The status of the mysterious Resident Evil 9 has been fertile ground for rumors and speculation to grow, and one of the most prevalent rumors claims that the game will be open-world. Resident Evil 9 is speculated to be an ambitious entry in the series, and giving the game an open-world setting would definitely be a major change for Capcom's horror franchise.

Nothing has been officially confirmed about Resident Evil 9, but Dusk Golem, a reputable leaker in the gaming world, has made some bold claims about the next game in the series, with the open-world reports being one of them. According to Dusk Golem, Resident Evil 9 news will soon be on the way and will hopefully give some insight into these open-world theories. An open-world approach would be an intriguing new perspective for the series, and if these rumors prove to be true, bringing back some of the franchise's most notable heroes might be necessary.

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An Open World Resident Evil Needs a Capable Protagonist

Resident Evil 7 and Village introduced the likes of Ethan Winters, and although his story is a fascinating new road that the series ventured down, another average Joe protagonist may not have what it takes to traverse an open world. When it comes to exploring a vast world, a well-trained and capable protagonist may be the best choice to head the game's mission, and the expertise of Resident Evil's most notable heroes could be a perfect fit.

Bringing Back Resident Evil's Classic Characters

There have been some great protagonists in Resident Evil games, but Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, and Jill Valentine are some of the most memorable throughout the franchise's history. All three have extensive combat training and have proven extraordinarily agile, which would make them perfect fits for an open-world Resident Evil.

Open-world games are all about map traversal, and featuring a normal person like Ethan Winters could be an unbelievable main character for the job. Of course, Resident Evil is filled with plenty of unbelievable moments; for example, Chris Redfield punching a boulder in Resident Evil 5 will forever live on in infamy. However, most Resident Evil games star agile fighters, whether they be with the BSAA, STARS, or another organization, and they are heroes that can manage to go head-to-head with the infected and various monsters due to their backgrounds.

The big twist at the end of Village revealed that the main reason Ethan Winters was able to survive his journey was because he was actually dead the entire time, but was infected with a mold that gives him the ability to heal quickly and piece himself back together. This isn't a twist that can be replicated nonchalantly, so it would be difficult to justify an open-world Resident Evil starring an everyday normal person who doesn't have the training required to handle platforming and lengthy journeys, let alone wild powers.

Ethan's daughter Rose was born with superhuman abilities, making her another possible protagonist who is capable of handling the obstacles of an open world.

Characters Who Would Be Perfect in an Open World Resident Evil

  • Leon S. Kennedy
  • Chris Redfield
  • Jill Valentine
  • Ada Wong

The first three would be the most obvious choices to be given a starring role in Resident Evil 9. There is already plenty of speculation that Chris Redfield will be leading the next game, but it's been a long time since Leon has been seen and even longer since Jill was featured.

The events of Village hinted at Chris possibly leading, but Leon or Jill finally getting another moment to showcase their abilities would be thrilling. A wild card choice would be featuring Ada Wong. Her grappling would make her incredibly fun in an open-world setting, but only time will tell who Resident Evil 9's hero will be.