Resident Evil Has Hopefully Gotten an Awkward Trend Out of Its System

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Resident Evil Has Hopefully Gotten an Awkward Trend Out of Its System

Highlights

  • Resident Evil‘s recent focus on action-oriented multiplayer modes has met with fan backlash, as seen in Mostly Negative Steam reviews.
  • Resistance and Re:Verse miss the mark on what Resident Evil fans expect, with complaints ranging from microtransactions to poor matchmaking.
  • As Capcom develops Resident Evil 9, they should reconsider multiplayer modes in favor of the series’ core strengths in horror and storytelling.

As a longtime fan of the Resident Evil series, I can’t help but be disillusioned by Capcom’s recent foray into multiplayer modes with titles like Resident Evil Re:Verse and Resistance. Having grown up with the original games that defined the survival horror genre, I’ve always appreciated how Resident Evil balanced suspenseful exploration with tactical combat. However, the series seems to have strayed from its core strengths in recent years.

The Resident Evil series is currently thriving, with Capcom consistently delivering high-quality additions and daring remakes. Many fans find that the latest releases of Resident Evil offer an optimal blend of gameplay and horror elements. These new games provide an immersive combat experience while maintaining a palpable sense of dread and fear.

In more recent times, public opinion about the Resident Evil series took a turn for the unexpected. Despite the enduring popularity of titles like Resident Evil 4, the franchise began to favor action elements over horror ones. Consequently, the terror element of survival-horror became increasingly scarce. This transition peaked with Resident Evil 6 in 2012, a thriller that bore little resemblance to its roots. Fortunately, Capcom took a break from the series and released Resident Evil 7 in 2017, refocusing on horror elements. However, there’s still one persistent trend towards excessive action that the series could benefit from letting go.

The Sun Should Set on Resident Evil’s Recent Multiplayer Modes

Resident Evil Re:Verse and Resident Evil: Resistance Haven’t Worked Out

Starting in 2020 and 2022, Resident Evil Re:Verse and Resident Evil: Resistance were released with varied responses from fans. The first game is a typical player versus player (PvP) shooter, allowing users to assume command of renowned Resident Evil characters and engage in lethal battles against opponents. In contrast, the second title is an asymmetric multiplayer experience akin to Dead by Daylight. However, for numerous Resident Evil enthusiasts, these multiplayer concepts seem misaligned with the franchise.

The fans of Resident Evil, as expressed in their reviews on Steam, generally dislike the multiplayer versions of the game, giving them largely negative ratings.

In simpler terms, the criticism is valid because the horror and storyline that make “Resident Evil” special don’t mix well with a competitive multiplayer setting. Instead of being a shooter series, think of “Resident Evil” as survival horror with shooting elements. Therefore, creating an action-focused multiplayer game wouldn’t showcase the franchise’s unique qualities effectively.

Verse” come with additional issues. Microtransactions and technical glitches are among the problems that hinder the enjoyable experience of “Resistance,” despite its greater potential compared to the more action-focused “Re:Verse.” Matchmaking difficulties and weak cheat detection in “Resistance” overshadow any positive attributes it may have. Additionally, these multiplayer games can leave a cynical taste, with “Re:Verse” being particularly criticized for its questionable battle pass and lack of content.

Resident Evil Re:Verse and Resistance Are Resident Evil 6 All Over Again

Verse and Resistance appear to misunderstand the essence of Resident Evil, much like RE6 and, to a lesser degree, RE5. Although Capcom could potentially include cooperative play in future Resident Evil titles that focus more on combat, the competitive aspect may not be the series’ main strength. Furthermore, trends such as in-game currency stores and battle passes are becoming less popular in games. As a result, it appears increasingly likely that Capcom will abandon their efforts to expand Resident Evil multiplayer.

Capcom is focusing on making “Resident Evil 9” an excellent single-player experience. Multiplayer competition, similar to “Re:Verse” and “Resistance,” may have merits on their own, but they don’t align with the core fanbase’s expectations for the series. The “Resident Evil” franchise is renowned for its scares, intriguing narratives, and rewarding shooting mechanics. Let’s keep these elements as the priority, rather than transforming every IP into a multiplayer or live-service game.

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2024-07-24 21:35