Summary
- Crimson Heads in Resident Evil Remake are iconic for their terrifying mechanics and ability to surprise and scare players.
- The unique Crimson Head mechanic adds new depth to Resident Evil's survival-horror gameplay, forcing strategic decision-making by players.
- If Resident Evil 9 returns to the series' traditional focus on zombies, it could bring back Crimson Heads to great effect.
From the Hammer Horror inspired Gothic monsters of Resident Evil Village to Resident Evil 7’s Grindhouse inspired Baker family, recent Resident Evil games have seen their fair share of scares. Despite this, there’s one classic Resident Evil enemy that stands above them all, causing fans of 2002’s Resident Evil Remake to still tremble with fear two decades later.
The Resident Evil franchise has long been known for its monsters. From Lickers and Regeneradors to Nemesis, Mr. X, and the Tyrant-class mutants, there’s no shortage of disturbing and deadly enemies across Resident Evil’s 8 mainline games and 14 spinoffs. Still, despite the franchise’s many terrifying BOWs, Resident Evil Remake’s Crimson Heads still manage to stand out as particularly scary.
Resident Evil Remake's Crimson heads are the result of an airborne variant of the T-virus's E-strain. The E-strain was originally developed as part of the Tyrant Project.
Resident Evil Remake’s Zombies Live, Then Die, Then Live Again
Much like in the original game, the bulk of enemies in 2002’s Resident Evil remake are the shambling undead the franchise was once known for. Unlike the original game, Resident Evil Remake's zombies don't stay dead. Unless the corpse is burned or the zombie's head destroyed, killing a zombie in RE:Make starts a timer. When that timer runs out, the zombie will once again become active as a louder, faster, far more dangerous 'Crimson Head.'
The Crimson Head Mechanic is a Recipe For Terror
Resident Evil Remake's Crimson Head mechanic came as a shock to many players back in 2002. With many longtime fans using the remake to revisit the original Resident Evil, old corpses suddenly jumping up and attacking the player while backtracking was the ultimate jump-scare. The Crimson Heads' strange running animation, loud ragged breathing, and extremely high HP only heightened the terror.
But, far more than just a jump-scare, the Crimson Head mechanic also added new depth to Resident Evil's survival-horror gameplay. While burned corpses (or zombies whose heads exploded during combat) were unable to return as Crimson Heads, getting headshots was difficult and Resident Evil Remake only gave players a limited amount of gasoline with which to burn the bodies of fallen undead. Because of this, players had to be strategic, picking which zombies to burn and which to let reanimate as powerful Crimson Heads—often locking off certain alternate routes through the mansion.
A Future Resident Evil Game Could Reprise the Crimson Head
The Crimson Head is one of Resident Evil's most unsettling enemies. Both disturbing to look at, and mechanically frightening, many players of more modern Resident Evil games have never encountered anything like the Spencer Mansion's deadly red zombies.
With Resident Evil 9's rumors suggesting that future Resident Evil games will see the return of the original trilogy's classic slow-moving zombie, the Crimson Head mechanic could be the perfect way to surprise day-one players with an enemy far deadlier and more terrifying than anything they were expecting. By keeping the mechanic out of the marketing, the carelessly dispatched undead suddenly rising to attack a backtracking player could stand out as a truly memorable moment.
The Crimson Head is One of Resident Evil’s Most Legendary Enemies
Even still, 22 years later, the Resident Evil fanbase remains split on Resident Evil Remake’s decision to introduce Crimson Heads. While many fans believe the variants add depth to the gameplay, the terrifying red zombies have long been criticized for being too dangerous and simply too scary.
Whatever side players take, the Resident Evil Remake's iconic red zombie has earned its place in history as one of gaming’s scariest enemies. If Capcom is looking to bring back the franchise's classic shambling undead, the Crimson Head could be the perfect way to make a zombie-centric Resident Evil game truly scary, while also making it stand out from the crowd.
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience survival horror like never before in the eighth major installment in the storied Resident Evil franchise - Resident Evil Village.
Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7 biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again.
First-Person Action – Players will assume the role of Ethan Winters and experience every up-close battle and terrifying pursuit through a first-person perspective.
Familiar Faces and New Foes – Chris Redfield has typically been a hero in the Resident Evil series, but his appearance in Resident Evil Village seemingly shrouds him in sinister motives. A host of new adversaries inhabiting the village will relentlessly hunt Ethan and hinder his every move as he attempts to make sense of the new nightmare he finds himself in.
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
- Metascore
- 84
