Resident Evil 8 has arrived at long last, chronicling Ethan Winter's desperate quest to rescue his daughter Rose from the insidious forces of Mother Miranda and her enthralled village. The game closes on a bitter sweet note, and sets the stage for an exciting new chapter in the Resident Evil franchise that could be drastically different from the games that came before it. Based on the clues dropped by the game's ending, Resident Evil 9 might play out remarkably similarly to Square Enix's long-neglected Parasite Eve franchise.
Both franchises debuted on the original PlayStation and feature intense gunfights against biological horrors, though Parasite Eve is a criminally underrated RPG series that boasts a magic system of sorts. While the series protagonist Aya Brea possesses seemingly supernatural abilities, all of her powers are rooted in the game's sci-fi biology. The eighth main entry in Resident Evil is arguably the most 'magical' title in the franchise to date, and the game's ending tantalizingly implies that Rose Winters possesses abilities similar to her regenerating father and former captors.
If Rose is indeed the star of the next game, it isn't hard to imagine a world where players can wield her biological superpowers against Resident Evil's stable of zombies, vampires, and other bio-weapons. While Resident Evil 9 could be more action game than role-playing game, introducing role-playing and character customization elements will likely satisfy players longing for a twist on the ever-evolving Resident Evil formula, and fans of Parasite Eve alike. The similarities wouldn't end with gameplay, either. Rose's story has several thematic commonalities with Aya's.
Rosemary Winters: Bio-Weapon
While the exact nature of Rose's powers are unknown, the post-credit ending sequence of Resident Evil 8 reveals quite a bit. When taunted by an anonymous man in black who appears to be her handler, and possibly a member of the BSAA, Rose lashes out with extraordinary strength and threatens to show him things "even Chris doesn't know I can do." This suggests that Chris has taken on Rose as a protégé in his long war against bio-weapons, Umbrella, and others. It's also a ham-fisted clue that Rose possesses special powers.
As for what those powers could entail, the sky is the limit. Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters can explode into clouds of insects and teleport to new locations at will. Heisenberg demonstrated remote metallic manipulation that would do Magneto proud. Miranda's shapeshifting is the stuff of nightmares. Then there is Ethan's ability to bounce back from nearly any injury. At this point, it seems like the fungus in Resident Evil 7 can be repurposed to accomplish nearly anything, which leaves Rose with a plethora of potential weapons and abilities.
It is also worth noting how the handler taunts Rose. Rather than addressing her by name, he pointedly calls her Eveline. Paired with Chris' not-quite-dead-yet vision of Eveline at the game's climax, one cannot help but wonder if the original maven of the psychic mold is actually gone, or still sleeping somewhere deep inside of Rose.
Rose Winters and Eveline vs. Aya Brea and Eve
Themes of family and genetic/mutation-driven science-fiction are central to both Resident Evil's most recent entries and Parasite Eve. Aya Brea, heroine of the Parasite Eve franchise is haunted by her biology as much as she is empowered by it, possessing a mysterious, mitochondrial connection to the monstrous biological entity known as Eve. Similarly, Rose Winters may be 'haunted' by her genetic connection to Eveline, who possesses the power to influence and control people who come into contact with the mold implanted into her at birth.
Parasite Eve frequently confronts players with Aya's personal fears that she is a monster. And judging by her reaction to the suit who harasses her, Rosemary seems to harbor similar fears. At the very least, it is a touchy subject, and shows players that Rose is at least cognizant of her unique heritage. Like Aya's games, Rose's title will likely be a journey of self-discovery and self-determination, as much as a bio-weapon hunting expedition. It is an intriguing premise that could allow Rose to take her place among gaming's greatest female characters.
A New Kind of Survival Horror Threat
The greatest risk Capcom faces in taking a page from Parasite Eve's book is that the series may stray too far from it's survival horror roots, and end up in action game territory. It is often hard for players to feel adequately frightened when they have enough firepower to lead a coup. If the player character can shapeshift, use super-strength, magnetism, or any other similar power at will, on top of possessing a powerful arsenal, generating the scares required for a genuine survival horror experience could be a challenge.
But what if Rose has to survive herself, and the monster potentially trapped within her, as well as legions of bio-weapons? If the player over-relies upon Rose's unique heritage, they could run the risk of 'waking' Eveline, or becoming a monster themselves. This would not only introduce a crucial rate-limiter to balance the use of Rose's powers, but also create storytelling opportunities for an unprecedented exploration of body horror. Players would essentially have to fight themselves along with external forces.
It should be noted, there is no guarantee that Resident Evil 9 will allow players to control Rose or her abilities, and the game's ending introduces a number of other cryptic details that still beg explanation. For starters, a man resembling Ethan Winters is seen walking down the road in the opposite direction of Rose's vehicle, even though she just visited his supposed grave. Is Ethan still alive? Possessed by Eveline, perhaps? Or is it some kind of trick? Only time will tell.
Though there have been rumblings of a Parasite Eve revival for some time now, the franchise has gone untouched for ten years. In absence of new developments, Resident Evil 9 may be the next best thing.
Resident Evil 8Â is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S.