It is without a doubt that Resident Evil remains one of Capcom's most valuable video game franchises ever since its debut back in 1996. In its 23-year history, Resident Evil has 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 made Resident Evil into a household name. In this article, we will delve into everything that has happened in Resident Evil for the past year, its upcoming releases, and where Capcom plans to bring the franchise moving forward.
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 of Resident Evil 2 Remake was a crucial point in the franchise's history, given that its success would determine the fate of subsequent remakes and future installments in the long-standing series. Luckily for Capcom and the Resident Evil community, Resident Evil 2 Remake was 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.
Although Resident Evil 2 Remake was able to embody the franchise's survival-horror roots, some core fans of the series were not happy with the introduction of the over-the-shoulder perspective in the game. To the uninitiated, the original Resident Evil 2 was 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. While Resident Evil 2 Remake quickly 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.
Before RE2 Remake, Capcom released Resident Evil 7, which introduced the first-person perspective in a numbered Resident Evil game for the first time. So will Capcom continue to use first-person in Resident Evil 8? Will they revert to the third-person? Or will Capcom bring back fixed camera angles that many core fans of the series have been asking for? At this point, no one knows since Capcom hasn't revealed anything concrete about Resident Evil 8, given that the studio is currently pre-occupied with a new Resident Evil spin-off game.
A New Way To Play Survival Horror
A few months ago, news broke out that Capcom is recruiting its Resident Evil Ambassadors to test out a new Resident Evil game that is currently in development. At the time, many believed that this new game would either be Resident Evil 8, or Resident Evil 3 Remake. However, Capcom quickly dismissed the speculations when it revealed that it is developing a new spin-off game called Project Resistance. Soon after the reveal, several Project Resistance images leaked online that showcased what looked like a multiplayer game. Many assumed that maybe Capcom is bringing back Resident Evil Outbreak, but again, these assumptions were dismissed by the publisher when it shared more details about Project Resistance.
During the Tokyo Game Show 2019, Capcom unveiled a new trailer for Project Resistance that confirmed that it is a new spin-off game that is independent of previous Resident Evil titles. 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 the Resident Evil community with some fans saying that it doesn't want another Operation Raccoon City game. However, Capcom quickly responded to the criticisms saying 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 Evil fans who may be worried about the franchise's current direction with Project Resistance should 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 see what Capcom will offer with Project Resistance, and maybe the studio will be able to deliver its promise of a fun new way to play Resident Evil.
A Prequel to Resident Evil 7
A couple of days ago, Capcom made a surprising announcement when it revealed that it is making a prequel to Resident Evil 7. The prequel is entitled Biohazard 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 used Biohazard, which is what they call Resident Evil in 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 of Resident Evil, at least we hope so!
So Where Will Resident Evil Go From Here?
As for where it stands right now, Resident Evil will likely be pre-occupied with the development and release of Project Resistance. Capcom is still yet to reveal the game's release date, but Project Resistance will 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 either Resident Evil 8 or Resident 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 that Resident Evil 2 Remake was just released this year, it is possible that Resident Evil 8 would be higher up Capcom's pipeline.
So what can we expect from Resident 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 of RE 5 and 6. However, one thing that we're still unsure of is which perspective Capcom plans to use in Resident Evil 8? Will it be the first-person perspective that would also make for a terrifying VR experience like Resident Evil 7? How about the over-the-shoulder perspective that modernized Resident 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.