TheResident Evilseries has been experiencing a renaissance ever sinceResident Evil 7: Biohazardwas released in 2017.Resident Evil 7’s return to a true survival horror experience after the much-malignedResident Evil 6, combined with the stunning graphics of the RE Engine, created one of the most memorable horror games of the decade. Its success gave Capcom the momentum to both continueResident Evil 7’s story with a direct follow-up —Resident Evil Village— and release remakes ofResident Evil 2,Resident Evil 3, andResident Evil 4using the RE Engine.
WithResident Evil Villageand the remakes also eliciting both praise and profit for the series, leaks and rumors have been circulating regardingResident Evil 9. These include possible settings andprotagonists for the upcomingResident Evilsequel. However, little is known about whatResident Evil 9’s tone will be like. ThoughVillage’s slightly more action-oriented gameplay proved to be popular, following inRE7’s footsteps could open the door for the return of a classic feature fromResident Evil’s past: a recurring boss that gets stronger as the player does and pursues them throughout the game.
Bringing Back an Iconic Enemy Type in Resident Evil 9
Tense Gameplay in Past Resident Evil Games
Resident Evilgames tend to follow one of two paths when it comes to gameplay. The first derives its tension from unforgiving survival mechanics. Limited resources, unreliable weapons, and deadly enemies place the player on the defensive constantly. This approach can be found in the originalResident Evil,Resident Evil 2, andResident Evil 7. The second path derives its tension from pitting the player against horde after horde of ravenous enemies. Even though the player has access to more resources and alarger armory, an abundance of enemies means that gamers will need to have their head on a swivel or risk being overrun. This approach can be found inResident Evil 4,Resident Evil 5, andResident Evil Village.
TheResident Evilseries has followed the latter path with the back-to-back releases ofResident Evil Villageand theResident Evil 4remake. While this style of gameplay is less prone to frustration, it misses out on much of the innate terror of the originalResident Evilformula. A big reason forResident Evil 7’s success was its return to form. TheResident Evilseries had gone so far off the deep end with its bombastic action prior toRE7, so ascarier gamethat adhered more closely to the difficult, tension-fueled gameplay of the belovedResident Evil 2was more than welcome. Rather than once again oversaturating the series with a heavy emphasis on gunplay,Resident Evil 9returning to its horror roots would not only shake things up, but allows for the return of a certain character type that wasn’t available inVillageor theRE4remake.
Giving Resident Evil 9 Its Own Jack Baker
While most of the enemies encountered inResident Evilgames are zombies or mutants that die once the player deals enough damage to them, severalResident Evilgames have featured unkillable enemies that pursue the player over the course of the story. These includeMr. X fromRE2, Nemesis fromRE3, and Jack Baker fromRE7. The looming threat of being attacked by such an enemy instills the player with an omnipresent sense of dread during each play session, as well as an immense sense of satisfaction when they manage to outmaneuver — and eventually defeat — the threat. Due to this, the aforementioned characters have become far more iconic than any of their games' primary antagonists.
These invincible stalkers make for great additions to the survival horror-focused entries in theResident Evilseries, but they are less commonly found in the more action-oriented games. Sure,RE4andVillagehave powerful recurring enemies like the Garrador or Lady Dimitrescu, but with the game constantly regularly handing the player weapon upgrades and ammunition, any enemy can eventually be overcome with enough well-placed attacks — besides thatterrifying baby from House Beneviento. Though this provides the player with a more regularly-scheduled dose of satisfaction as they dispatch monster after monster over the course of the game, it strips the game of that classicResident Evilfeel.
Jack Baker was such a refreshing and terrifying enemy to face inRE7because of his constant presence and insistent taunting. Lady Dimitrescu might be a more popular character due to the internet becoming obsessed with her character design beforeVillagewas even released, but anyone who plays theEthan Wintersduology will find Jack Baker to be a much more memorable and threatening foe. IfResident Evil 9were to be more in line with the tone ofRE7, there would be a perfect opportunity for the game to put its own spin on this iconic enemy type.
