The perceived roadmap for theResident Evilfranchise may seem obvious, but not necessarily. The franchise is currently working towards remakes and mainline installments, of course, but the IP is at an interesting point in development where considerable changes might be made.Resident Evilisn’t afraid of shifting its gameplay genre, and it has proven recently that it can introduce new and exciting protagonists alongside legacy characters.Resident Evil 9, for example, could be another drastic shift.
Resident Evil Villageended with what seems like an obvious sequel tease, and that tease seems more likely now that it was not followed up on in DLC. Instead,Resident Evil Village’s Shadows of Rose DLCtold a compartmentalized story about Ethan Winters’ daughter that probably won’t tie intoResident Evilsequels for a long time. The franchise has many questions and loose threads to address, such as if it will continue to take place in the present day or not, andResident Evil 9could be a much different installment than fans may expect as a result.
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Resident Evil 9 Marks Another New Turning Point in the Franchise
Resident Evil 9will be a turning point because it needs to decide a few things about the franchise’s future.Resident Evilwill need to select a new protagonistor reprise a legacy character such as Chris Redfield, and decide if the game will be played from a first-person perspective, a third-person perspective, or both. What’s more, it will need to decide if horror will continue to be its primary genre.
IfResident Evil 9continues Chris’ epilogue thread, then it would technically still be a continuation of the Winters’ saga. However, it is highly unlikely that it will feature Mia due to how irrelevant she was throughoutResident Evil Villageand its Shadows of Rose DLC.Resident Evil 9gives Capcom an opportunity to branch out further with the franchise, though its direction would otherwise seem securely situated in newfound horror. It would be fantastic to seeifResident Evilreturns to an urban setting like Raccoon City, or if the franchise will be rooted in domestic, remote settings for the time being.
Resident Evil 9 Might Bridge Genre Gaps Once Again
Chris Redfield’s playable sequence once again turned the franchise over to action rather than survival-horror. Further, it is not uncommon forResident Evilgames to have these sequences where players are meant to bombard enemies with the ammunition they have surely reserved throughout.
If this sequence is any indication of what gameplay in a sequel could look like, though, it may be a hint that an emphasis on action-oriented gameplay is returning. That said, it would be remarkable to see Chris in aResident Evilthat is purely centered around horror, with maybe a few more weapons or combat-ready attacks in his arsenal. That could be what theResident Evil 4remake is preparing for withLeon Kennedy’s new knife parryand other potential combat strategies that an untrained civilian may not be expected to perform.
IfResident Evil 9attempts to depict another family the player is unfamiliar with, that could run the risk of having too many similarities to the Winters. Still, there’s potential any new direction as long asResident Evil’s essential atmosphere and survival-horror mechanics are sustained. In the meantime,Resident Evil 4will scratch that itch and allow players to revisit an iconic classic in the franchise.
