Resident Evil is the classic survival horror series that’s been running strong since 1996. Regardless of which title releases, it always seems to be a big seller for Capcom. That is especially true for the titles releasing on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Among various Resident Evil titles re-released on the consoles, Resident Evil 7, the Resident Evil 2 remake, and the Resident Evil 3 remake have brought in lots of high praise for Capcom.
The recent success of Resident Evil has many fans wondering what is on the table next for the series. With RE3 just released, let’s take a look at what we would like to see in Resident Evil 8, whenever it will release.
1. A choice between the third-person and first-person view
One of the most significant changes brought to Resident Evil 7 was its perspective being entirely played from first-person. For a franchise that started with an isometric top-down view before moving to over the shoulder third-person, this was a dramatic change. At the time of developing RE7, the series was in severe need of a return to its horror roots. Fans universally panned Resident Evil 6 for taking too deep of a dive into the action side. RE7 saw to bring back the horror, and first-person helped do so.
Related: Resident Evil 8 reportedly set for 2021 release
Following RE7, the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes went back to its third-person view. That leaves a question as to how the camera will work in Resident Evil 8. The best way Capcom can handle it is by letting the player choose which they would like to play in, as Bethesda does with Fallout and Elder Scrolls, allowing the camera to change with the press of a button. This can also be handled well by the camera switching, depending on the environment. There are many hardcore fans of the third-person perspective, but Capcom proved in RE7 that first-person works well for the series as well.
2. Albert Wesker’s return
Albert Wesker was one of the original characters from the very first Resident Evil game. He went from leading STARS in that game to becoming the most iconic villain in the franchise.
We haven’t seen him since Resident Evil 5, where Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar shot him in the face with two rockets, but there have been some hints that he survived that encounter. Wesker is biochemically engineered and virtually a superhero, so his survival isn’t entirely out of the question.
Setting Wesker as the main antagonist brings a familiar face for fans to love and leaves plenty of room for the developers to explore what he’s been up to in the years since RE5. There’s a ton of opportunity there for exciting things to take place.
3. Another Nemesis-like character
The Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes not only reintroduced Mr. X and Nemesis as horrifying unrelenting machines continually hunting you down, but really showed that the Resident Evil games should keep bringing back these characters, or introduce new ones. Mr. X and Nemesis are two of the most significant selling points for the games and keep players on their toes. From bursting through walls to their indestructible nature, a new Nemesis-like creature hunting you down is a necessity in RE8.
4. New memorable protagonist(s)
For the most part, Resident Evil has been running off the success of its early games when it comes to protagonists. The most memorable characters—Leon Kennedy, Chris and Claire Redfield, and Jill Valentine—almost always have a significant impact on the game. It would be nice to see RE8 introduce someone new, or maybe pull from a lesser-known character in the series’ past to build off of.
5. Continue balancing horror and action
When it comes to its horror roots and the action evolution, Resident Evil tends to go too far one way or the other. It’s when Capcom truly blends both genres that they have the best games in their series (RE4, RE2 remake).
Resident Evil 8 has the best odds of being a real success if it can merge horror and action genres into an experience not seen since the fourth game in the franchise. New monsters that are scary but not stupid challenging to kill. Proper management of resources so ammo isn’t everywhere, but the environment can still creep you out. Capcom has their work set out for them, but the recent remakes the last two years give them a good idea of how to go forward.
6. Some new mechanic that will change up the gameplay
Primarily, since its beginning, Resident Evil has played the same way. Either when it was tank controlled, or the later games, not much new is ever introduced in the form of gameplay mechanics. Significant changes mainly revolve around the environments and how the game is presented. It might be time to give Resident Evil fans a new way to enjoy playing the game aside from the basic, sometimes restrictive shooting controls that built the series people call a feature.
