Resident Evil 2: Accessibility Redesign
Introduction
There are over 3 billion gamers around the world, and around 400 million of those gamers have disabilities who would greatly benefit from game accessibility. For this case study, I wanted to do a deep dive into the accessibility features in the remake of Resident Evil 2, a classic survival horror game that includes tense exploration and puzzle solving gameplay. The story follows two separate playable campaigns that feature rookie police officer Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield as they navigate the disastrous zombie outbreak in Raccoon City.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Resident Evil 2 was developed by Capcom. I am not affiliated with Capcom in any capacity, nor do I own/claim any rights to the game or its components. This case study is a passion project of mine, and all opinions stated are my own.
Challenge
While the remake of Resident Evil 2 contains approximately 34 hours of breathtaking visuals and a deep narrative experience, this game was not developed while thinking of the vast diversity of needs, abilities and challenges that some gamers face.
Opportunity
Discover and brainstorm a multitude of ways the remake of Resident Evil 2 can improve their accessibility features to create an inclusive game that embraces all gamers and makes playing fun for everyone.
Apply these findings into the current game UI.
Discovery Phase
I decided to conduct secondary research and primary research in order to familiarize myself with the specific issues and challenges that Resident Evil 2 players experience in order to adapt a better design for them. My goal for the research portion of this project is to answer the following questions:
What accessibility features does Resident Evil 2 currently implement to accommodate the estimated 400 million players with disabilities?
Where do players feel Resident Evil 2 could be made more accessible?
Secondary Research
For secondary research, I consulted game reviews, accessibility reports and articles in order to uncover pain points that players deemed inaccessible during their gameplay.
Here are some pain points that I uncovered:
Provide captions or visuals for significant background sounds: According to this Can I Play That review, the Resident Evil 2 remake is virtually unplayable for d/Deaf and hard of hearing players in many situations. For instance, when you are introduced to how Leon discovers what is happening in Raccoon city, he enters a gas station where he follows scary and suspicious sounds but “there is absolutely no visual representation of sound” so d/Deaf/hoh (hard of hearing) players are not immersed in the game. Sound plays a pivotal role in the game and clues players into knowing where enemies are and if they are being followed by the main villain, the Tyrant. With no visual clues to let players know where enemies are or if they are in proximity of an enemy, “you’ll find yourself dying quickly and often.”
Allow the font size to be adjusted: Referring to the Game Accessibility Guideline report, small text size is a common complaint amongst those with visual impairments. In addition to this, “there isn’t a single set size that everyone can read, due to differences in levels of visual impairments and differences in screen size or viewing distance.” By allowing players to choose a font size that best suits their needs, players will be able to enjoy the game without having to depend on audio.
Provide a visual indication of who is currently speaking and where the sound is coming from: In this Deaf Game Review, it is stated that there are no speaker labels within the remake of Resident Evil 2, so d/Deaf players “have no earthly idea who is speaking” which leads to confusion. In addition to this, dialogue will appear on-screen, but the dialogue never indicates if it is a person speaking nearby or if it's coming from something that is in the vicinity, such as a radio. Lack of detailed labels to know who is speaking or where a sound is coming from leads to higher levels of confusion and may lead players to head the wrong way.
Primary Research
For primary research, I conducted play testing sessions to review and analyze the accessibility features that are offered within the game and in the settings menu of Resident Evil 2.
I will be referencing the Game Accessibility Guidelines website to create a checklist that will help outline what efforts Resident Evil 2 has made to accommodate their players. This checklist will go over some accessibility guidelines as a basic measure of issues that players may encounter as they play Resident Evil 2.
Accessibility Guideline Checklist I created using Game Accessibility Guidelines
Research Conclusion
After gathering the results from the Accessibility Checklist I created and comparing it to information I found in various game reviews and articles regarding accessibility in Resident Evil 2, it became clear that the game needs serious work to improve its accessibility. While the game does make some effort to be accessible, there is still room for improvement, especially when it comes to efforts regarding hearing.
