Resident Evil Requiem Accessibility Wishlist
“What are ya’ buyin’?” Hopefully Resident Evil Requiem if it’s accessible! But what options would make this upcoming game able to be enjoyed by more people? Let’s find out!
I have a confession to make: I haven’t played a Resident Evil game since the Resident Evil 4 release on the Nintendo Wii. I was too young to play the majority of main series Resident Evil games at launch, and, even before becoming physically disabled to the point where I can no longer use a regular game controller, aiming with joysticks has never been my specialty. I found success playing rail shooters, such as House of the Dead and Pokémon Snap, but moving crosshairs in addition to moving a character in a 3-dimensional (3-D) space has never worked well for me, and became even harder when I needed to control one of those joysticks with my feet due to my disability. When Resident Evil 4 was rereleased for the Wii before I became disabled, I had the opportunity to use motion controls to control the crosshairs, and that worked a lot better for me as someone who’s had success playing the House of the Dead and Time Crisis series of games in arcades as a child.
However, the Resident Evil series’ inaccessibility has not stopped me from loving the series, as my partner is a big fan and I’ve enjoyed watching him play. I love the campiness of the series and I think the characters are pretty cool, especially the badass female characters like Ada and Lady Dimitrescu.
So like most of the Resident Evil fandom, I’m very hyped for Resident Evil Requiem. The game looks incredibly scary and I really like the new main character Grace. I’m also excited to see they are offering options for both first person and third person gameplay and the option to view the map of the gameplay area. Both of these options can be helpful to prevent motion sickness for some players and help with spatial awareness. It is also great to see the game features voiceovers and subtitles in English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin, and subtitles in Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, and Polish. So on that note, let’s talk about ways to make Resident Evil Requiem more accessible so more people play this really awesome series in this accessibility wishlist!
Keep what’s working regarding saving the game and improve it. Since Resident Evil 5, the Resident Evil series has been using automatic save (auto save) systems to replace the typewriter save functions that required a found item to save and only at certain spots. In addition to auto saves, this new entry should include the option to manually save the game at any point. This is helpful not only for busy adults who don’t have much time to play, but also those who need to take sudden breaks to attend to healthcare needs for themselves or others and those who live with game addiction who are concerned about losing progress in a difficult spot.
Optional gyro aiming. The part of my hands where I feel the most pain when using a regular controller is in my thumbs. When a game offers gyro aiming, like Splatoon, I can play for about 15 minutes with a regular controller rather than not at all. This can also be helpful for those who find gross motor movement more intuitive than controlling joysticks.
High-contrast mode and audio-described cut scenes. As with most horror media, Resident Evil Requiem is very visually dark. This can make enemies, the player character, interactable objects, and key objects difficult to see. By offering a high-contrast mode and audio-described cut scenes, similar to what is offered in newer The Last of Us titles, this can help gamers with visual disabilities better understand what is going on with both the story and gameplay.
Optional warnings and blurring of violent and gory imagery. While horror videogames rarely gross me out, this imagery can be disturbing to some. By offering the option to put warnings before a violent or gory scene, a person can make the decision of if they would like to proceed with the content and mentally preparement themselves before viewing it or blur it out if they need to. The Dead Space remake offered an option similar to this. Just because someone may feel squeamish around violence or gore, it does not mean they should miss out on Resident Evil’s story and gameplay.
Option to have an on-screen heads-up display (HUD) during game play. Not only can having an on-screen HUD help prevent motion sickness for some gamers like me who suffer from motion sickness when playing 3-D games, but it can also help those with memory disabilities remember their character’s health status and inventory at a glance.
The option to increase subtitle size and font and include a screen reader to help those with visual disabilities more easily read the text in the game, especially given the fast paced nature of the gameplay.
Audio and subtitle translations into more languages and into different sign languages (similar to what is offered in Forza Horizon 5). By offering more language support, more gamers from around the world and of differing abilities can enjoy the game.
The option to offer unlimited time to complete quick time events (QTEs). QTEs can be difficult for those with motor and cognitive disabilities to react to them in time. By giving players as much time as needed, this can allow those with these disabilities to complete those sections of the game.
Overall, I am very excited to see Grace’s adventures this winter when Resident Evil Requiem hits shelves and online stores. The new accessibility options offered make me hopeful that the Resident Evil series is making a greater effort to be more inclusive in its gameplay. We will see how it goes in February!
Disclaimers:
Everything in this article are my personal experiences and opinions, therefore are not to be taken as facts.
I am not sponsored by any companies, manufacturers, creators, or organizations mentioned.
Everyone’s situation is different. Accessibility isn’t “one size fits all”.
This is not medical advice.
Please talk to a doctor first before making decisions regarding your health and/or engaging in a new activity that may affect your health
If you feel pain or sickness from an activity, please stop and speak with a doctor
If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, please call your local emergency services or, if you are in the USA, 911.
If you’re experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please call your local emergency services or, if you are in the USA, 911 or 988.
For information regarding medical, mental health, and accessibility services in the USA, please contact your insurance company, 211, or National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI: 1-800-950-6264).