The upcoming Resident Evil 2 remake is affording Capcom a chance to show off beloved Resident Evil characters in a new light, and it’s clear from the footage we’ve seen so far that everyone from series protagonists Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield to more minor characters like Chief Irons and Sherry Birkin will be getting a makeover. It also looks like Capcom will be using the remake as an opportunity to present a less sexualized (yet no less capable) version of the iconic Resident Evil femme fatale Ada Wong.
Capcom has made it clear from the start that it wants to take a more grounded and realistic (or at least as realistic as a zombie apocalypse can be) approach with the Resident Evil 2 remake, and that emphasis on more realistic conditions is also being applied to Ada Wong. Sure, Ada’s iconic red dress definitely made her stand out, but as game director Kazunori Kadoi recently noted in an interview with Eurogamer (via PC Gamer), that’s actually not a good thing when your occupation is that of a spy:
“It goes back to the same thing of, what would look natural to be wandering around in a photo-realistic environment in? I think wandering around in that dress just getting on with your job as a spy probably doesn’t look as realistic and believable as we want in this new game.”
It should be noted that the brief silhouetted teaser we’ve seen of Ada’s Resident Evil 2 remake rendition has her sporting a much more sensible piece of spy attire: a plain brown trench coat. However, she also appears to be rocking a pair of heels, leading us to believe she hasn’t given up on her more fashionable tastes entirely. There’s also the chance that a more traditional outfit for Ada could be included as DLC for the remake, though it doesn’t look like such DLC will be included in the Resident Evil 2 remake’s insanely priced special edition.