Resident Evil 9 - News and what we’d like to see

In this article, we'll explore the latest news and rumours surrounding Resident Evil 9 - assuming that’s what it’s called - as well as examine what fans would like to see in the next instalment of this beloved franchise.

While a remake of Resident Evil 5 is probably on the cards, it’s more than likely that the next game in the Resident Evil franchise will be a sequel to 2021’s Resident Evil Village. This would follow Capcom’s release schedule, as it seemingly releases new titles and remakes alternatively.

Resident Evil 9 leaks and rumours

As of writing, there is very little official news about Resident Evil 9. However, there have been a few rumours and leaks that have been doing the rounds online.

One of these leaks originated on 4chan, so take it with a big grain of salt, says that the working title for Resident Evil 9 is Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The leak, which was summed up in a video by YouTuber Residence of Evil, tells us that the plot of the game will have something to do with the phases of the moon and that this will potentially appear in the logo.

According to these supposed leaks, the game will take place in a deserted town in the American West, and will allow players to explore rivers, caves, and a “creepy forest area”. The game's primary antagonists are reported to be deformed wendigo creatures that resemble mythological monsters, able to mimic human voices and disguise themselves as NPCs to deceive players. Frankly, that sounds absolutely terrifying, and I can’t wait to have my face ripped off by something that was my friend a moment before. Additionally, players will reportedly face a formidable enemy in the form of a giant black dog, though the legitimacy of this information remains to be seen.

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Resident Evil 9 will feature a villainous woman donning a green and gold gown, which the video points out sounds similar to Resident Evil Village's Mother Miranda. Interestingly, one of the monsters in the game is rumoured to be a friendly NPC who will serve as a merchant, providing players with helpful items and weapons, though we all know they won’t hold a candle to Resident Evil 4’s cockney merchant.

It's important to note that these leaks have yet to be confirmed by Capcom, and all this could information could be false, but if it turns out to be true, it sounds as if Resident Evil 9 will follow Village with its folklore influence.

As for Resident Evil 9’s release date, we don’t have much to go on, unfortunately. However, if we had to make an educated guess, it seems likely that the earliest it will be released is in 2025. Maybe late 2024, if we’re really, really lucky.

What we’d like to see in Resident Evil 9

The Resident Evil series is in a good place right now. Its recent entries have been met with high praise from critics and fans alike, and the cheesy overstuffed plot of Resident Evil 6 seems like a distant memory. But still, there’s always room for improvement. Here are a few things we’d like to see included in Resident Evil 9!

More open-ended level design

While a Resident Evil game wouldn't suit a fully open-world design, a more structured and expansive game world could certainly work well for the series. For instance, it would be interesting to see the game incorporate more non-linear paths and encourage exploration, rather than simply guiding the player through a linear storyline. This sort of design mentality was hinted at in Resident Evil Village, with the eponymous town opening up more and more as you progressed through the story.

Longer story

I always find myself a tad disappointed when I complete a Resident Evil game. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it ended too soon. Resident Evil 7, Village, and the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes all clock in at around 8-12 hours. I’d personally prefer if the games were just a bit longer, maybe closer to the length of the recent Resident Evil 4 remake, which takes about 16-18 hours to complete. Of course, I’m not saying that the game should be overstuffed with boring side activities to pad out the length, but rather I’d like more depth added to the story and meaningful exploration.

A more consistent tone

The tone of the Resident Evil games has always been all over the place. Sometimes it’s a frightening horror full of gore and terror, and sometimes it’s an over-the-top B-movie full of cheesy one-liners and innuendo - looking at you, Resident Evil 4. Usually, Capcom sticks with one tone for a game and runs with it. For example, Resident Evil 7 reinvented the franchise as a relatively serious homage to films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

But with Resident Evil Village, the tone was… confused. The villains and world harked back to the campy days of Resident Evil 4, but protagonist Ethan Winters was a rather dull and realistic guy, causing a jarring dissonance between him and the rest of the game. Hopefully, Resident Evil 9 will keep the tonal inconsistencies to a minimum.

More interesting and complex puzzles

Resident Evil has gained a reputation for its intricate puzzles that are incorporated into its gameplay. However, over the course of its history, these puzzles have been simplified to the point where they require little to no effort to solve. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Resident Evil Village, where the puzzles were little more than basic tasks that require little player agency, working as distractions to break up the action and horror.

It would be great if Resident Evil 9 upped the difficulty of these conundrums - though not too much; you shouldn’t need an IQ of over 150 to figure them out, after all. Going back to the style of puzzles that were in Resident Evil 7 would be a good idea, as the “Happy Birthday” puzzle in that game was a highlight.

That’s all for Resident Evil 9 news. There isn’t much to go on at the moment, but hopefully Capcom will give us some more information later in the year. For more Resident Evil, check out our review of the recent Resident Evil 4 remake.