The upcoming ninth mainlineResident Evilgame has quite a bit riding on its shoulders in terms of expectations, whether earned or unearned. Corners of theResident Evilcommunity all have their own desires and hopes for it, such as additional legacy mascots returning or a continuation of horror roots rather than action-oriented ones. Thankfully, the latter corner of the community is likely pleased bywhat director Koshi Nakanishi had to say at the recent Capcom Next showcase. With a huge emphasis on horror being generally favorable, it seems clear thatResident Evil 9will be more frightening than campy.
Of course,Resident Evilhas always maintained a degree of campiness in its atmosphere and such camp will undoubtedly be present inResident Evil 9. Nonetheless, the franchise inching as close as it can to horror is always going to receive a positive reception due to its foundations in survival horror, even if for the longest time it seemed to have forgotten that. But asResident Evil 9presumably plunges further into legitimate horror foundations, possible forthcoming remakes of classicResident Evilgames can afford to lean on action a little more confidently as a result.
Resident Evil is at Its Best When It’s Not Tied Down to One Genre
Resident Evilmay have begun as a chiefly horrifying IP, though it arguably didn’t stay that way for long.Resident Evil 2upended how terrifying survival horror needed to beby presenting enemies at an alarming rate and gifting players with more than enough means to not only defend themselves but overwhelm the monstrous bioweapons they’re up against. It wasn’t untilResident Evil 4, however, that the series was marinated in pompous action tropes, which would extend into the fifth and sixth mainline installments thereafter and demonstrate that genre transition’s popularity at the time.
Resident Evil 7was only a breath of fresh air for the franchise because players had grown so accustomed to action-orientedResident Evilgames that it was difficult to imagine Capcom reverting it back to survival horror, allowing its impact to be cataclysmic.Resident Evil Villagethen maintained horror while certainly dipping its toes back in a bizarre and hysterical atmosphere, and its success is likely consequential of its unique blend of all the tonesResident Evilhas achieved in the past—complete with aself-referential “boulder-punching” line of dialogue.
Resident Evil Has the Capacity for Well-Blended Genre Diversity in the Future
Assuming that Capcom still has a hankering for remakes of its classicResident Evilgames, the next several titles that would be on the docket are those that would take the franchise back to action-heavy gameplay designs:Resident Evil 5,Resident Evil 0, andResident Evil Code: Veronica.
All have been rumored thus far—with theResident Evil 4remake seemingly having direct teases for aResident Evil 5remake—but it’s anyone’s guess whether any of them will legitimately be remade, much less if one would be released beforeResident Evil 9. Regardless, ifResident Evil 9is horror-oriented, Capcom will have much more leniency in how action-oriented its potential upcoming remakes could be.
Going back and forth between mainline entries and remakes,Resident Evilwould create a consistent and balanced diversity in its gameplay genres for the foreseeable future. This way, the remakes can be wholly faithful and endearing to anyone who loves the action-ladenResident Evilgames while mainline titles can attempt to be as scary as possible and not necessarily rely on ammunition and explosions as gravely, even ifChris Redfield or any ofResident Evil’s iconic protagonists are reprised.
Resident Evil Village
WHERE TO PLAY
Ethan Winters finds himself in an entirely new nightmare in Capcom’s latest installment of the acclaimed Resident Evil franchise. Whether you’re defending against Lycans in the grim dwellings of the village or exploring the lavish Castle Dimitrescu, the meticulously designed environments immerse you in this eerie world, powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine. Run from, hide or face off against a diverse cast of terrifying village inhabitants in dream-like - no, nightmarish - situations and fight your instincts to push through classic horror-based sequences. Also, be sure to check out “The Mercenaries” that unlocks once you’ve finished the campaign, a fast-paced and arcade-like game mode which challenges players to blast away enemies against the clock.
