Resident Evil Requiem arrived this year with more realistic visuals and horror sequences that left many players stressed out. Even Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya says he literally cannot play it. He admitted he has never liked horror works since childhood, and now that game graphics are increasingly realistic, the impact of horror sequences far exceeds what it used to be.
Capcom Does Not Even Know How Scary It Is
Kamiya believes Capcom is Resident Evil development team, having been immersed in horror game production for so long, may have become “numb” to horror content and lost touch with how scary things feel to average players. He even revealed he privately told the series team the games were too scary, only to get “It’s not that scary, right?” as a response. The problem is, what is routine work for developers may already be a psychological attack for timid players.
Add a “Coward Mode”?
Kamiya emphasized he is not asking Capcom to make Resident Evil a non-scary game, but rather wants a mode that lets players adjust horror elements themselves. For example, putting paper bags on zombie heads, changing dark scenes to softer lighting, or turning off blood and gore effects — while keeping combat, puzzles, and the full story intact. He believes this design could take inspiration from Bayonetta 3 is “Pure Angels Mode, letting players who do not like specific content still enjoy the game.
Kamiya Is Really Scared!
The funniest part is that Kamiya does not want to avoid Resident Evil 9 — he really wants to see Leon return to Raccoon City, but the horror level literally blocks him. He even said Capcom always sends him review copies hoping he will experience the new title, but his reply becomes “The game is too scary, I cannot play it.” The director of Resident Evil 2 becomes the player who needs “non-horror mode” the most — quite the contrast.