Capcom is digging into its back catalog in a big way. The publisher has announced that Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X are getting high definition makeovers and will arrive as downloadable games on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in North America this fall. The announcement is meant to “kick off the 15th anniversary of Resident Evil” in Capcom’s words, and it gives console owners two of the series’ most loved entries in a sharper form.
Both games are getting upgraded visuals, according to Capcom, and they will be sold as separate downloads in North America. That differs from Japan, where the two remasters are being packaged together as Resident Evil Revival Selection. Capcom has not announced pricing or exact release dates for the downloadable versions yet.
Resident Evil 4 Adds Trophies And Separate Ways
Resident Evil 4 gets the most obvious additions. Along with the visual upgrade, the HD version supports trophies on PS3 and achievements on Xbox 360, and it includes all of the bonus content from earlier releases.
That means Separate Ways, the epilogue that follows Ada Wong’s side of the story, is part of the package alongside the main campaign. For anyone who only played the original GameCube release, that alone is a decent chunk of new material.
Code Veronica X Returns From The Dreamcast Era
Code: Veronica X is the expanded version of the game, which added new scenes to the original release, including more of Albert Wesker. As God is a Geek recapped in its report, the story begins with Claire Redfield captured and taken to Rockfort Island, where an air raid releases the T virus and the facility’s bioweapons. The game later brings Chris Redfield into the hunt for his sister.
Both games have been around the block. Code: Veronica first appeared on Dreamcast in 2000, and the X version followed on PS2 in 2001 before turning up on GameCube. Resident Evil 4 launched on GameCube in early 2005 and reached the PS2 later that year, with further versions on PC and Wii after that. Shinji Mikami’s reinvention of the series, with its over the shoulder camera and focus on action, has been influential ever since, and Capcom built Resident Evil 5 around the same approach.
The pair are not the only part of the anniversary plans. Capcom says fans can expect exclusive apparel and merchandise over the course of the year, and the 15th anniversary banner also covers its upcoming Nintendo 3DS games, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and Resident Evil: Revelations. For PS3 and Xbox 360 owners who missed these games the first time, or who only played the scaled back PS2 version of Resident Evil 4, this is a welcome chance to revisit them. We will bring you pricing and dates once Capcom shares them.