Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya pleads for a less scary 'cozy' mode
Hideki Kamiya, the director of the original Resident Evil 2, says he's 100% serious about wanting a non-scary mode for Capcom's horror series. Per IGN, he claims the developers have grown "numb" to how frightening their own games are.
Kamiya told Video Games Chronicle that modern games' photorealistic visuals make the horror too intense for him. He specifically couldn't play this year's Resident Evil Requiem, which sees Leon Kennedy return to Raccoon City. As the director of RE2, he wanted to experience the story but found it "way too scary."
He has repeatedly pitched ideas to Capcom privately, according to Nintendo Life. He suggests a mode where zombies are cute, blood splatters become cherry blossom petals, and the music is upbeat. In another idea, reported by PC Gamer, he envisioned a spin-off where a retired Leon goes fishing, forages, and bakes bread.
Kamiya told VGC that when he complains to the Resident Evil team, they react with disbelief, saying the games aren't that scary. He believes they have "no awareness" of the terror they're creating.
His requests haven't been heeded. As IGN notes, a remake of the terrifying Resident Evil Code: Veronica is still slated for next year.
