More rumors surrounding Resident Evil 8 have leaked recently, and these are the most specific to date, pertaining to enemies, the protagonist, and more. Following the massive success of Resident Evil 7, fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting the next mainline installment in the series. Although Capcom seems to be focusing primarily on their Resident Evil remakes recently–with the remake of Resident Evil 2 receiving critical acclaim and the Resident Evil 3 remake poised to do the same–RE7 left players with questions that can only be answered by the next canonical entry in the franchise.
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The wait for RE8 is unique due to the new direction Capcom took with RE7. While the series began as the epitome of the survival horror genre, it slowly evolved into an action/survival horror hybrid with the legendary Resident Evil 4. Its success spawned two sequels, with Resident Evil 6 almost fully exchanging the series’ original slow-paced and anxiety-inducing gameplay for frequent explosions, quick time events, and intense action. Five years later, Capcom released RE7, surprising fans with a new protagonist, a first-person view, a unique setting, and an atmosphere reminiscent of the first Resident Evil. Despite initially low sales, these changes were embraced by fans and the game was heralded as a return to form for a series that was beginning to lose focus.
According to the rumors recently emailed to Biohazard Declassified, Capcom may be maintaining the style and mechanics of RE7 going forward. The rumors state that RE7’s Ethan will return as a playable character, the game will once again be in first-person, and the setting will be snowy and mountainous, with the game beginning in a rural village and eventually reaching a castle-like environment. RE8–which the source claims will be branded as something “clever”–may also be bringing back elements from previous games, with zombies replacing RE7’s Molded enemies, wolf-like creatures attacking the player, and Chris Redfield making an appearance. The email also describes a “persistent shadowy female like enemy, chasing us at most parts of the game but will dissipate if shot at,” reminiscent of RE2’s Tyrant or the upcoming RE3’s Nemesis.
It should be noted that the sender did not give a source for this information, making these claims unverifiable. However, given the history of the Resident Evil series, they do not sound unreasonable. The franchise has repeatedly reused gameplay mechanics and enemies to great effect, and the success of RE7 makes it a distinct possibility that Capcom will try to capitalize on elements that have resonated with players. With the acclaim received by the RE2 remake, it is also not far-fetched that RE8 would revisit the concept of an invincible enemy who stalks the player throughout the game.
The Resident Evil franchise’s recent success only adds to Capcom’s already impressive resurgence. Following the mixed reviews of RE6, Capcom proved with RE7 that mainline entries in the series were still capable of delivering the atmosphere found in the original Resident Evil titles. This was emphasized by the RE2 remake and will likely also be the case with the upcoming remake of RE3. If these rumors are to be believed, Capcom has been hard at work on RE8 throughout the development of these remakes, which will only add to the series’ momentum.
Resident Evil 8 has not been announced at time of writing.
Source: Biohazard Classified
