Resident Evil Shouldn’t Abandon Third-Person Games

Resident Evil 7 was a huge hit and the latest in a slow but steady evolution of the series, though it was the most dramatic departure from the games that started back in 1996. Shifting to a completely first-person view, 7 and the upcoming Resident Evil Village are embracing the horror aspects of the franchise, something that the immersion of first-person is definitely more suited for. For some of us though, that shift takes away other aspects of the games that have grown to define them over the years, and if you’re like me, this shift means those experiences could be relegated to remakes and memories. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way if Capcom just continues to develop both approaches to the franchise, essentially having their cake and eating it too.

Now, it would seem logical to some that the current remakes would fill that third-person space nicely, and that could be true for a while, as games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica (a personal fave), Resident Evil 5 and 6, and Resident Evil Revelations are all primed for remakes. Still, those don’t have the opportunity to bring in new characters or explore new concepts like an all-new entry would and are more focused on introducing big storylines and existing characters to a new set of fans.

With new entries, you can really open up the world and explore different aspects of it without crowding everyone into one game. Chris Redfield was featured in RE for instance, so you could use the other series to include characters like Claire, Sheva, Jill, Carlos, or Leon, allowing you to maximize your roster in a greater way. Like RE 5, you then introduce new characters into the mix either as partners or interesting side characters and continue to build out the world.

As for third-person, there’s something immediately familiar and almost comforting when you have a third-person view in a Resident Evil. That might seem opposed to the general conceit that it’s a horror game that is supposed to frighten you, but it actually helps temper the frights with a sense of “I know this world, and I can at least see from all angles”. I know I’m not alone in saying I twist that camera all around me when turning around a corner and heading into a new room, and it helps to keep you moving and then also sets you up for the jump scares even more since you feel temporarily safe.

Third-person also allows for a different style of action, one that suits the over-the-top aspects of the franchise that have become a recent hallmark. Granted, Resident Evil 6 took all of these too far, but it worked for both Resident Evil 4 and 5, and even 3 had elements of it. When you want someone to take down an enemy in a gruesome brutal finisher, it’s just not the same when you don’t see the complete picture of Redfield knocking someone’s head clean off with a punch. It’s ridiculous, but that’s the point.

Now, some prefer first-person combat, and I can’t tell them they’re wrong, as there are plenty of amazing examples of first-person games out there that handle gunplay and storytelling in a fun and immersive way. It’s more of a preference thing, really, but with a third-person camera view and what it allows being so intrinsic to the franchise and what it has excelled at for so long, I’d hate to lose it completely. Releasing new entries with this in mind would appeal to both sets of fans and give Capcom a way to keep expanding its world and keep things fresh, since every other entry would have a different feel.

So, that’s my take, but what do you think? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Resident Evil with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!