RE9’s Rumored Protagonists Could Be a Letdown for One Legacy Mascot

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As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of Resident Evil under my belt, I can’t help but feel a bit nostalgic about Chris Redfield’s journey through the franchise. He’s been there since the beginning, and his return in RE7 and RE Village was a welcome sight. However, if the rumors are true about his role in Resident Evil 9, it seems we might be seeing more of him in the back seat again.

The Resident Evil series has a history of grandiose stories, making it possible for leaks and speculations about future games to hold some truth. For instance, the upcoming game, Resident Evil 9, could potentially deviate from its expected plot involving Chris Redfield traveling to the BSAA headquarters in Europe. However, there’s still a chance that this might be the case. More recent whispers hint that the storyline of Resident Evil 9 may not revolve around Chris Redfield, suggesting a new protagonist for this adventure.

Chris Redfield Has Grown Accustomed to the Back Seat in Resident Evil

From the very beginning, Chris Redfield has been a cornerstone of the Resident Evil series and this hasn’t wavered over time. The fact that Chris appears in both Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village suggests that the series has drawn upon his iconic status as a mascot protagonist within the survival-horror genre. It is notable that Capcom could have opted to bring back characters like Leon S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine, or Claire Redfield instead, but they chose Chris, underscoring the importance of his legacy in the franchise.

It’s plausible that familiar mascots might reappear in Resident Evil 9, if gossip is accurate. However, it seems Chris may once again take a supporting role, according to these whispers. While Chris’ DLC in Resident Evil 7 was a delight for those who loved the game’s action-packed finale, his presence in Resident Evil Village was questionable due to the storyline’s deception of Ethan Winters (and thus the player).

In a different phrase, Chris’s revelation to Ethan that his wife had been kidnapped and replaced by Mother Miranda wasn’t just a straightforward disclosure; it was a storytelling technique to keep the players guessing, which made Chris appear less compassionate and questionable in his intentions towards Ethan. This was his second consecutive supporting role, and if rumors are accurate, Resident Evil 9 would make it three.

Despite spending a considerable amount of time in the bright glow of Resident Evil’s survival-horror genre, the ending of Village seems to imply that Chris will mount an attack on the European BSAA headquarters. If he isn’t involved or isn’t in charge this time, it raises questions about how crucial his role should be in future events.

Resident Evil 9 Needs to Declare Chris Redfield’s Relevancy in the Franchise

As a die-hard Resident Evil fan, I can’t help but feel that it would be hard to oppose the idea of Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine taking on lead roles again, given their absence from the mainline series for such a long time. The remakes of games like Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4 have certainly brought them back into the spotlight, but it remains a mystery what their stories are in the original timeline post-Resident Evil 6 for Leon and Resident Evil 5 for Jill.

Despite Chris Redfield not being as popular as his extensive appearances might suggest, it would be unfortunate to continue giving him a supporting role for a third time in a row, as it appears that the main series has been building him up and possibly setting the stage for him to return as the lead playable character again.

In a potential remake of “Resident Evil 5”, it’s likely that Chris will play a significant role. However, it’s crucial not to undervalue his importance in the main series games. If this is overlooked, Capcom might have to think about how to retire the character gracefully.

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2024-11-28 15:56