WhenResident Evil 6’s over-the-top action-horror endeavor didn’t fare well with an abundance of veteranResident Evilfans, Capcom decided to shake things up withResident Evil 7by going back to its survival horror roots and introducing a fresh new perspective to its long-running series.
Resident Evil 7, in more ways than one, served as a soft reboot to theResident Evilfranchise. Rather than experiencing the storyline from an over-the-shoulder perspective of a charismatic military-trained personality, players were put into the shoes of a seemingly normal guy named Ethan Winters. With its two highly successful entries, The Winters storyline does establish a connection with pastResident Evilgames. However, 2021’sResident Evil Village, despite its success, leaves an inexplicable void thatResident Evil 9needs to fulfill.
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Resident Evil 9 Needs to Fill in a Big Void
SinceResident Evil 7, the franchise has found ways to explore the various sub-genres of horror while also plausibly connecting it to the broaderResident Eviluniverse.Resident Evil Villagedips into gothic horror and is arguablythe most confident entry in theResident Evilseriesthough just like its predecessor, it does a poor job of reminding players that it is aResident Evilgame.
Resident Evil Villagesmartly ties to the events of the originalResident Eviland also calls back to classicResident Evilgames in interesting ways, but a lot of it feels forced. Chris Redfield returns but feels like an entirely different character from the one fans may remember fromResident Evil 6. InVillage, Chris is more style over substance, his role reduced to that of a poster boy. Through most of the campaign, Chris is surprisingly absent, and the slight interactions that Ethan does have with him are the ones that were present in the game’s various trailers before launch. While he does get a little spotlight in the closing hours of the game, it isn’t enough to justify his presence in the Winters' storyline or the overarchingResident Eviluniverse. A lot of it is because of the immense focus Capcom gives Ethan, though this isn’t a reason to downplay one of the most notable characters in its universe.
While a more personal storyline of the Winters is a breath of fresh air,Resident Evilneed not forget its global and political nature, which involves evil corporations fighting for power and control.Resident Evil 9needs to strike a balance between portraying a more personal tale of the Winters family and its ripple effects on theResident Eviluniverse. It also needs to do so without a convoluted exposition dump in the final hours of the game, and it should introduce more than one fan-favorite character that doesn’t feel disjointed likeChris Redfielddoes inResident Evil Village.
Resident Evil 9needs to embrace its past as much as its embracing its present. It needs to harness the 25 years history ofResident Eviland bring closure to some of the most beloved characters in theREuniverse. Jill’s connections to Chris, Leon’s whereabouts since the events ofResident Evil Damnation, andJake Muller’s disappearance afterResident Evil 6are just a few things thatResident Evilfans want addressing in the nextResident Evilgame. Even small references and appropriate cameos would suffice. By doing that, Capcom would not only be acknowledgingResident Evil’s long legacy, but also assuring veteran fans thatResident Evilexists outside of the ongoing Winters' storyline.
By the looks of it,Resident Evil 9will conclude the Winters' storyline. However, if it continues down the exact same road asResident Evil 7andResident Evil Village, it may also carry the same disconnectedness that these games can’t seem to shake, continuing to divideResident Evilfans as a result.
