Best Character Design Changes In Resident Evil

15/06/2024

Modern Resident Evil games boast impressive character designs, blending quality with a deep understanding of character personalities.
Some iconic characters like Carlos Oliveira and Nemesis have received positive design improvements in the Resident Evil series remakes.
Characters like Chris Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy have undergone significant design changes through the series, reflecting their growth and experiences.

Resident Evil has tons of games and characters. Each entry usually introduces new protagonists for the player to play as, and even then, whenever there is a returning character, their design is most likely different.

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A lot of modern Resident Evil games tend to have some of the best designs in the franchise, due to improved and updated quality, as well as an understanding of how to create such designs that fit a character. However, that's not to say the designs in older titles are bad either; in fact, some of these creations are iconic.

Carlos Oliveira

Resident Evil 3 Remake

Resident Evil 3 (2020)

Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox OneReleased April 3, 2020Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Horror

The original Resident Evil 3 is considered among the best entries in Capcom's series, and along with just being one of the greatest horror games ever. The 2020 remake was controversial, cutting portions of content from the original and featuring a shorter completion time. However, some things were improved, including Carlos receiving a complete redesign. The remake changed his hair as well as his outfit, while still maintaining clothing similar to his original incarnation.

The redesign fits Carlos' current situation in Raccoon City, and he is more convincing as an Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service member. He also has a more mature appearance, as would be expected of an Umbrella mercenary, despite being quite young. Overall, Carlos looks like someone who can deal with the bioweapons in Raccoon, able to deal with intense life-or-death situations, something he does throughout the game.

Nemesis

Resident Evil 3 Remake

Continuing with the Resident Evil 3 remake, some players enjoyed its more action-focused gameplay, while others criticized the removal of content from the original and the changes made to encounters with Nemesis. Despite the criticism against Nemesis' gameplay, his design went through a positive change.

The enemy's coat was extended, and his face was made more threatening, making him look even more terrifying during cutscenes, even if the gameplay didn't always do the same. Just from how he looks, players can understand that this is a being beyond anything in previous games, a huge force of nature that will be nigh improbable to defeat, and something to run from as he will ruthlessly kill anyone.

Chris Redfield

Resident Evil 5

Platform(s) PS3, Switch, PS4, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox OneReleased March 5, 2009Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Survival Horror

Chris is one of the main characters of the Resident Evil series, having appeared in multiple games. His design has gone through different iterations, as he appeared as a young and more inexperienced character in the first game.

Resident Evil 5 portrayed Chris as an extremely physically active and experienced soldier. He is far more built as well, able to take on bioweapons more adequately compared to his previous iterations, something he experienced to his detriment when Wesker beat him severely in Code Veronica. Chris became a physical powerhouse, reflected in his design, as seen consistently throughout Resident Evil 5.

Albert Wesker

Resident Evil 5

Wesker is arguably the main antagonist of the franchise, a reputation developed across quite a few appearances. Resident Evil 5 gave closure to his storyline, along with granting him a design that quickly became character-defining.

Of course, Wesker kept wearing his signature sunglasses along with a long black coat that made him look like he was from The Matrix. Just at a glance, Wesker looks like someone who shouldn't be trusted, something obvious, given his past. His design instantly shows how cold he is, able to kill without any care. His ever-present sunglasses only add to his lack of empathy, giving him an inhuman presence. He is also clad entirely in black, further demonstrating his deeply unsettling and threatening aura.

Jill Valentine

Resident Evil 5 Lost In Nightmares

Jill Valentine is one of the most recognizable faces of the Resident Evil series, present in multiple games from the very beginning of the franchise. The Lost in Nightmares DLC gave her a different look, appearing as a more confident character compared to the first game.

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Wearing more casual clothes, she strikes the player as someone now comfortable fighting bioweapons, as opposed to her inexperience in the first Resident Evil. It follows the natural progression of someone in her shoes, with a design that would allow her to deftly maneuver around zombies while still looking like something a cop would wear.

