Highlights
- Resident Evil 9 may be the largest and most expensive game in the franchise, as it is rumored to feature an open-world.
- Having more time to tell a story can lead to an increased focus on character development in future Resident Evil games, creating a deeper and more engaging experience for players.
- An open-world setting in Resident Evil 9 could provide a platform for characters to shine, with more room for growth and interactions as players explore the world. There could be an increased number of collectibles too, fleshing out the world even further.
At the moment, Resident Evil fans are waiting to see what the survival horror franchise does next. Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4’s remake have both finished their post-launch updates, with RE8 also wrapping up RE7’s Winters family saga. Common theories for what's next include Resident Evil 9, a CODE:Veronica remake, or an RE5 remake, and some rumors have suggested that a return to mainline games is next. Resident Evil 9 has many options if RE7 and Village’s first-person perspective doesn't return as its main gimmick, and a credible leak has singled one out.
Known Capcom leaker Dusk Golem, going by AestheticGamer1 on Twitter, has made a couple of statements about Resident Evil 9 over the past year, building a picture of it being the largest and most expensive Resident Evil yet. “Largest” is key here, as Dusk Golem’s late-March 2024 tweets claimed that RE9 was greenlit close to Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds as projects expanding the open-world functionality of Capcom's RE Engine. Dusk Golem added that each game would maintain its series’ distinct DNA, suggesting that Resident Evil 9 could use its risky open-world venture to magnify Resident Evil’s existing strengths.
Why Resident Evil 9's Protagonist Might Be Looked at Under a Microscope
Resident Evil Village brought forth some compelling character elements, which is a trend that could continue in future chapters.
How Resident Evil Has Handled Its Characters So Far
This might come as a surprise given Resident Evil’s monster fixation and rotating human cast, but the franchise is heavily character-driven. From the very first game, Resident Evil’s goofy charm is often expressed through its protagonists, supporting cast, and villains, with a lot of incidental lore and collectibles fleshing out their place in its setting. Keeping track of it all has become a mess as Resident Evil ramped up its spin-off production, but recurring faces like Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, Barry Burton, and more have endeared its zombie-fighting action to countless fans.
Resident Evil's Characters Typically Just Grow Through Seniority
Resident Evil’s focus on gameplay over intricate storytelling is usually to its advantage, and recent entries have enhanced characters further through extra dialogue tied to in-game events like Mr X's debut in the RE2 remake. However, this also means that Resident Evil protagonists often fall back on common action lead stereotypes to keep gameplay moving forward. Franchise icons like Chris Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy have had enough screen time to escape this to some extent, but newcomers like Resident Evil 7’s Ethan Winters, and the various one-off characters from Resident Evil 5 and onward, haven't had the room to make as strong of an impression.
A Massive Resident Evil 9 Could Support A Greater Character Focus
If its rumors hold true, Resident Evil 9 could finally buck that trend. An open-world might risk upsetting the careful balance of resource management, navigation, and horror that Resident Evil has built, but it also offers plenty of chances to characterize its major players. Resident Evil 9's campaign will presumably be longer than average, giving the game’s cast more time to open up, develop, and bounce off each other. Should Resident Evil 9 introduce another round of heroes and villains, this extra space to grow could be vital for endearing them to fans and integrating them into RE’s universe.
Giving Resident Evil Characters Room To Breath Should Help Them Shine
Even if Resident Evil 9 turns out to feature a returning protagonist like Chris Redfield, more room for character work could still benefit them. Much like The Evil Within 2, RE9’s open-world could include various distractions and survivors for player characters to interact with. That's not even getting into what a larger Resident Evil game could do with documents and other collectibles, with players potentially spending hours in RE9 finding extra lore or hidden rooms accompanied by commentary from the living cast. Pivoting to an open-world is a gamble, but Resident Evil 9 and its characters could make the format work for them.
