2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the Resident Evil franchise. On a special showcase revealing new details about Resident Evil: Village, Capcom announced RE: Verse, a competitive multiplayer offering accompanying the new game. While many fans are into the series for its plot and single-player experiences, a good multiplayer mode can only help rather than hurt.
However, we are still unsure on whether or not to be excited or worried, as the ten entries below show. Regardless of how RE: Verse turns out, Resident Evil: Village is shaping up to be a worthy successor to 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, which creatively returned to the series’ survival horror roots.
10 Excited: The Mixture Of Characters
Resident Evil has one of the most memorable cast of characters, including both heroes and villains. Being able to play as most of these and seeing them interact in a multiplayer setting will be a real treat. The game aims to be a celebration of the whole series, so it only makes sense for characters throughout the years to show up. We doubt Resident Evil: Survivor will be represented, though.
9 Worried: Graphics
The RE Engine is one of the best looking engines of the generation, as proven by the recent Resident Evil games and Devil May Cry 5. Few games look as good as the aforementioned one, let alone run at 60 frames per second. We do not know if RE: Verse runs on the same engine, but its graphics and art style simply do not hold up to the series’ recent offerings. Maybe we’ll warm up to it, but a cartoonish look does not lend itself well to Resident Evil.
8 Excited: Over The Shoulder Camera
Going first-person was the right move for the mainline entries. The limited visibility increases tension and further immerses players into the terror. However, we still have a soft spot for the over the shoulder camera introduced in Resident Evil 4, and we are glad Capcom is not abandoning it.
The Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes utilize it, and RE: Verse is set to play similarly. Some bemoan it as more action than survival horror, but Resident Evil 2’s 2019 remake proved this notion wrong.
7 Worried: It’s Not Co-op
In the past, the best multiplayer experiences from the series always came in cooperative play. Resident Evil 5’s campaign was built around it and is still one of the best linear cooperative experiences two friends can go through together. Resident Evil: Outbreak was also considered a classic by those who were able to play it online before the servers shut down. Competitive modes and games specifically designed for player versus player have not faired as well.
6 Excited: Playing As A Zombie
Being a zombie in real life would be tragic for so many reasons. Taking the reigns of an undead in a video game, on the other hand, actually sounds like a lot of fun. In RE: Verse, you will be able to control one after losing your life the first time. This being Resident Evil, you will also step into the shoes of the series’ iconic monsters. One still wonders how a player controlling a zombie will stack up against a human with a gun, however.
5 Worried: Resistance Was Disappointing
Re: Verse is not the first time a separate mode was attached to a Resident Evil title. Buying Resident Evil 3 last year also earned access to Resident Evil: Resistance, a multiplayer mode which tasks a team of four with escaping a facility while another player sets up traps and unleashes zombies. Unfortunately, the mode did not grab the fanbase’s attention. Even if the mode is incredible, it might not be something fans want.
4 Excited: Multiplayer
We still do not know all the details about the game, though a beta happening soon should shed some light. However, it is encouraging just to know a multiplayer mode will be included with Resident Evil: Village for those who enjoy playing with friends.
Even if it does not stand toe to toe with the most popular multiplayer games on the market, 15 to 20 hours of entertainment is still valuable.
3 Worried: Microtransactions
This worrisome question hangs over every multiplayer game. Even after release, there is always a chance the developer throws in some microtransactions. We sincerely hope Capcom does not do this, but until the company confirms one way or the other, we cannot know. EA and Activision have ruined titles with microtransactions, and Capcom does not have the best history with it, either. Street Fighter 5 went through a small controversy regarding buying content in game with real money.
2 Excited: Free (Kind Of)
According to the showcase, RE: Verse is free to anyone who purchases Resident Evil: Village. Why word it like this and not just call it Resident Evil: Village’s multiplayer mode? Perhaps they want both versions to live independently, or the aesthetic differences made them want to separate it from the mainline entry. Regardless, at least it is extra content simply from purchasing the new game.
1 Worried: Not Really A Part Of Resident Evil: Village
Instead of making a completely different game, we would have preferred a multiplayer mode built around Resident Evil: Village’s gameplay. Imagine how cool a cooperative first-persons experience would be, or even a competitive mode. If Resident Evil 5 and Revelations 2 are any indication, games do not become less scary if you are going through them with a friend. Because Re: Verse is not a part of the main package, it feels less exciting.
