Horror gaming has been going through somewhat of a renaissance over the past few years, with just about every IP and franchise finding newfound success and hitting new peaks for the genre. Easily the most popular and successful of the bunch is Resident Evil, a series that dates back over 20 years at this point and contains dozens of titles from mainline releases to world-class remakes. Thanks to the recent resurgence, we are now getting a brand-new movie in an altered universe from the devious mind of Zach Cregger, and while the distinct story and unique direction sound great, the more interesting discourse is about how long-lasting franchises deal with fatigue and often tend to stay too close to existing stories and characters.
With any seasoned IP or series, there is always a question regarding whether it is better to stick with what works and keep writing in the same few characters, or to branch out into uncharted waters to potentially break the mold and broaden the reach of the franchise. For Resident Evil, the majority of the numbered games contain just a handful of familiar names, and even when they pushed a new protagonist into the limelight in 7 and Village, they still relied on Chris Redfield and connections to Umbrella to tie things all together. But if you look at another veteran horror franchise like Silent Hill, the modern ideology is all about different ideas, locations, and protagonists, where the fog is more of a connected idea that links the games in a broader sense. And, as we now look to the future of Resident Evil and horror as a whole, it is unclear whether star power will be able to sustain things forever, or if new blood is the way to go.
When the new Resident Evil movie was announced, my first response was to sigh, as while the games have been pretty incredible across the board, the franchise's cinema catalog leaves a lot to be desired. However, as more details came out and additional trailers were shown, it became clear we were in for a very fresh experience that was far from the more action-heavy films that dominated the 2000s and even the games at the time. It's still Raccoon City, and it still takes place alongside the events of Resident Evil 2, despite being set in the modern day, but the connections to the previous plots and characters are far more distant, which may seem like a strange move, but I think it is actually a stroke of genius.
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
If we look at the last 10 years of Resident Evil, it is hard to point out many negatives. We have had several amazing remakes and some unreal new titles, but in every single game, the developers are still leaning on the crutches of Leon, Chris, Jill, and the wider universe, meaning that while it is amazing to see consistent survival horror bangers, there isn't a whole lot of innovation in terms of storytelling being brought to the table. Conversely, if we look at Silent Hill, after the stellar remake of the second game, the franchise is going through a very interesting period where it feels like every idea hitting the drawing board is making it to launch.
For Resident Evil, the majority of the numbered games contain just a handful of familiar names, and even when they pushed a new protagonist into the limelight in 7 and Village, they still relied on Chris Redfield and connections to Umbrella to tie things all together.
The point is that, as someone who has been following survival horror for quite some time, I welcome a breath of fresh air and an actual reinvention that goes further into the unknown, especially given how many potential points of influence and inspiration there are to draw from. It is also worth mentioning that we are heading into another era for Resident Evil, with the numbered entries coming to an end, so while we may still get a few more remakes in between mainline releases, this may be the perfect opportunity to start looking further afield into more zombie-slaying stories.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/resident-evil-movie-horror-games-new-stories-characters/
