Resident Evil Village is one of Capcom’s biggest titles to date. Following the success of Resident Evil 7, Village took the best survival-horror aspects of its predecessor and incorporated gameplay elements from Resident Evil 4. The result was an immersive, action-horror shooter complete with one of the most iconic villains of all time: Lady Dimitrescu. The timing of Village’s release couldn’t be more appropriate since Resident Evil turns twenty-five this year, and Capcom hopes build on the series’ momentum with the upcoming Resident Evil Re:Verse.
In what’s been described as a four to six-person survival-horror deathmatch, players take control of Resident Evil characters in Re:Verse and score points by shooting down other players. It’s a fairly straightforward style of gameplay that could learn a lot from the success of another multiplayer survival-horror game, Dead by Daylight.
Dead by Daylight's Updates and New Characters
One key factor in Dead by Daylight’s success is its frequency of updates. Since it released in 2016, the game hasn’t gone longer than three months without an update. Each update is significant, too, since new killers, survivors, and maps are introduced with nearly every piece of Dead by Daylight DLC. It’s a routine that keeps players coming back to see what’s new. Fans’ initial reaction to Resident Evil Re:Verse’s release will be hard to predict, but Capcom would do well to maintain the game with thoughtful and consistent updates.
Moreover, Re:Verse could especially benefit from including recognizable characters. There are six humans and five "bioweapons" confirmed at the time of writing: Protagonists Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, and HUNK are joined by bioweapons Fat Molded, Hunter Gamma, Jack Baker, Nemesis-T Type, and Tyrant T-103. Names like “Leon Kennedy,” “Jack Baker,” and “Tyrant” stand out to fans of the series, but a number of other names are absent.
Some players may be enticed by the prospect of controlling the Fat Molded, but the inclusion of unmistakable enemies like the Lickers, Plaga-infected villagers, and Lady Dimitrescu would be surefire crowd pleasers. This is a celebration of all things Resident Evil, after all, in the same way Dead by Daylight celebrates all things horror.
Asymmetrical Gameplay and PvE Options
Communication often dictates whether or not a team succeeds in Dead by Daylight, and this sort of asymmetrical game design works well with horror of all kinds. Resident Evil Re:Verse could utilize these features for alternate game modes. Currently, its only mode pits four to six players against each other in a free-for-all deathmatch. A one-versus-four mode featuring humans and one bioweapon, however, could riff on Dead by Daylight’s formula. Re:Verse could draw on its survival horror heritage and force players to budget ammo and other resources as they fight against a stalker Bioweapon player. This sort of gameplay has already been proven successful by Nemesis’s appearance in Dead by Daylight, and should work equally as well in Resident Evil.
While Dead by Daylight does not feature traditional player-versus-environment elements, previous Resident Evil games have, and it would be great to see this sort of game mode return in Re:Verse. Resident Evil 6’s “Mercenaries” mode provides a good blueprint for a co-op horde gameplay and could add replayability to Re:Verse. There’s a fine line between “Resident Evil co-op” and “generic action shooter,” though, so it’s important to incorporate as much of the core Resident Evil over-the-shoulder gameplay as possible. The bottom line is that players responded well to Dead by Daylight's variety of characters and maps, and Re:Verse could offer similar variety in game modes.
Resident Evil is an important franchise. Its influence reaches beyond video games, all the way into movies, TV shows, and even Resident Evil books. It’s important for games like Re:Verse to celebrate milestones and do the series justice, especially as a follow up to successful titles like Village and the Resident Evil 3 remake. Capcom’s intentions with this title aren’t clear, though, and its free inclusion with purchases of Village indicate it may not be their top priority. In any case, the success of games like Dead by Daylight have many lessons to teach—especially for other dev's in the survival horror sphere.
Resident Evil Re:Verse is launching later this month for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.