Summary
Recent entries of theResident Evilfranchise have brought players around the world to mysterious locales that are isolated from the outside world. As speculation grows forResident Evil 9,fans wonder where the next entry in the world of survival horror will go. A return to a more urban city setting would be a welcome change of pace.
With the recent release ofResident Evil 4 Remake’sSeparate WaysDLC, the latest installment of Capcom’s survival horror franchise is made complete. UnlessCapcom surprises fans with brand-new content forRE4 Remake,REfans must now look toward the future. Rumors have been circulating for some time aboutResident Evil 9and what the future of the franchise holds, especially when it comes to its setting. AsResident Evil 4 Remakeand the release before that were both set in European villages with fantasy influence, a return to a more classic urban environment could be exactly what the franchise needs.
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Resident Evil 9’s Mysterious New Location
If the past few years are any indication, the nextREtitle will be a continuation of the franchise’s timeline set most likely after the events ofResident Evil: Villagea.k.a the eighth “numbered” game in the series. AsResident Evil 4 Remakehas just come out, it is unlikely that they will follow up with another remake. ThoughaResident Evil 5 Remakehas been teased inRE4and is heavily rumored, it will likely not be on the table until afterRE9if the formula used sinceResident Evil 7continues.
With Ethan Winter’s story coming to a conclusion inRE Village’sShadows of Rose DLC, the franchise can move in any direction with its next game.Resident Evil 9has the potential to feature completely new gameplay, story, and of course locations. Fans have already experienced survival horror scenarios in all types of settings from isolated mansions, Midwestern towns, medieval villages, universities, African savannahs, and many more.
It has been quite some time since there wasaResident Evilgame that was set in an urban environmentthat required players to navigate an intricately designed modern metropolitan area the likes of Raccoon City. A city setting would be interesting to explore again as it creates a sense of being trapped among many other people all desperately fighting for survival, which also lends itself to providing a variety of characters to meet and interact with.
Leaks aboutResident Evil 9have been present for a while now, with several leaks claiming the game is intended to be a continuation of the mythological horror/ urban legend theme started inRE7. This time around the focus would be on the legend of the skin-walkers and wendigo in the American West. As the leaks go, the setting would be a “ghost town” where players explore rivers, caves, and forests while battling the deformed creatures. Claims stated that themonsters take on the likeness of a friendly NPCto lure players into a trap by mimicking human voices. Presently none of these leaks have been confirmed, so fans are urged to take these rumors with a grain of salt.
If the leaks aboutResident Evil 9prove to be true it could be very interesting to see how they handle the environments in the game. Havinga western town to explore full of NPCs to interact withwould be brand-new territory for the series that would feel fresh while still honoring the franchise’s roots. No confirmations have been made at this time, so players may have to wait a bit longer for an official announcement.