Mr. X

Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox OneReleased January 25, 2019Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Horror

Before the remakes, Nemesis was the most iconic tyrant. However, the huge success of 2019's Resident Evil 2 established T-00, nicknamed Mr. X, as many players' favorite stalker enemy. His design didn't change too drastically from the original game, still wearing a large black coat but now with a new hat. The latter helps conceal his face, making him appear as something unnatural, hunting players with a mechanical coldness akin to the Terminator. Mr. X's color scheme of black and gray echoes his personality, killing anything that gets in his way.

Mr. X's face is also different, with numerous wrinkles and skin disfigurements that would be expected of an unnatural entity. Additionally, the improved graphics greatly enhanced the Tyrant's appeal, as his terrifying presence is now shown in realistic detail. Overall, his design isn't complicated, but it does its job extremely well. Just from the first interaction, his mysterious yet threatening presence, size, and color scheme immediately let players know they need to run.

Chris Redfield

Resident Evil Village

Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, PC, Stadia, Xbox OneReleased May 7, 2021Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Survival (dupe), Horror

Resident Evil 7 brought Resident Evil back to its roots with a more grounded horror-focused game. Chris appeared briefly at the end and was featured as a playable character in the subsequent DLC. However, the version of Chris looked nothing like he previously did. Resident Evil Village remedied that, by creating a Chris that resembles his previous looks, but additionally making him older and gruff. His role was that of the experienced monster killer in opposition to Ethan's relative inexperience, with his face clearly showing his weariness of fighting for the past decades.

Chris' experience also shows in his actions, as he can easily kill monsters due to facing them for numerous years. His design kept his physical stature, still looking very well-built regardless of his age. He also seems to have taken inspiration from Mr. X, with a black coat that makes him threatening, especially when directed at monsters, giving them a taste of the ruthlessness he has been on the receiving end of. Even his combat uniform resembles that of a final boss, showing just how tough he is for any monster to take down. Chris now looks like someone who doesn't take second chances with bioweapons, swiftly and confidently antagonizing them as they have been doing to him his whole life.

Ashley Graham

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, PCReleased March 24, 2023Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Survival Horror

The Resident Evil 4 remake had a lot riding on its shoulders due to the fourth game being often cited as the best in the series. While the original holds up very well, Ashley could have used a significant revamp, with many fans disliking her in the original.

The remake made Ashley less annoying as a presence while also granting her a design change. Her new look matched her upper-class status, as would be natural for the daughter of the US President; comparatively, Ashley's original design made her look like a regular person. It's easy to immediately see that she is important in the remake, while still making her look like someone who is way out of her depth. Her new face model also helps to show this, further making her look like a person who was kidnapped and not accustomed to violence.

Leon S. Kennedy

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Appearing in plenty of Resident Evil games, Leon might be the first person to come to mind in a discussion of the franchise's main protagonist. He is arguably the face of Resident Evil, and his look changes a lot throughout the series.

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The Resident Evil 4 remake updated his original design from the 2005 game. His clothing isn't all too different, but his model is, with a new face that would make anyone swoon at a glance. In the Resident Evil 2 remake, he is a rookie cop, confident in himself but still clearly new to dealing with bioweapons. In Resident Evil 4, he seems tired as a result of what he's been through, both in the main games and in events that happen outside of those scenarios. He is weary but also extremely confident, breezing through the combatants of Resident Evil 4, yet never having lost that Leon charm in his eyes. He may not look as innocent as he once did, but he does look more badass, living up to the original game.

Leon S. Kennedy

Resident Evil 4 (Original)

Resident Evil 4

Platform(s) Nintendo GameCube, Wii, PS3, Switch, PS4, PS2, Xbox 360, PC, iOS, Android, Xbox OneReleased January 11, 2005Developer(s) CapcomGenre(s) Survival Horror

Resident Evil 2 was the game to first introduce Leon, but it was the fourth entry that put him on the map. It set the standard for what Leon would look like for future installments. No longer a rookie dressed in fairly conventional cop gear, Leon's RE4 design is cool and iconic. He initially shows up with a jacket, but he loses that eventually, allowing him to show off his more combat-aligned clothing.

RE4 Leon is much more prepared compared to the second game, with his clothing showing his militaristic background. Various parts of his outfit would help him in combat as well, such as the utility packs. His design shows his conviction and confidence as opposed to Resident Evil 2. Leon is the one in charge now.