Summary
- Rumors have suggested that Resident Evil 9 will be an open-world experience, but Capcom has not confirmed this.
- RE9's possible open-world direction raises concerns about whether it will include fast travel and how that might impact some of the series' existing elements.
- Options for implementing fast travel in RE9 include requiring spending in-game resources to access it or being linked to difficulty settings.
2024 was relatively quiet for Resident Evil, at least in terms of official information coming from developer Capcom. Last year saw Resident Evil fans receive a less-than-desired or expected number of updates about forthcoming plans for the franchise. While it's long been assumed the ninth numbered entry would be arriving after 2023's RE4 Remake, rumors and leaks have since been swirling around the series regarding other possible projects. Alongside RE9, remakes of RE5, RE0, and Code Veronica are all reportedly in the pipeline according to prominent figures, though Capcom has yet to comment on any of these.
Still, much attention remains on the next mainline title, which has only been fueled by one major rumor claiming that Resident Evil 9 will be open-world. And as players eagerly anticipate what the next installment might have in store, if this direction turns out to be true, Capcom would need to approach one staple of open-world design it might include cautiously: fast travel.
Rumor: Resident Evil 9 Setting Leaked
A reputable Capcom insider spills the beans on Resident Evil 9's setting, which potentially mirrors one of the series' best.
Resident Evil 9's Open-World Rumors Raise the Question of Fast travel
Resident Evil 9 Potentially Being Open-World Creates Both Challenges and Opportunities for Fast Travel
If Resident Evil 9 is finally embracing an open-world, it opens the door to some significant considerations. The prospect has already proven divisive among fans even as it has not been outright confirmed or denied by the developer. Fast travel has long been a standard feature of open-world titles, but in RE's case, shifting to this direction for the first time presents more of a balancing act to implement.
Much of RE's intensity and fear derive from its smaller claustrophobic environments, and an open or even semi-open world puts this at risk, especially if players are given the ability to quickly and easily traverse it. Given Resident Evil's sensibilities and the important feeling of constant tension as players navigate areas, this would need to be upheld.
Fast travel would also impact the backtracking and related aspects that are core parts of the Resident Evil experience. Acquiring key items and solving puzzles needed to progress, or that unlock certain shortcuts, could be undercut by the inclusion of fast travel. However, there are a few ways that Capcom can take cues from previous entries while iterating on them to have fast travel in RE9 without disrupting other elements.
How Resident Evil 9 Could Integrate Fast Travel
Resident Evil 4 and Village have some of the largest interconnected levels in the series, but neither are strictly open-world by most definitions. Depending on the actual size of its map, RE9 may be similarly just big enough to not necessitate a fast travel system. But Capcom's increasing use of the RE Engine for its other properties, particularly ones that are more open-world themselves, could be a clue that adds stock to the aforementioned rumors, and broadly inform how RE might follow suit.
Capcom could compromise by requiring players to spend specific limited and/or valuable resources to access a fast travel system. This would play into Resident Evil's ingrained item management, and offer a meaningful choice between conservation and convenience. And if it also has dual protagonists, it could call back to its history and translate into an expanded system similar to the original RE2, where one character opens additional paths or unlocks travel points that the other can later make use of.
Other options would be to have fast travel obtainable only after a certain point much later in the story, so that the bulk of the experience remains traditionally constrained. Fast travel might also be tied to difficulty settings, with harder ones disabling it, or having achievements and rewards attached for forgoing it even if available across all levels. In any case, if Resident Evil 9 aims to maintain the series' classic feel and keep the fear intact while being an open-world that includes fast travel, Capcom has some good ways to do so, so long as it smartly incorporates them.
Resident Evil 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- March 24, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
