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Hideki Kamiya says Resident Evil’s developers may no longer realize just how frightening the series has become. The director of Resident Evil 2 would therefore welcome an optional mode that reduces the intensity of the horror.

Kamiya revealed that Resident Evil Requiem caught his attention, but he could not finish it because the horror was too intense for him. He believes Capcom’s developers spend so much time with these games that they may have become partly numb to the fear factor of their own work.

The veteran designer does not want the series to become less frightening by default. Instead, he suggests an optional setting that would let more players follow the story and enjoy the gameplay even if the current level of horror is overwhelming for them.

Kamiya pointed to the accessibility options in Bayonetta as an example. His joking ideas included placing paper bags over zombies’ heads, adding more pleasant mood lighting or even allowing players to turn off blood.

The proposal raises an interesting possibility for modern horror games: alongside difficulty settings, the intensity of fear itself could become customizable. Resident Evil could preserve its intended atmosphere while remaining accessible to a wider audience.

Source: VGC