Summary
- Resident Evil Village’s unique boss encounters are a significant departure from more classic stalker enemies.
- Capcom faces a challenge in attempting to recreate Village’s eclectic cast without sacrificing traditional stalker foes.
- There is potential for Resident Evil 9 to blend open-world gameplay with boss designs from both Village and classic pursuers like Mr. X to provide a happy medium.
Resident Evil Village concluded the saga of Ethan Winters in 2021, sending him to a remote European settlement controlled by a cadre of creepy characters that he faced off against to rescue his family. The latest mainline entry proved largely popular, and left fans eager for what would come next for the franchise. Since then, though, there has been little in the way of significant news or updates about Resident Evil 9, and this year has been equally quiet so far. Previously, developer Capcom confirmed that RE 7 director, Koshi Nakanishi, is in charge of the next numbered entry, but few other details are currently known regarding it.
Resident Evil Village confronted fans with a demented “family” of antagonists, and while this was a big part of its charm and effectiveness, it raises the question of if, and how, Capcom will attempt to recreate something similar down the line. It’s something of a tricky situation in light of the way each boss in Village was presented and dealt with, especially contrasted against Resident Evil‘s iconic stalker-pursuer enemies seen in many other entries. And repeating Village‘s boss encounter design would likely come at the cost of the latter type.
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Resident Evil Village’s ‘Family’ of Foes Presents an Interesting Conundrum for Future Games’ Enemy Design
Resident Evil Village‘s Fearsome Foursome:
- Lady Dimitrescu (and her own family–Bela, Daniela, and Cassandra)
- Donna Beneviento
- Moreau
- Heisenberg
Although Village gave each one their share of screen time, and as memorable as they were, all were contained within their respective regions, and were basically one-and-done fights. Once each was eliminated in a set piece battle, players moved onto the next one’s zone, and none appeared again to surprise or pursue them in the way that enemies like Mr. X and Nemesis do. Of them, Lady D essentially served as the classic Resident Evil stalker, though much more limited in comparison to the other two examples. Her castle section is the first that players visit, and there aren’t any stalker-type enemies or scenarios following it (though House Beneviento comes close to one.) This presents a significant choice for Capcom going forward if it wishes to recapture the feel of Village‘s eclectic coterie.
How Capcom Can Follow RE Village’s Villains’ Lead While Also Taking More Familiar Forms
Contrasted with the claustrophobic elements of the preceding Resident Evil 7, where Jack and Marguerite Baker (and Lucas, to a lesser extent) hound Ethan throughout in increasingly disturbing forms, Village was more generally open. While much remains unknown at this point, persistent but unconfirmed rumors suggest that Resident Evil 9 may be fully open-world. This creates an interesting avenue for how Capcom might approach boss design in it, and if it will lean towards Village‘s villain ensemble or pivot back to stalkers akin to RE 7 and Nemesis.
Given that relentless pursuers are an ingrained and often expected part of the Resident Evil experience, it might seem natural for one to be the focus in the next title, as both a change-up and a return to classic stylings after Village. But on the other hand, Capcom has never been afraid of experimenting with the franchise, and Resident Evil might consider taking a break from stalker enemies, especially given the popularity of Village‘s collection. It could then just as easily decide to iterate on that structure for RE 9.
However, if RE 9 is indeed going semi or completely open world, this might allow Capcom to potentially split the difference between the two styles for a best of both worlds scenario. A larger world could accommodate another antagonist collective, having one or more act as traditional pursuers, while others might be more like Village’s one-off encounters. Encompassing both boss types in one bigger title would mark another step in Resident Evil’s evolution, leveraging the advantages that each offers, and providing further ground to incorporate and improve upon them in the future.
Survival Horror
Survival
Horror
- Released
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May 7, 2021
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language