Capcom is on a winning streak. Everything they touch turns to gold or, at least, works well for them. And that’s why it’s not surprising that they have decided to resurrect some of their franchises. Among remasters, remakes, and also new installments, it seems that Capcom is confident in returning to its roots. Picking up where they left off years ago, now that they once again have the financial muscle and a capable graphics engine to support it, like the RE Engine.
Now then, which franchises should it bring back? That’s a bit more complicated. Capcom has many franchises, but not all of them would work equally well today. Although some would undoubtedly be a success just by announcing their return. That’s why we’ve chosen five franchises that Capcom should bring back. Because, hear us out: there’s a path here for a bright future, Capcom.
Ace Attorney
If it were another company, this would be a shot in the dark. If the world were fair, it would have to be. But the reality is that, although we would love to say that the world’s largest attorney franchise is sure to return, Ace Attorney has been dormant for many years. And without any good reason for it.
Having already compiled all its games, having sold all of them excellently, the last game of the franchise dates back to 2016. 8 years without a new Ace Attorney. Is the fact that they have compiled all the games an indication that it will return? They have gone eight years without making a new game for a franchise that has always sold like hotcakes. It’s impossible to know. But if we had to decide, the answer would be yes. The franchise they should bring back right now is Ace Attorney.
Breath of Fire
Capcom has never been famous for its RPGs. But one of its RPGs is tremendously famous. Although the Breath of Fire series wouldn’t really become famous until its third installment and wouldn’t reach cult status until the fourth, that doesn’t mean it isn’t remembered with great affection. Particularly for its incredible pixel art and the interesting nature of its story. Additionally, its fifth and final installment is an absolutely fascinating game that, although very different from the previous ones, is a title to be reclaimed.
Bringing back Breath of Fire is something they shouldn’t even have to think about for half a second. If Square Enix is successful with making RPGs with the HD-2D aesthetic, that is the path they should follow: a new Breath of Fire with that same aesthetic. If they don’t want to take risks, they can do a remaster of the fourth installment. But a reboot of Breath of Fire with HD-2D aesthetics is a guaranteed success.
Dino Crisis
Resident Evil is at a crossroads. After making remakes of all its major games, they have three options: make another remake of the first one, make a remake of Code Veronica, or make a remake of Resident Evil 5. Although the best option is to make a remake of Code Veronica, refining the aspects of the original that were left unfinished, it is becoming more difficult for Capcom to release a game every year. Unless they look in the direction of another franchise.
Dino Crisis has potential for new installments. And Dino Crisis 1 and 2 Remake would not only be celebrated, but they would have everything to succeed, especially if they serve as a sandwich for a new installment. Could Dino Crisis be their new Resident Evil? In terms of remakes, we don’t see why not. And at Capcom, we don’t see why they don’t see it either.
Lost Planet
There was a time when the Japanese decided that if they wanted to compete with Westerners, they should resemble them more. That went quite poorly. But after the first half of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 generation, they regained their footing and demonstrated that the Japanese industry was far from being in a bad situation. And even so, they succeeded in some of their approaches, although they were not recognized for it. Like the case of Lost Planet.
Lost Planet are excellent third person shooters that could perfectly be revived today. Although they didn’t sweep the critics, they sold quite well, and the idea of abandoning the franchise was due to Capcom’s decision to leave behind anything that didn’t work entirely for them. But it worked. And they are very good games that, in co-op, were among the best games of their generation. So a new opportunity for this peculiar mix of East and West would be welcome.
Mega Man
We leave the obvious for the end. What must happen. What, if it doesn’t happen, will make us angrier than ever with Capcom. Because it’s been six years since the last Mega Man. And we want Mega Man 12. Or at least, we want some kind of Mega Man, even if it’s not necessarily from the main franchise.
Although today he is no longer the character around which the entire company revolves, Mega Man is still very beloved. And today, more than ever, retro action platformers are highly appreciated. Perhaps it would require a facelift, but there are opportunities with Mega Man to do many different things. Classic style Mega Man. Mega Man Maker. Bringing back Mega Man Zero. Rebooting Mega Man with the sensibilities of modern indies. There are many possibilities. Capcom just needs to realize one thing: all the money they are missing out on. Something that doesn’t seem impossible, considering it has appeared in Secret Level.