The next Resident Evil title is still some ways off, even as leaks regarding its existence continue to pile up. Allegedly, Resident Evil 9 is an open-world game using the same technology that went into making Dragon's Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds, although for whatever reason Capcom seems content to give both games plenty of space. Resident Evil is no stranger to larger gaps between its mainline games, but with nothing to follow 2024’s Resident Evil 4 remake and Onimusha: Way of the Sword launching in 2026, it feels like Resident Evil 9 is a particularly long way off.
Since the game hasn't even been announced, there isn't much else that's concrete to go over. According to more leaks, a youthful Jill Valentine and appropriately aged Leon S. Kennedy will take the protagonist chair, this time joined by fellow RE veterans Chris Redfield and Barry Burton as support. It sounds promising, even if an open-world Resident Evil is a drastic departure from the series’ norm that doesn't play to its usual strengths. Even so, Resident Evil 9 could still succeed if it takes lessons from the modern open world powerhouse The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, particularly regarding its most controversial mechanic.
How Resident Evil 9 Can Live Up to Its 'Major Reinvention' Rumors
According to recent rumors, Resident Evil 9 will be a reinvention on a similar scale as Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7, which is significant.
Breath of the Wild’s Weapon Durability Was A Bold, But Risky Endeavor
Why Other Games Are Hesitant To Copy Breath of the Wild’s Durability
Anyone familiar with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom knows that those Zelda games made a lot of hotly debated changes to the series' core formula, but none more so than weapon durability. Even a whole console generation and tens of million sales later, some players still can't stand the limited weapon durability that Breath of the Wild introduced, and don't consider Tears of the Kingdom’s Fuse power to be a sufficient bandage for it. The fanbase will likely remain split over this system, but like it or not, it is core to Breath of the Wild’s identity.
The largest reason for the feature's existence is how it infuses the game with a sense of variety, even if one might protest that it's artificially induced. Constant weapon shatters, which serve as extra-powerful attacks if thrown, means that players always need to be on the lookout for new weapons, shields, and bows to replace their old ones. Even if Breath of the Wild’s more powerful equipment often comes with higher durability, players can't rely on any tool forever; managing their limited inventory space adds another layer to the system, and incentivizes looking for Koroks.
Resident Evil 9 Could Pair Its Open World With Weapon Durability
Still, the system undeniably has room for improvement, and a different game will have to handle such a volatile mechanic in its own way. Resident Evil 9 could reap significant rewards by successfully implementing weapon durability alongside its open world, especially since Resident Evil's built-up armory synergizes with durability points in a surprising way. The survival horror franchise is already well known for its limited inventory space, and its bevy of guns, grenades, and knives could be spread out over an open world, with durability forcing players to take on different, or similar, encounters in drastically different ways.
Durability in Resident Evil Must Be Balanced Carefully
It helps that Resident Evil 4’s remake experimented with knife durability already, but extending the system to guns presents some new issues. Special, limited items like grenade launchers and rocket launchers could simply be used up after firing their usual small payloads, but regular guns still need ammo of varying types. Resident Evil 9’s inventory management will need to make a tough choice between limited weapon slots and an attache case. Weapon durability is always a risky proposition if it's prominent, but Resident Evil 9 could thread the needle and make one of Zelda's least popular mechanics work in its favor.
Resident Evil 4
OpenCritic Reviews
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
