Summary
- Capcom is likely working on Resident Evil 9, potentially with an open-world format.
- RE9, if open-world, would need to carefully balance enemy encounters with the level of available supplies.
- Silent Hill 2 Remake included resources hidden in plain sight via breakable car windows, a design choice RE9 could also implement.
Excepting a brief hidden tease in a recent video celebrating the remake of the fourth main entry selling 10 million copies, Capcom has been very quiet about Resident Evil. Assumptions are that the developer is currently working on Resident Evil 9, along with potentially more remakes, according to unconfirmed rumors. And while some firm information has come to light, such as RE7 director Koshi Nakanishi taking the role again for the ninth numbered installment, the studio hasn't offered much else in the way of Resident Evil news.
Nevertheless, the series continues to have a strong presence, riding high on the reception and sales of the remakes and modern entries. In 2024, it was joined by another IP that was often viewed as the other side of Resident Evil's survival horror coin. The Silent Hill 2 Remake was a success on many fronts, presenting a new perspective and expanded version of the beloved classic while remaining true to the spirit and emotional impact of the original. Silent Hill 2 Remake got a lot of things right , and one seemingly minor inclusion might be the perfect thing for RE9 to also employ, if rumors about it being open-world hold water.
Both franchises are also set to receive new film adaptations.
One of Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Smartest Inclusions Should Be a No-Brainer For Resident Evil 9
The Silent Hill 2 Remake maintained one of the original's gameplay options that would feel right at home in Resident Evil 9.
If Resident Evil 9 Goes Open-World, It Can Take Inspiration from Silent Hill 2 Remake's Approach to Supplies
Silent Hill 2 Remake Hid Extra Resources in Plain Sight
Bloober Team's reimagining of the desolate fog-covered streets and eerily empty buildings of the town in Silent Hill 2 Remake did a great job of preserving the atmosphere and layout that many fans were familiar with. As James Sunderland frantically searches for his wife Mary, he is forced to battle the bizarre and warped manifestations that increasingly appear throughout. In classic genre fashion, players must carefully manage their inventory and check every nook and cranny to ensure they have enough health and ammo to make it through each portion.
In the sections where James can freely explore the town, he can smash many of the abandoned cars' windows for extra supplies; something that players may not notice or be aware of at first, as the game doesn't go out of its way to make this clear. It was a perhaps a more subtle but welcome design choice in Silent Hill 2 Remake, and one that could be a great help. It provides a safety net of sorts should players find themselves in dire need of additional items, and is a great way of having additional resources on hand. Resident Evil 9 could then replicate this in some form to do the same.
An Open-World Resident Evil Could Make Great Use of Silent Hill 2 Remake's 'Hidden' Items
One major rumor, according to a longtime leaker, claims that Resident Evil 9 will be "more ambitious", along the lines of how RE4 and later RE7 revolutionized the franchise. Even before this, though, many suspected that Capcom was finally looking to take the series into an open-world format, which would indeed be an ambitious tradition-breaking choice for it.
If Resident Evil is truly taking the plunge into open-world territory, it certainly will have to contend with a few major considerations to its usual formula. Keeping the tension going in a much wider world where fans may be freer to explore and approach combat situations at a different pace than normal will require a delicate approach. RE9 will need to ensure that both enemy encounters and supplies are carefully balanced so as not to tip the scales in favor of being too easy or difficult. Having supplies scattered across the world in somewhat tucked-away places like Silent Hill 2 Remake would be a good compromise to do so.
This need not be exactly the same with only vehicles providing them, but something that is functionally similar, like the crates and barrels in RE4, would fit well within a hypothetical open-world Resident Evil. The game may not telegraph that this is the case, but diligent players will discover them, and it would be both believable and mechanically sound for RE9 to take a cue from Silent Hill 2 Remake in this regard.
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
