It is without a doubt thatResident Evilremains one of Capcom’s most valuable video game franchises ever since its debut back in 1996. In its 23-year history,Resident Evilhas seen its fair share of success and let-downs. The beginning of the franchise back in the ’90s established its authority in the survival-horror genre. However, the franchise had a bit of an identity crisis in its recent years when Capcom transformed Resident Evil from survival-horror to a somewhat action-oriented series.
Luckily, the publisher was able to turn things around with its last two games, which saw the return of the survival-horror gameplay that madeResident Evilinto a household name. In this article, we will delve into everything that has happened inResident Evilfor the past year, its upcoming releases, and where Capcom plans to bring the franchise moving forward.
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The Perfect Remake
The start of 2019 is widely considered a successful one for Capcom with the release of the highly-anticipated remake of its classic game,Resident Evil 2. The release ofResident Evil 2 Remakewas a crucial point in the franchise’s history,given that its success would determine the fate of subsequent remakesand future installments in the long-standing series. Luckily for Capcom and theResident Evilcommunity,Resident Evil 2 Remakewas an astounding success, given that it was able to retain the best parts of the classic game while adding necessary improvements that modernized the gameplay and enhanced the game’s story and the personalities of the characters.
AlthoughResident Evil 2 Remakewas able to embody the franchise’s survival-horror roots, some core fans of the series were not happy with the introduction ofthe over-the-shoulder perspective in the game.To the uninitiated, the originalResident Evil 2was played using a fixed camera angle with tank controls. While some would say that the third-person perspective was meant to modernize the game, some believe that fixed camera angles added a sense of horror in the gameplay. WhileResident Evil 2 Remakequickly became a resounding success despite the disapproval of some, fans are now wondering what Capcom plans to do with the next installment in the mainline Resident Evil franchise.
BeforeRE2 Remake,Capcom releasedResident Evil 7,which introduced the first-person perspective in a numberedResident Evilgame for the first time. So will Capcom continue to use first-person inResident Evil 8?Will they revert to the third-person? Or will Capcom bring backfixed camera anglesthat many core fans of the series have been asking for? At this point, no one knows since Capcom hasn’t revealed anything concrete aboutResident Evil 8, given that the studio is currently pre-occupied with a newResident Evilspin-off game.
A New Way To Play Survival Horror
A few months ago, news broke out that Capcom is recruiting itsResident EvilAmbassadors to test out a newResident Evilgame that is currently in development. At the time, many believed that this new game would either beResident Evil 8, orResident Evil 3 Remake. However, Capcom quickly dismissed the speculations whenit revealed that it is developing a new spin-off game calledProject Resistance.Soon after the reveal, severalProject Resistanceimages leaked online that showcased what looked like a multiplayer game. Many assumed that maybe Capcom is bringing backResident Evil Outbreak, but again, these assumptions were dismissed by the publisher when it shared more details aboutProject Resistance.
During the Tokyo Game Show 2019, Capcom unveiled a new trailer forProject Resistancethat confirmed that it is a new spin-off game that is independent of previousResident Eviltitles. The preview confirmed that it will be an online-multiplayer title that will feature a 4v1 asymmetrical format similar to games such as Friday the 13th. This announcement divided the opinion of theResident Evilcommunity with some fans saying that it doesn’t want another Operation Raccoon City game. However,Capcom quickly responded to the criticismssaying that it is exploring a new way to play survival-horror, and hopes that the negative responses would go away once players get to see the game as a whole.
Resident Evilfans who may be worried about the franchise’s current direction withProject Resistanceshould remember that the upcoming title is categorized as a spin-off game. Most game developers with established franchises usually use spin-off games as a way to experiment on how they can introduce new gameplay elements to an already established brand. Most of the time, these spin-off games bears no significance to the main franchise’s canon and doesn’t influence its gameplay mechanics. So for now, it is best to wait and seewhat Capcom will offer withProject Resistance, and maybe the studio will be able to deliver its promise of a fun new way to playResident Evil.
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A Prequel to Resident Evil 7
A couple of days ago, Capcom made a surprising announcement when it revealed that it is makinga prequel toResident Evil 7. The prequel is entitledBiohazard 7: Walkthrough the Fear, taking players back in Lousiana, and will feature an encounter with the Baker Family. Given that the official title of the spin-off only usedBiohazard, which is what they callResident Evilin Japan, the prequel will only be available at The Plaza Capcom Ikebukuro VR-X booth in Tokyo, Japan. Moreover, the game will not be released on consoles and the PC, but will only be released as a VR arcade experience. Of course, given that the prequel will not be released worldwide, it is safe to say that the game’s story will not be significant in the overall plot ofResident Evil, at least we hope so!
So Where Will Resident Evil Go From Here?
As for where it stands right now,Resident Evilwill likely be pre-occupied with the development and release ofProject Resistance. Capcom is still yet to reveal the game’s release date, butProject Resistancewill likely launch early next year. As for what the studio is planning for the mainline franchise next year, Capcom will likely make some sort of an announcement for eitherResident Evil 8orResident Evil 3 Remake. At this point, it is difficult to say which project Capcom will prioritize first, especially since both those games are yet to be confirmed. However, given thatResident Evil 2 Remakewas just released this year, it is possible thatResident Evil 8would be higher up Capcom’s pipeline.
So whatcan we expect fromResident Evil 8?Looking at the last two games that were released so far, it is safe to say that the upcoming game will put a focus on survival-horror, rather than the action-oriented style ofRE 5and6.However, one thing that we’re still unsure of is which perspective Capcom plans to use inResident Evil 8?Will it be the first-person perspective that would also make for a terrifying VR experience likeResident Evil 7? How about the over-the-shoulder perspective that modernizedResident Evil 2 Remake? Or maybe Capcom will listen to core fans this time around and re-introduce fixed camera angles? At this point, only time will tell.
