Summary
The horror video game genre is home to some of the most terrifying, monstrous, and iconic enemy types in gaming. FromDead Space’s lumbering Necromorphs toSilent Hill’s Pyramid Head, iconic enemy designs play a vital role in the horror gaming genre, often being an integral part of a game’s scares. Nowhere is this more true than with theResident Evilfranchise.
Over the last 28 years, theResident Evilfranchise has continued to single-handedly deliver some of the most recognizable monsters in horror fiction, withResident Evil 2’s Lickers,Resident Evil 3’s Hunters, andResident Evil 4’s Regeneradors all being at the top of that list. With recent rumors suggesting thatResident Evil 9might end up being the biggest game in the franchise yet, it’s more important than ever for the series to be on its A-game when it comes to enemy design, and that might involve taking a page out of theResident Evilremakes' playbook.
A New Nemesis Would Be Perfect For Resident Evil 9’s Rumored Open-World
Mr. X and Nemesis Are Highlights of Their Resident Evil Games
With the originalResident Evilcutting its “Stalker” enemy concepts from the final product, and Mr. Xonly appearing at scripted points during the original version ofResident Evil 2,it wouldn’t be until 1999’sResident Evil 3that fans saw the franchise’s most horrifying enemy type. So integral to the experience that he’s the game’s subtitle,Resident Evil 3’s Nemesiswas the first enemy type in the series to really stalk the player across most of the game world, and it offered a thrill like no other at the time. Being impossible to kill, difficult to down, but capable of dishing out a lot of damage, Nemesis was a truly terrifying foe, one that would be seared into the minds of fans for decades to come.
Though theResident Evilseries hearkened back to Nemesis a few times in the following years, the stalker enemy type wouldn’t make a proper return untilResident Evil 2 Remake, where Mr. X was given a petrifying glow-up. No longer set to appear just in scripted sequences,Resident Evil 2 Remake’s Mr. Xstalks the player through the various halls, stairways, and chambers of the Raccoon City Police Department, only relenting from his hunt when locked out of the safe room or downed temporarily by the player. The subtle but distinct sound effect of Mr. X’s boots on the RPD’s tile flooring, his uncanny visual design, and the sheer force of his punches made Mr. X an instantly iconic horror game enemy.
How a Nemesis-Like Enemy Could Work in Resident Evil 9
Able to strike fear into the hearts of players more so than any other enemy inResident Evilfranchise history, stalker bosses like Mr. X and Nemesis can offer some of the most memorable moments in the world of horror video games, but they need to be implemented at the right time. Stalker enemies can easily lose their luster if their hunt is overly long, and if it never really evolves. That being said, if recent rumors are true, then a stalker enemy could work perfectly inResident Evil 9.
According to a recent rumor byleaker Dusk Golem,Resident Evil 9could be using an open-world structure, with Capcom apparently building off the tech created forDragon’s Dogma 2. While all leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt, it’s still fun to speculate and imagine what a fully open-worldResident Evilcould look like, and it’s a structure that would leave the door wide open for a stalker enemy type. Rather than being limited to the narrow halls of the RPD, or the alleyways of Raccoon City,Resident Evil 9’s stalker enemy could patrol the entire map freely, never relenting, and consistently taking the player by surprise by disappearing for long periods, only to return when they least expect it.
Resident Evil 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The genre-defining masterpiece Resident Evil 2 returns, completely rebuilt from the ground up for a deeper narrative experience. Using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, Resident Evil 2 offers a fresh take on the classic survival horror saga with breathtakingly realistic visuals, heart-pounding immersive audio, a new over-the-shoulder camera, and modernized controls on top of gameplay modes from the original game.In Resident Evil 2, the classic action, tense exploration, and puzzle solving gameplay that defined the Resident Evil series returns. Players join rookie police officer Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who are thrust together by a disastrous outbreak in Raccoon City that transformed its population into deadly zombies. Both Leon and Claire have their own separate playable campaigns, allowing players to see the story from both characters’ perspectives. The fate of these two fan favorite characters is in players hands as they work together to survive and get to the bottom of what is behind the terrifying attack on the city. Will they make it out alive?
