Summary
Nearly 30 years after players were first introduced to the amoral Umbrella Corporation and the undead horrors it unleashed, Capcom’sResident Evilfranchise has earned a place of prominence in both gaming and pop culture. By blending familiar horror tropes with often outrageous storylines, all propped up by a cast of some of gaming’s most iconic characters, theResident Evilseries set the standard for survival horror titles. However, following underwhelming appearances by series mainstay Chris Redfield in the latestResident Evilgames, it might be time for Capcom to rethink how it uses some of the franchise’s most familiar faces.
Though arguably one of the most memorablemale characters in the Resident Evil franchise, Chris Redfield’s recent cameos in the series left many franchise fans feeling disappointed. Beyond his motivations and overall aesthetic feeling somewhat out of place compared to his previous appearances, the two titles failed to use Chris in any significant way. For some players, this left his cameos feeling like little more than fanservice. As Capcom considers its next steps for the series, it should ensure it doesn’t make the same mistake withResident Evil’s other classic characters.
Chris Redfield is a Character in Constant Flux
Introduced in the originalResident Evilin 1996, former S.T.A.R.S member Chris Redfield has been a series mainstay throughout its long lifespan. Much like other characters in the franchise, Chris has been repeatedly reinvented over the years, withResident Evil 5notably transforming him from a straightforward soldier into an over-the-top action hero. While many players accepted this tonal shift and the increasinglydumb decisions made by Chris Redfieldas the series progressed, his appearances in the latestResident Evilgames are seen as underwhelming by some.
AlthoughResident Evil 7attempted to return Chris Redfield to his roots, eschewing the action star stylings in favor of a somewhat more grounded portrayal, the version of the character still felt out of place compared to what had preceded it.Resident Evil Villagetried to rectify this by giving Chris his familiar look but ultimately failed to do anything that felt truly significant with him in terms of story. If Capcom plans on reintroducing otherclassic characters inResident Evil 9, it should either have a clear reason for doing so or avoid adding them altogether.
Resident Evil Needs to Do Right By its Legacy Mascots
With Chris Redfield rumored to be theplayable protagonist ofResident Evil 9gamers may once again be stuck with Capcom’s questionable take on the character, but the franchise’s other legacy mascots shouldn’t be left to suffer the same fate. Instead of reintroducing familiar faces like Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and Chris’ sister, Claire, simply for their name recognition, Capcom should only bring back these iconic characters if there is a good narrative reason to do so. Otherwise, it could run the risk of further alienatingResident Evilfans.
If Capcom can’t find a way to includeResident Evil’s legacy mascots in a way that makes sense, it might be wise to keep them out of the mainline games for now. Rather than attempting to shoehorn its classic characters into an ongoing storyline where they might feel superfluous, Capcom may be better off revisiting the games that made them stars.Remakes ofResident Evil CODE: Veronicaand other titles from the series’ past would keep characters like Claire Redfield fresh in players’ minds and avoid potentially tarnishing their legacy with an ill-conceived cameo.
The mixed reception to Chris Redfield’s appearances in recentResident Evilreleases shows that sometimes the best way to pay respect to a classic character is by letting them step away from the spotlight. While thelegacy mascots of theResident Evilfranchisewill always have a place in fans’ hearts, if they don’t fit well with the series’ future it may be best to leave them in the past for now.
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.
