Summary
Resident Evilhas undergone quite a few major permutations over the course of its decades-long run. Currently, the series is broken up into two threads: the high-fidelityremakes of classicResident Evilreleases, and the new, mainline entries that have thus far adopted a first-person perspective. These two threads are defined not only by their distinct gameplay, but also by their at-times radical differences in tone and narrative delivery.
Until his death at the end ofResident Evil 5, Albert Wesker was the big bad of theResident Evilfranchise. A youth prodigy, he was recruited by Umbrella Corporation early in his life, eventually becoming the captain of S.T.A.R.S. and working as a double-agent, luring the heroes of the firstResident Evilinto the Spencer Mansion, which was the theater for the franchise’s first-ever outing. Wesker was intimately tied toResident Evil’s central conflict, and players got to see him grow more powerful and corrupt with each entry, which made for enthralling long-form storytelling. Since his death, the series has focused more on casts of villains, eschewing its original approach to antagonist writing.
Why Resident Evil Should Return to Its Roots with a Wesker-Style Antagonist
Resident Evil Has Pivoted Away from the Long-Term Antagonist Formula
Although the rogues galleries of theWintersResident Evilgames have leaders, their implementation is a far cry from that of Albert Wesker.In the case ofResident Evil 7, patriarch Jack Baker is a tragic figure, a family man transformed by the Mold and driven to a homicidal form of madness. He is the leader, but him, his wife, and his son form a triad of danger, working in tandem to stop Ethan from reaching Eveline. As such, they are more like a conglomerate, and victims of the H.C.F.’s experiments, than a group of villains led by one figurehead.
Wesker played a significant role in developing the Mold bioweapon that spurred the events ofRE7andVillage, making these games linked to his broader legacy.
Resident Evil Villagecenters on Mother Mirandaand her followers, making it another case of a colorful cast of villains. Miranda herself is contained toVillage’s story, having used the Mold to convert her village into a cult of mindless followers, and ultimately serving as a pawn for The Connections, an international crime syndicate. Miranda is perhaps the closest the series has come to a Wesker-like villain in the modern age, but she is still more of a ‘villain of the week’ than a long-running, evil nemesis.
Resident Evil Could Benefit from a Single, Specific Antagonist Moving Forward
Although Wesker was a pawn of Umbrella for much of his time in the series,he was stillResident Evil’s clear, primary antagonist, serving as the face of the shadowy and nebulous Umbrella Corporation. More importantly, his consistent presence in the franchise allowed Capcom to develop his mythology, steadily making him more threatening and diabolical with each entry. It made for compelling storytelling, as players could follow Wesker from his early days as a S.T.A.R.S. double agent to his final appearance as a murderous, manipulative maniac bent on world destruction.
A common criticism ofResident Evil’s modern story is that it is a bit rudderless. This is an issue that many long-running franchises can face, as each new release makes its overarching story more complex and multilayered, leading to a sense that it doesn’t have a clear direction. But a new antagonist in the vein of Albert Wesker—that is, a competent, long-running villain that the player can strive against, could help give the series more structure. In some ways, the villain of the nextResident Evilis as important as the protagonist, so Capcom should double-down on this character, making them a lingering, escalating, specific threat.
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.
