TheResident Evilfranchise has no shortage of spinoffs. The franchise has seenlight-gun shooters likeResident Evil: SurvivorandDarkside Chronicles, multiplayer-focused games likeResident Evil: OutbreakandOperation Raccoon City, and plenty in between.
TheseResident Evilspinoffs weren’t always great, but they did add a lot of variety to the franchise, spicing up the series between classic survival horror mainline entries. But aside from a few poorly received multiplayer modes, theResident Evilfranchise hasn’t produced many spinoffs in the last decade. It could be fun to see some more, andResident Evil’s Mercenaries mode might hold the key to a very unique kind ofREspinoff.
Mercenaries Paves The Way for a Villain-Focused Resident Evil Spinoff
Resident Evil’s Mercenaries Mode Lays The Foundations for a Villain-Focused Game
Since the very dawn ofResident Evil’s Mercenaries modeall the way back in 1999’sResident Evil 3: Nemesis, players have been given the opportunity to play as the series' bad guys.RE3’s Mercenaries mode allowed players to hop into the combat boots of Nikolai Zinoviev,Resident Evil 4and5let players take control of the simultaneously cool and campy Albert Wesker, andResident Evil Villagehanded players Karl Heisenberg’s hammer and Lady Dimitrescu’s claws.
In each iteration, theseResident Evilantagonistscome equipped with their own unique set of weapons and abilities, all tailored around the movesets they use against the series' protagonists. Those who have played all ofResident Evil’s Mercenaries modes already have a good understanding of what these villains feel like to play as.
The weight of their movements, the strength of their attacks, and even small things like their height in comparison to other enemies have already been figured out over the years. In delivering these playable antagonists over the decades, Capcom has laid some strong foundations for a potential villain-focusedResident Evilspinoff.
A Villain-Focused Resident Evil Spinoff Has No Shortage of Possibilities
While the concept might seem a little out of left field to begin with, aResident Evilspinoff that puts players in the role of the franchise’s most iconic antagonists could be a great way to spice up the series and keep the current cycle of mainline entries and remakes from going stale. There are plenty of different routes Capcom could explore with this general premise.
One villain-focusedREspinoff could see players taking control of Albert Wesker during the events of the firstResident Evil. Astandalone Albert Wesker adventureset sometime betweenRE1andRE5could also yield some fun results, with players being able to grow his Prototype Virus powers throughout the course of the game.
Alternatively, Capcom could embrace the franchise’s wackier side, and create aResident Evilspinoff that sees players controlling the series' antagonists in a “What If?” scenario where the villains actually win. This game could cover some ofResident Evil’s most memorable boss fights, but have the player take on the villain’s role, giving them the rare opportunity to face off against beloved protagonists like Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and Chris Redfield.
