5 Reasons Code Veronica Needs A Remake Before Resident Evil 4 (& 5 It Doesn't)

by Felica Anaya on September 15, 2025

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Considering just how long it took for Capcom to develop _ Resident Evil 2 _ ’s remake, it was something of a surprise when the company announced that _ Resident Evil 3 _ ’s remake was in active development. What was more surprising, though, was the reveal that a _ Resident Evil 4 _ remake is underway. This has concerned fans for two reasons: the first being _ RE4 _ ’s already stellar reputation and the second the fact that Capcom is skipping an entire game.

_ Resident Evil 3 _ ’s direct sequel is not _ Resident Evil 4 _ , but _ Code Veronica . CV _ is arguably even the real third entry in the franchise’s overarching narrative, a crucial turning point for the original _ Resident Evil _ <a href="https://adventuregameland.com/">Adventure games strategy</a>. Capcom skipping _ Code Veronica _ to remake _ Resident Evil 4 _ is a conscious decision, but it’s bound to have consequences on the survival horror series.

10 CV Before RE4: Respect The Chronology

Perhaps the most glaring reason _ Code Veronica _ needs a remake before _ Resident Evil 4 _ is that it’s simply the next game in the chronology. Both in the _ Resident Evil _ main timeline and in the franchise’s release order, _ Code Veronica _ follows _ Resident Evil 3 _ . Skipping over to _ RE4 _ – a game that flashes forward roughly a decade– seems a poor move. It’s also disconcerting in the sense that this would imply Capcom has no interest in remaking _ Code Veronica _ . Why remake _ Resident Evil 4 _ first just to jump back in time for _ CV _ ?

9 Doesn’t: Derivative Setting

_ Code Veronica _ is almost the end of an era of sorts for _ Resident Evil _ , and it in turn pays tribute to the franchise’s many settings and recurring puzzles– going so far as to even feature a rendition of the original game’s mansion during the climax. It’s a nice nod for fans of the series, but it also means _ CV _ has a very derivative setting.

Antarctica makes for an interesting change of pace during the backhalf, but _ Code Veronica _ is so disconnected from any personal infection or outbreak that it lacks the human touch found in the settings of the original games.

8 CV Before RE4: <a href="https://adventuregameland.com/">AdventureGameLand Official</a> Better Story

_ Resident Evil 4 _ ’s story is entertaining, but it’s far from good. _ RE4 _ may have fantastic game design, but its plot did irreversible damage for the series. Leon’s time in Europe amounts to little more than an action movie, with the scares infrequent. Worse, four <a href="https://adventuregameland.com/">Adventure games beginner guide</a> of build up are thrown out the window as _ RE4 _ wipes the slate clean.

_ Code Veronica _ , on the other hand, builds up on plot threads established by the original trilogy in order to tell a story that was meant to set-up a final confrontation with Umbrella. While Chris and Claire don’t have much in the way of character arcs, they contrast nicely with the main villains, leading to surprisingly poignant classist theming.

7 Doesn’t: Wesker’s Been Dealt With

Enough time has passed since both the original _ Resident Evil _ remake and _ Resident Evil 5 _ where Wesker isn’t exactly a presence anymore as far as the franchise is concerned. His legacy may be alive, but Wesker is long gone narratively. Which is why remaking _ Code Veronica _ might raise more questions than answers. Modern audiences won’t be able to attach themselves to the intimate history between Chris and Wesker. More importantly, Wesker’s role in _ Code Veronica _ simply has nowhere to go unless Capcom plans on remaking _ Resident Evil 5, _ which seems unlikely given how well the game still sells.

6 CV Before RE4: Return Of Chris Redfield

While any appearance from Wesker may not resonate with newer fans, there’s never been a better opportunity to reintroduce Chris Redfield following his redesign at the end of _ Resident Evil 7 _ . With _ Resident Evil Village _ set to feature Chris in a major role, it’s honestly a bit surprising Capcom is choosing to remake _ RE4 _ first.

A _ Code Veronica _ remake would allow audiences a chance to get to know Chris Redfield and form a deeper attachment to him. It’s arguable _ Resident Evil 7 _ does this to an extent through DLC, but _ Code Veronica _ shows Chris before his life started to truly fall apart.

5 Doesn’t: Return Of Leon S. Kennedy

Chris Redfield may be the closest thing _ Resident Evil _ has to a main character, but he’s hardly the face of the franchise. Beyond conceding that role to Jill Valentine, Chris’ popularity is outshined by that of Leon S. Kennedy. The main character of _ Resident Evil 2 _ and _ 4 _ , it only makes sense to strike while the iron’s hot.

Leon is once again part of the mainstream as far as video game characters are concerned, with his appearance in _ Resident Evil 2 _ doing wonders for his personality– even giving him some semblance of an arc. Following Leon into the events of _ Resident Evil 4 _ now that the Raccoon City Outbreak is over does make a degree of sense. But so does following Claire into _ CV _ .

4 CV Before RE4: Set Up For Umbrella’s Downfall

The biggest reveal _ Resident Evil 4 _ makes is that Umbrella dissolved following the events of _ Code Veronica _ . This incident wasn’t put into detail until _ Umbrella Chronicles _ released for the Wii, but a remake of _ Code Veronica _ could make it so Umbrella’s downfall actually has some set up.

How it is currently, _ RE4 _ throws a curveball out of nowhere to attempt to reset the board. In practice, however, this just results in _ Resident Evil 5 _ needing to pick up the pieces and try to pick up where the original _ Code Veronica _ thematically left off. Just one single game of set up can fix this issue.

3 Doesn’t: Umbrella’s Downfall Is Glossed Over Anyways

That said, why actually bother? Umbrella’s downfall happens in a spin-off game and not even Capcom was all that interested in telling this story. By _ Code Veronica _ , it’s clear the series wanted to move on from Umbrella. Come _ Resident Evil 5 _ , Wesker’s more or less taken over as the face of the antagonists. Keeping in mind how much extra focus antagonists like Birkin and Nikolai were given in their remakes, it’s perhaps safe to assume that _ RE _ wants a face for their villains, not just a societal concept. It’s a bit disappointing considering how critical _ Resident Evil _ is of big pharma and capitalism, otherwise.

2 CV Before RE4: It Needs A Remake

There’s just no getting around the fact that _ Resident Evil 4 _ does not need a remake while _ Code Veronica _ desperately does. _ CV _ is by no means a bad game, but it loses much of the replay value defined by the originals. Its long length also means that the campaign doesn’t move at as brisk a pace.

Couple in character switching between Chris & Claire and multiple settings with their own puzzles (that often can’t be tackled in any order,) getting through _ CV _ can be a challenge– especially thanks to the harder difficulty curve. A remake could fix _ Code Veronica _ ’s design issues and more.

1 Doesn’t: Perfect Opportunity To Fix The Overall Plot

_ Resident Evil 4 _ is so narratively inconsequential that Capcom remaking the game before _ Code Veronica _ might be the studio’s way of fixing the franchise’s overall plot. Who’s to say _ Resident Evil 4 _ won’t make its own narrative changes? It’s possible the game won’t flash forward, won’t dissolve Umbrella, and might actually serve as set up for _ Code Veronica _ .

If this ends up being the case, a remake of _ Code Veronica _ would not only have far more impact, it could be used as a jumping off point into a full length game that focuses on Chris & Jill putting an end to Umbrella once and for all.

NEXT: 5 Reasons Why Resident Evil: Code Veronica Should Be Capcom’s Next Remaster (& 5 Why it Should Be Dino Crisis)

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