Zelda s New Haircut Is More Than A Fashion Statement It s A Sign Of Growth

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

Her presence in Breath of the Wild 2 doesn’t inspire confidence. In past trailers she explores the underground caverns of Hyrule Castle with Link before coming across the corpse of Ganondorf. It’s cursed or something, so our hero is quickly infected with an ancient curse as Zelda is yeeted into a dark hole of oblivion. I desperately hope she isn’t stuck there for the entire story as a generic damsel in distress, because the first game helped prove that her character is far more than the archetypal mould from which she was born. Nintendo needs to subvert expectations, whether it be through additional playable characters or a narrative that is far from traditional. Pull a Majora’s Mask - we rarely see numbered sequels in the canonical timeline, so it’s time to try something that isn’t afraid to alter the landscape.

Catra from She-Ra and The Princesses of Power and Amity Blight from The Owl House also change their hairstyles to serve their character development, whether that be accepting their own sexuality and leaving behind oppressive familial structures or welcoming those who once pushed you away and putting aside a toxic life of villainy. Once again, these are all female characters confronting a heteronormative society and fighting back against it, even if said worlds are fantastical in nature and far more eccentric than our own. If done right, characters can still be grounded and relatable, as their struggles become ones we can sympathise with. It’s beautiful, so perhaps there’s a reason this tried-and-true trope has so much staying power in modern media.


RE4 isn’t the first game to get a VR remake, but it is the first to really capitalize on the nostalgia potential. Skyrim VR, No Man’s Sky, and LA Noire VR are all modified - and in some ways, compromised - versions of modern games, but RE4VR is entirely modernized and enhanced by VR. This isn’t just an alternate way to play RE4, it’s the best way to play it in 2

Female characters parting with their hair has been a deliberate sign of growing maturity in media for decades, a changed appearance highlighting that women are willing to leave behind everything in service of something greater. Mulan is the most popular example, with the titular character cutting her gorgeous hair to join the army and assist her ignorant father. It's the opposite of Zelda’s situation - instead of pulling herself away from the royal family, Mulan is doing everything she can to preserve it. But the core motivation remains the same: these are two women who realise a sacrifice must be made, even if it means altering their appearance and walking away from a life of security.


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


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


If the remake of Resident Evil 4 decides to trim the fat in a similar way to 2 and 3, it will lose moments like this. The original is the longest game in the franchise by a significant margin, and this is for good reason. Each major location is like a game in itself, taking time to introduce you to their threats, puzzles, and further intricacies before things inevitably descend into an avalanche of action. You hurl grenades around like other modern entries, but here it feels earned, like you’ve triumphed over unstoppable horrors and can finally take your revenge. The campaign being cut short would rob these moments of their brilliance, and this isn’t how newcomers should experience one of the best Survival Horror Remakes horror games ever concei