Resident Evil Requiem is now just six weeks away, and I can hardly take the wait.
It’s easily my most anticipated game of the year (Grand Theft Auto 6 and Marvel’s Wolverine are right up there), and yesterday’s Resident Evil Showcase detailing new info from the game only has me more excited. But one new tidbit announced in the showcase also makes me quite sad.
In a new set of 4K screenshots released by Capcom, RE9’s action is shown in all its glory as Leon chainsaws, kicks, and headshots all sorts of zombies. But a closer look, teased by the game’s director, reveals something depressing: some of them are crying, and there’s a reason why.
“This time, there are zombies that retain characteristics from when they were alive,” RE9 director Koshi Nakanishi said. “For example, there is a custodian in the building, but even as a zombie that person continues to clean the facilities diligently. There are many zombies like this that cling to the habits of their past lives. So by watching their actions closely, you can deftly dodge or take them down, adding more to the gameplay.”
The zombies in question, seen at about 2:49 in the showcase video, include what looks like a chef chopping away in his kitchen, a maid looking in a mirror, a woman wandering around aimlessly, and an elevator operator pressing buttons. And it honestly makes me quite sad to see.
The real terror of the undead, which have been a staple in the series for 30 years now and in media for much longer, is that they could be someone you know. And when they turn, you need to kill them yourself, creating the dilemma in your head: could I do this if it was my parent, or partner, or child? It’s brutal.
In RE games, the zombies rarely are a friend, allowing you to shoot and slash away at them with ease. But these new RE9 zombies retaining some of their human characteristics, as opposed to being aimless husks, really tugs at me for some reason. The crying zombies, clinging to whatever remains of their humanity, may be still alive in there somewhere, but unable to control their actions or urges. And man, that sucks.
Not for Leon, though! As you can see in the new image below, he has no issue absolutely rocking a zombie in the back of the head with his combat boots. But to be fair, he’s been doing this for quite some time, and his gameplay will be more action-oriented than new character Grace Ashcroft.
I hope Grace encounters these human-like zombies and you can feel their fear and confusion among the rotting flesh, fitting with her more horror-oriented gameplay. I hope she reacts to it accordingly, too, because she’s not a quip-slinging DSO agent who’s been absolutely merking the undead since the late 90s.
I’m very curious as to the reasoning behind the new zombies’ behavior, and it’s only making the wait for the game that much more excruciating. Resident Evil Requiem launches on Feb. 27, and I will bring some tissues just in case.
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