Summary

  • Resident Evil 7 revived the series after fans felt it strayed too far from horror.
  • Dino Crisis pleasantly surprised players by offering a unique experience.
  • Street Fighter 6 exceeded expectations after the underwhelming launch of Street Fighter 5.

It's no secret that Capcom is one of the most admired and successful developers in the video game industry, being the brains behind some of the most well-known franchises on the planet, including Resident Evil and Street Fighter. However, while it's always an exciting occasion when a new Capcom is on the horizon, there have been a few times when fans weren't quite as excited about a new release as they usually would be, only for the game to then surpass all expectations upon release.

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Fan expectations can be lowered due to a few different reasons, such as the last game in the series leaving a bad taste in their mouths, or the marketing for the new release being very weak and lackluster. Still, as poor as a game might initially seem on the surface, there's no better surprise than picking it up when it is released just to find out it's actually much better than expected, and it's these games this list will be taking a look at today.

8 Resident Evil 7

After The Series Seemed Doomed To Be Stuck In The Action Genre, Resident Evil 7 Changed Everything

Survival Horror
Systems
Top Critic Rating: 86/100 Critics Recommend: 91%
Released
January 24, 2017
Developer(s)
Capcom
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

The legendary Resident Evil series had been going through a rough patch before the seventh mainline entry was released. Since Resident Evil 5, it became clear Capcom was prioritizing action over horror, and when the sixth game came out, it felt like the final nail in the coffin for any hopes of making a return to the survival horror roots of the series, that is, until Resident Evil 7 was finally released.

After Capcom revealed that the slow and spooky Kitchen demo was actually a trial of Resident Evil 7, fans jumped for joy at the implication that the series would finally, after all these years, be taking notes from the horror genre once again. It's hard to emphasize just how pessimistic many people were about Resident Evil's future by the time 6 rolled around, but with anticipation of a sequel being at an all-time low, Capcom still managed to knock it out of the park by giving fans an amazing new entry.

7 Dino Crisis

What Was Seen By Many As A Resident Evil Clone Cash-Grab Turned Out To Become A Beloved Breath Of Fresh Air

Survival Horror
Systems
Released
August 31, 1999
Developer(s)
Capcom

A common sentiment that was thrown around before the release of Dino Crisis was it would be nothing more than a Resident Evil clone which wouldn't be able to replicate the horror factor of that series, especially with no zombies being present. While the game certainly borrows heavily from Resident Evil, such as with its fixed camera angles and tank controls, it still managed to do enough different to genuinely surprise people, leading to the game amassing a dedicated fanbase who are still around today, many years after its initial release.

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To everyone's surprise, Capcom managed to make the dinosaurs just as, if not more terrifying than zombies, thanks to their fast movements and attacks, and the fact they can follow blood trails left behind by Regina. The game also came with an interesting story that took a page out of the sci-fi genre to create something fresh and unique for players to enjoy, surpassing all expectations of the doubters who saw it as a simple cash grab.

6 Kunitsu-Gami Path Of The Goddess

Kunitsu-Gami Is A Truly Unique Game That, Unfortunately, Wasn't Marketed All That Well

Action
Strategy
Systems
Top Critic Rating: 82/100 Critics Recommend: 90%
Released
July 19, 2024
Developer(s)
Capcom
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

While Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess, a brand-new IP from Capcom, was announced in 2023 and then officially released a year later, there wasn't all that much marketing surrounding the game. Outside of a few mechanic trailers here and there, there wasn't all too much out there to get fans excited, which ended up creating the feeling that this may be a low-budget title that wouldn't be quite as interesting as other Capcom games.

However, this ended up being very far from the truth, as Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess has turned out to be one of Capcom's most unique and experimental games in many years, combining high-speed action with tower defense gameplay. As players set up their defenses and upgrade units throughout the day, they will then be tasked with holding off a horde of spirits and demons at night who only become more ferocious as the game goes on. Pair this with a compelling story and a gorgeous art style, and Kunitsu-Gami would prove to be a game that subverted everyone's expectations when it was released.

5 Street Fighter 6

After The Shaky Launch Of Street Fighter 5, Expectations Weren't All That High For The Sixth Game, Which Ended Up Blowing Away People's Expectations

Fighting
Systems
Top Critic Rating: 92/100 Critics Recommend: 98%
Released
June 2, 2023
Developer(s)
Capcom
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

When Street Fighter 5 was released, it was severely lacking content, with the story not being available, and even the classic arcade mode being left absent. Though the game did steadily improve as time went on, many fans assumed Capcom would simply try to make the next game more functional and packed with a little more content, but the developers went above and beyond by introducing modes and features no fan could have ever seen coming.

Not only does Street Fighter 6 feature a World Tour mode which is essentially an open-world story for newcomers to the series, but it also includes incredibly in-depth combo trials, two controller styles, and even an entire Battle Hub where online players can hang out before entering a match. Clearly, Capcom learned its lesson after the shaky launch of Street Fighter 5 and decided to blow players away with the next entry, which is a huge step up over its predecessor.

4 Resident Evil 2 Remake

A Remake Which Managed To, Somehow, Replicate What Made The Original So Special, Despite The Doubters

Horror
Systems
Top Critic Rating: 92/100 Critics Recommend: 97%
Released
January 25, 2019
Developer(s)
Capcom
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

A remake of one of the most beloved games ever made is always going to get people excited, but Capcom's reimagining of Resident Evil 2 turned out to be miles better than anyone could have ever imagined. One way the game impressed players was through its zombies, which might just be the most realistic ever seen in a video game with how they stumble around in random directions and lunge at the player whenever they get close.

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While some fans of the original feared that Capcom wouldn't be able to capture the same feeling of intensity and horror due to the third-person angle, the developers decided to make full use of the cramped corridors of the R.P.D and other environments to replicate it perfectly. Even with the immense amount of hype going into the Resident Evil 2 Remake, Capcom still managed to catch fans by surprise with just how well it came out, with some even claiming it to be the superior version when compared to the original.

3 Haunting Ground

Haunting Ground Blew Away Expectations At A Time When Horror Games Were Heading In A Different Direction

Survival Horror
Systems