TheResident Evilfranchise has seen its fair share of talented developers come and go over the years. Naturally, some of the most fondly rememberedResident Evildevs are those credited with directing some of the most beloved entries in franchise history, withResident Evil 1and4director Shinji Mikami, andResident Evil 2director Hideki Kamiya both being legendary names in the gaming industry all these years later.
There have been a total of eight mainlineResident Evilreleases since 1996, and over 20 spinoffs or remakes, and the vast majority of these projects have each been helmed by someone new. But in a rare turn of events, it’s just been confirmed thatResident Evil 7’s director, Koshi Nakanishi, is returning to direct the next mainline installment of the franchise. Nakanishi actually has a fewResident Eviltitles under his belt, and they might give fans some clues about what they can expect fromResident Evil 9.
What Koshi Nakanishi Can Bring to Resident Evil 9
Koshi Nakanishi’s Past Work on the Resident Evil Franchise
When it comes toResident Evildirectors, few have been quite as prolific as Koshi Nakanishi. While mostResident Evildirectorshelm one or two projects, Koshi Nakanishi has already directed a total of threeResident Evilgames, with his fourth now officially confirmed to be in development. The firstResident Evilgame Koshi Nakanishi worked on was 2009’sResident Evil 5, where he’s credited as being one of the game’s designers.
Just two years later, Koshi Nakanishi would be given the reins to his very ownResident Eviltitle, this time being the3DS-exclusiveResident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. WhileResident Evil: The Mercenaries3Dwasn’t a fully-fledgedREgame, it was a pretty impressive 3DS game and a solid debut at the helm for Nakanishi. But just two years later, Nakanishi would get to flex his directing muscles, leading the charge onResident Evil: Revelations, a critically acclaimed and often overshadowed entry that hearkened back to the series' roots during a time when the franchise was creeping further away from that with each new entry.
After proving himself withMercenaries 3DandRevelations, Koshi Nakanishi was given the reins to the next mainline entry in the franchise. After thedismal reception ofResident Evil 6, there was a lot of pressure on Nakanishi to get the franchise back on course, andResident Evil 7did just that, bringing the series back to its survival horror roots while still offering fans something new with its first-person perspective and terrifying new threat.
How Resident Evil 9 Could Be Influenced by Koshi Nakanishi’s Past Work
With three greatResident Evilprojects already under his belt,Koshi Nakanishiis more than qualified to helm the next mainlineResident Evilentry. In his recent announcement, Nakanishi stated that he struggled to find a direction for the series afterResident Evil 7, but he’s now found it, and according to him, it “feels substantial.” Though fans shouldn’t read too much into this one quote, it does suggest that the series could be heading in a bold new direction, though some of Nakanishi’s staples are likely to carry over regardless.
One of the most common praises of bothResident Evil: RevelationsandResident Evil 7was the games' excellent use of claustrophobic spaces, capturing the oppressive atmosphere of the original games and emphasizing the survival part of “survival horror.” According to some recent rumors,Resident Evil 9could be going open-world, which would be antithetical to Nakashini’s previous game structures, though fans can probably still expectRE9to embrace the series' roots just as Nakanishi’s past games have.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
WHERE TO PLAY
Resident Evil 7 biohazard is the next major entry in the renowned Resident Evil series and sets a new course for the franchise as it leverages its roots and opens the door to a truly terrifying horror experience. A dramatic new shift for the series to first person view in a photorealistic style powered by Capcom’s new RE Engine, Resident Evil 7 delivers an unprecedented level of immersion that brings the thrilling horror up close and personal.Set in modern day rural America and taking place after the dramatic events of Resident Evil® 6, players experience the terror directly from the first person perspective. Resident Evil 7 embodies the series’ signature gameplay elements of exploration and tense atmosphere that first coined “survival horror” some twenty years ago; meanwhile, a complete refresh of gameplay systems simultaneously propels the survival horror experience to the next level.
