Summary
Originally introduced all the way back in 1999 withResident Evil 3: Nemesis, Mercenaries is an additional game mode that usually sees players defeat a horde of enemies while a countdown timer threatens to end the game early. Killing enemies and completing certain objectives will increase that timer, and players often have access to a wide cast of playable characters, each coming with their own distinct set of weapons and equipment.Resident Evil’sMercenaries modemay have debuted well over two decades ago, but it hasn’t really changed all that much.
While the arenas, characters, and enemies change between entries,Resident Evil’s Mercenaries has largely stayed the same since its debut, albeit with some significant mechanical and quality-of-life improvements over the years. Being present in the last twoResident Evilentries, it seems likely that the still-unannouncedResident Evil 9will bring Mercenaries back once again, but this time, repeating the same formula won’t be enough. There needs to be some proper evolution forResident Evil 9’s potential Mercenaries mode, and co-op functionality could do just that.
Resident Evil 9’s Mercenaries Mode Should Have Co-Op
Resident Evil’s Mercenaries Mode Has Already Experimented with Co-Op
Though its core mechanics and rules remained the same from the prior iteration,Resident Evil 5’s Mercenaries mode was the first to experiment with a co-op feature. WithResident Evil 5’s main campaign revolving around co-op, it made sense for its Mercenaries mode to embrace the mechanic as well, and it felt like a natural evolution of the series, catching it up to contemporaryhorde modes likeCall of Duty Zombies.
A few years later, Capcom decided to release astandaloneResident EvilMercenaries game, exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS. TitledResident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, this game essentially combined the Mercenaries content from bothResident Evil 4and5, and continued the latter’s experimentation with co-op, allowing up to two friends to play the entire game together.Resident Evil 6would also feature a co-op Mercenaries mode, along with a handful of other modes centered around co-op. But as theResident Evilseries returned to its solo survival horror roots, co-op disappeared from its Mercenaries mode, leaving fans with a desire to see it return.
How Resident Evil 9’s Mercenaries Could Elevate Co-Op
It would be great to seea co-op Mercenaries mode inResident Evil 9. WhenResident Evil 6was released back in 2012, the video game industry was only just starting to experiment with multiplayer-only titles. In this modern age of live-service games, a co-op Mercenaries mode could absolutely thrive, offering a horror-based horde mode experience that the industry has needed for a while now, especially with the current state ofCall of Duty Zombies. But while simply putting co-op back inResident Evil 9’s hypothetical Mercenaries mode would be enough to draw in long-time fans, Capcom would need to go above and beyond to retain them.
Thankfully,Resident Evil 6’s co-op Mercenaries modeleft much room for improvement.Resident Evil 9’s Mercenaries mode could take its co-op to the next level by increasing its player count from two to four and increasing its map size and number of enemies to reflect the larger lobby. A wide cast of characters from across franchise history would also be great to see, along with a completely distinct loadout and set of abilities for each one, encouraging players to strategize and plan their tactics in advance.
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.
