Summary
Resident Evilfans have been treated to a string of excellent entries in the pivotal survival horror series that can be traced back to the franchise’s reboot of sorts that began in 2017 withResident Evil 7. Developer Capcom has since made the most ofResident Evil’s renewed presence, subsequently seeing success inRE7’s followup,Village, as well as the largely well-received modern remakes of the classicRE2-4titles. With the series maintaining its positive momentum, many have been eyeing what the studio might be planning next and how it will keepREon its winning track.
The long-assumedResident Evil 9was recently officially confirmedto be in development, and though this aligns with expectations, the direction that the next major entry will take as yet remains unclear, with many possibilities at the moment. After the narrative arc and choice of style inResident Evil 7andVillage, though, coupled with the rise of a specific subgenre, it might be time for Capcom to make another switch; namely,REcould embrace some of its science-fiction elements more closely than it did in the above titles to continue its streak.
Leaked information suggests remakes ofResident Evil Code: VeronicaandRE0will precede the ninth main installment, with it potentially delayed due to this schedule.
Resident Evil 9 Could Ride the Sci-Fi Horror Trend to the Top
Science Fiction Horror Games Are on the Rise
While science fiction has long often been entwined with the broader horror genre, and gaming has seen plenty of releases under the banner over the years, it has been increasingly on the rise in recent times. 2023’sDead Spaceremake was likely one of the highest profile of these, fittingly so, as the original kicked off a previous wave of games within the subgenre. There are a number of notable upcominggames likeSTALKER 2andDirective 8020, just to name a few, which look to be some of the most intriguing and highly anticipated horror titles with heavy sci-fi bents built into their scares.
Of course,Resident Evilitself has sci-fi ingrained in its DNA, with theshadowy experiments of Umbrellacovering virus engineering, cloning technology, mind control, and more since its inception. But in light of the thriving scene and resurging popularity of the sci-fi horror subgenre overall, and given the visions seen inRE7,Village, and theRE4remake, there are good reasons forResident Evil 9to look to focusing more deeply on sci-fi elements as well.
Why it Might be the Perfect Move for Resident Evil 9 to Lean Hard Into Sci-Fi
Resident Evil 7returned to franchise roots via its stripped down narrative and designs that called back to the claustrophobic sense ofRE’s earliest releases with aTexas Chainsaw Massacrevibe.RE Villagethen more fully embraced supernatural folk horror, with a tale of vampires, werewolves, and the occult. Last year’sResident Evil 4 Remakewas also faithful to its origins as more grindhouse camp than science fiction in many regards. Umbrella and other overtly sci-fi inclusions were largely absent from the previousREtitles, or relegated to the background.
Resident Evilthus contained a similar kind of “backwoods horror” in the prior handful of games. Outside that, it has generally utilized contemporary settings and technology, with some exaggerations. But the world building has long been in place for it to capitalize fully on its existing science fiction aspects and even beyond. Coupled with its conspiratorial tones, the potential forRE9to provide an experience that captures the established sci-fi angles and puts them at the forefront is high. The latestResident Evilgames covered traditional horror ground well.IfResident Evil 9is looking to switch gearsand keep fans guessing, taking a deep detour into a heavily sci-fi-influenced direction could be the best approach in the present landscape and for the series as a whole.
