too.

Let’s face it, guts and gore aren’t for everyone! This optional Content Warning feature, alerts players of potentially sensitive content and even gives them the opportunity to hide, if it all gets a bit too much! Appreciating that sensitive content is subjective and avoiding complete annihilation of the game’s core (dismemberment and gore), this feature focuses on scenes relating to violence against humans. 

Now these unique stories and distinct gameplay experiences can be enjoyed by horror converts. 

Welcome. Make us whole.

Horror die-hards, do not despair. Developers and designers are building on past scares to bring a new perspective to the horror experiences you know and love (or loathe). Remakes brandish their creative control to bolster worldbuilding lore of well known franchises.

The 2000 GameCube remake of the original Resident Evil, put everyone’s zombie hunting complacency to rest, when it introduced a new formidable enemy type, the Crimson Head. “During combat, their movements are designed to unnerve the player. They are also way harder to kill than before and can even ‘play dead’, then stand up again. The player should never be 100% sure if a zombie is dead or not”.

The 2020 Resident Evil 2 remake, allows access to  previously unexplored areas of the 1998 classic, 2023 Dead Space gives the once silent protagonist a voice and the upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake is rumoured to have terrifying redesigns of classic enemies. 

Seriously. How can the Regenerator design of 2004 be any more horrifying?

 

New Game +

Remakes are a conduit to engaging (and hopefully scaring) a new generation of players. Evolution of technology, design ideation and development practices ensure that video games, and the horror genre, continue to mature, especially in terms of public perception.

Now, there’s (almost) nothing to fear for those new to the horror genre. Through accessibility considerations, content warnings and more merciful difficulty modes, players can take terror at their own pace.

For fans of the genre - Designers and developers, find new ways to scare us , we dare you!