Ideation
Here are a few areas that I would like to explore to make the remake of Resident Evil 2 more accessible:
Audio and Visual Cues: Resident Evil 2 requires players to rely on sound to know where enemies are and which type of enemy is nearby (such as a zombie, zombie dog or a Big Boss). Adding audio and visual cues would be an amazing feature to add, so players are not caught off guard and get unnecessarily killed.
When players are surrounded by Zombie Dogs, they have no way of knowing where the dogs are or how many are near them. Players can easily be ambushed when there are a lot of enemies nearby.
At one point in the game, the Tyrant is constantly following the player, and they must rely on sound to know when the Tyrant in the vicinity. With no cues to know when he is nearby, players are bound to die frequently.
Text Size Options for Subtitles: While the default subtitles are a decent size, they are not customizable. I am interested in investigating the possibility of enabling players to choose a text size that aligns better with their individual preferences and needs.
While subtitles are available in the game, the current settings do not provide the option to customize text sizing.
Speaker Labels: There are currently no speaker labels in the game, so it can be difficult to understand who is saying what or if subtitles are actually coming from another audio source, such as radios. Incorporating speaker labels would alleviate confusion and enhance the clarity of the narrative.
The lack of speaker labels in the dialogue between Leon and Claire not only introduces ambiguity about the speakers but also renders the conversation inaccessible for some players, as they are unable to identify who is speaking.
In this particular situation, there is an audible voice coming from a nearby radio; however, the subtitles fail to reflect this information.
Design Explorations
In developing my low-fidelity wireframes, I aimed to translate conceptual solutions into tangible enhancements that would promote inclusivity and accessibility within the gameplay. Here, I present the three distinct avenues I delved into:
Visualize Sound Effects: I created opportunities for players to use visual and audio cues to their advantage. Using Adobe Illustrator, I designed a sound wave to emanate from the player in the direction of incoming sounds. Additionally, corresponding icons materialize to visually represent the source of the sound. Footsteps symbolize a person walking, a semi-crushed skull icon signifies a Zombie, a head with an elongated tongue represents a Licker, an angry dog icon illustrates a Zombie Dog, and a skull with crossbones embodies Boss characters.
This serves as the legend for visualized sound effects, providing a key reference for players to interpret and understand the various visual cues in the game.
These Visualized Sound Effects can be accessed in the Audio Settings and can be toggled on/off at any time. Settings are automatically saved, allowing players to make their selections and exit the settings at their convenience.
These visual cues provide players with a heightened situational awareness, allowing them to swiftly interpret and respond to various in-game events. By associating distinctive icons with specific sounds, players can make informed decisions, enhancing their overall gameplay experience and contributing to a more immersive and accessible gaming environment.
Speaker Labels: Adding speaker labels will help players understand who is speaking or will show where an audio source is coming from, which will minimize confusion and allow players to follow the story easily.
Illustrating the effectiveness of a speaker label, consider this scenario where two characters engage in dialogue. With the speaker label in place, players can now discern that Marvin (on the right) is the one speaking, clarifying the conversation and avoiding confusion with Leon (on the left).
Text Size Options for Subtitles: Providing text size options for subtitles empowers players to select a font size that aligns with their individual needs and preferences, fostering a more inclusive and personalized gaming experience.
There is no perfect font size that everyone can read. Small font sizes can be difficult to see for players with conditions such as dyslexia. By creating an option within the settings that allows players to adjust the text size of subtitles any time they like, players can comfortably adjust the font to any size that suits their individual needs.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic Resident Evil game series, our design system elements feature the bold Plak Black Extra Condensed font family, echoing the series' distinctive aesthetic. Complemented by a color palette inspired by the UI of Resident Evil 2, our choice of white, cream, and earthy grey hues ensures a seamless integration, creating a visually cohesive and immersive user experience.
Design System Elements
High-Fidelity Mockups
Building on earlier design explorations, I crafted high-fidelity mockups and a prototype, introducing features like visualized sound effects, speaker labels for clarity in audio, and customizable text sizes for subtitles. These enhancements aim to elevate the gaming experience by providing players with strategic cues and personalized options for improved immersion.
