Resident Evil 9 is hiding in the shadows at the moment, but an announcement from Capcom feels imminent. It’s been three years since the last Resident Evil chapter, and its open-ended finale has raised even more questions about the future of the series. Between Resident Evil 7 and Village, the main source of infection was found in the Mold, a dangerous fungus that originates in the mountains of Eastern Europe. Its introduction was a departure from the Umbrella-made viruses the franchise has established, and if rumors are true, the Mold will return in the next game.
Resident Evil 7 and Village served as a surprising origin story for the Umbrella Corporation. Mother Miranda, the person responsible for discovering the Mold, once mentored Umbrella founder Oswell E. Spencer, which inspires the latter’s future work. While the T-Virus and G-Virus mutate its victims into zombified abominations, the Mold can cause even more terrifying changes to its host. The Mold possibly returning in Resident Evil 9 could be divisive for fans who are more partial to the original games, but it has a major advantage, as it’s a unique cause of infection in an increasingly oversaturated genre.
Related
Gamer Makes Surprise Discovery in Old Copy of Resident Evil 3
A gamer buys an old copy of the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and makes a surprise discovery inside of the case.
Resident Evil 9 Bringing Back the Mold Can Help Its Story Stand Out in a Crowded Space
Recently Released/Soon-To-Be Released Zombie Games
- Dying Light 2 (available now)
- Dead Island 2 (available now)
- No More Room in Hell 2 (early access)
- Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days (playable demo)
- State of Decay 3 (TBD)
- John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (TBD)
These are just a few of the zombie games already released or planned to be released, likely within the next year. That’s a lot of titles to stand up against, and although Resident Evil has the benefit of being an established franchise with a massive following, it still needs to feel special. An ongoing trope in the zombie genre involves viruses causing infection, but the Mold gives Resident Evil a new path forward.
Theories have suggested that
Resident Evil 9
could potentially be announced at the upcoming Game Awards.
There have been plenty of rumors swirling about Resident Evil 9, and one of the biggest claims revolves around the return of the Mold and fan-favorite Resident Evil protagonists Jill and Leon. Resident Evil 9 will already have a tricky balancing act with offering fan service in a compelling way that doesn’t feel too gimmicky, and the Mold could help with striking such a target. Now, many Resident Evil fans are familiar with the Mold and Leon and Jill, but audiences have yet to see how the duo would handle coming face-to-face with such a dangerous fungus for the first time.
The potential return of The Connections in Resident Evil 9 brings a fresh enemy to the forefront. As of now, this mysterious organization has only been briefly brushed over, but it’s at least known that the crime syndicate experiments heavily with the Mold. In order to get more answers about The Connections, the Mold has to play a role in the story.
Mother Miranda supplied The Connections with a sample of the Mold.
Resident Evil Should Be Allowed to Evolve
A brand-new antagonist via The Connections has brought an opportunity for the franchise to stay true to Resident Evil‘s established themes of corporate corruption and unchecked scientific experimentation while also opening the door to further growth. The Mold is a more formidable foe than the viruses created by Umbrella, and most other titles in the zombie genre don’t have that special ingredient.
One of the few franchises to forego a virus-based genesis for its zombies is The Last of Us. While it also features a fungus as its zombie source, Resident Evil‘s version of such a concept is far more otherworldly and over-the-top, setting it apart quite well. There has yet to be confirmation of more Mold in Resident Evil 9, but it feels inevitable.
Ethan Winters finds himself in an entirely new nightmare in Capcom’s latest installment of the acclaimed Resident Evil franchise. Whether you’re defending against Lycans in the grim dwellings of the village or exploring the lavish Castle Dimitrescu, the meticulously designed environments immerse you in this eerie world, powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine.Run from, hide or face off against a diverse cast of terrifying village inhabitants in dream-like – no, nightmarish – situations and fight your instincts to push through classic horror-based sequences.Also, be sure to check out “The Mercenaries” that unlocks once you’ve finished the campaign, a fast-paced and arcade-like game mode which challenges players to blast away enemies against the clock.
- Released
- May 7, 2021
- Engine
- RE Engine
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Cross Save
- yes
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps4,ps4,xbox one, pc