Visualized Sound Effects
Building upon the foundational design explorations, the high-fidelity mockups of visual cues showcase a refined and polished representation of the envisioned enhancements. In these detailed prototypes, the intricately crafted sound waves and icons, meticulously designed using Adobe Illustrator, come to life.
Users can navigate to the Audio settings to toggle on or off the "Visualize Sound Effects" feature, adding flexibility to their gameplay experience.
Footsteps symbolize a person walking, a semi-crushed skull icon signifies a Zombie, a head with an elongated tongue represents a Licker, an angry dog icon illustrates a Zombie Dog, and a skull with crossbones embodies Boss characters. These visual cues serve not only as aesthetic elements but as intuitive guides, providing players with immediate and clear insights into in-game events.
Immersive visual effects dynamically pinpoint the presence of formidable Big Bosses in the midst of intense combat sequences, enhancing player engagement and strategy.
This mockup vividly illustrates the visualized sound effect of someone walking nearby, distinctly representing Ada's presence and enriching the user experience with detailed environmental cues.
In this mockup, the visualized sound effect seamlessly communicates Claire's heightened awareness as she reacts to the presence of a Licker.
In this screen, Leon is being hunted down by Zombie dogs, with the visual cue serving as a crucial alert to the player, precisely indicating the location of the impending threat posed by the Zombie Dogs.
In this screen, Claire navigates through the environment and unexpectedly encounters a lurking Zombie, with the visual cue effectively signaling her awareness to the approaching threat.
Speaker Labels
Integrating speaker labels serves the dual purpose of clarifying the speaker's identity and pinpointing the origin of audio sources, thereby minimizing confusion and facilitating an effortless understanding of the narrative.
In this scene, Leon urges Claire to exit the car, and the shot prominently features Claire. Through the assistance of speaker labels, players can distinctly discern that it is Leon who is delivering the message, enhancing clarity in the dialogue sequence.
In this scene, Leon holds a recorder to his face, attentively listening to its message. The introduction of speaker labels not only aids in identifying the speaker but also provides crucial context to the player, distinctly indicating the source of the sound.
In this particular moment, as Leon steps into a hallway, he is startled by a distant voice. The inclusion of speaker labels not only clarifies that the voice does not originate from a person in the hallway, but specifically emanates from a nearby radio, enriching the player's comprehension of the in-game environment and narrative context.
Text Sizing Options for Subtitles
Empowering players with text size options for subtitles is a pivotal design choice, enabling them to customize the font size based on their unique needs and preferences. Recognizing the diversity in reading capabilities, especially for players with conditions like dyslexia, this feature ensures that no one-size-fits-all font size exists. Additionally, users can conveniently toggle subtitles on and off within the Language settings, providing comprehensive control over their gaming experience.
Within the Language settings, users have the option to toggle subtitles on and off, providing flexibility in customizing their gaming experience based on individual preferences and needs.
In the Language settings, players are granted the flexibility to fine-tune the text size of subtitles through an intuitive slider. This feature allows players to visually preview the text size adjustments in real-time, ensuring a seamless and personalized experience. With this interactive slider, users can effortlessly tailor the subtitles to their preferred size before exiting the settings menu.
Reflection
Prioritizing accessibility is a fundamental design principle that all designers should embrace, as it not only enhances the gaming experience for millions of players worldwide, but also ensures that playing games is enjoyable for everyone. Evaluating the current accessibility standards in Resident Evil 2 was a gratifying experience, and brainstorming inclusive solutions was both challenging and rewarding.
Looking ahead, I aspire to develop a functional game prototype and organize test play sessions specifically with disabled gamers. This will enable me to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solutions in making the game more accessible and enjoyable. Following these play sessions, I plan to engage in a continuous cycle of iteration and testing, refining my designs to guarantee the final product is not only accessible but also truly inclusive.
