With the next generation of video games, things are more aligned with the open-world genre than a linear narrative. The upcoming Tomb Raider and Resident Evil games could share the same fate. Popular titles like Call of Duty took the liberty to experiment by stepping outside their traditional approach. It turns out fans are comfortable with the linear storyline unless they are playing Warzone.
Capcom’s franchise switched their gameplay from third-person perspective (TPP) to first-person perspective (FPP) in 2017 with Resident Evil 7, which was the first full-length game to use their in-house engine. None of the TR games has done anything like that, nor has it explored open-world concepts before. However, Rise of the Tomb Raider could be considered a symbiosis between an open-world and linear narrative.
Tomb Raider Being Open-World Doesn’t Sit Well with Fans
As rumors of the next installment in the series being open world surfaced over the internet, fans couldn’t help but express their feelings towards the genre.
One user on social network Reddit called vandaljax is “tired of open world.” His interest lies in the depiction of a British woman running around in an Indian setting.
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Another user, dubbed Nikkibraga, said he doesn’t have a beef with open-world games. It’s just the traversal mechanics that bug the user. The Redditor further added that a level-based design would be good.
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A user named Act_of_God comments about checking out the minimap or a compass repeatedly in an open-world setting.
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It wasn’t just Tomb Raider; Resident Evil 9‘s topic also made it into the conversation. VisualPersona95 highlighted that both games are likely to take place in an open-world setting.
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A noted leaker dubbed Dusk Golem shared the leak in March 2024 and said that Monster Hunter Wild and Resident Evil 9 are being built using the RE Engine.
(2/2) take on RE:3 & RE:4 for a remake initiative. Dragons Dogma 2 expanded RE Engine functionality for open world games, the two other games building on this tech is Monster Hunter Wild & Resident Evil 9.
— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) March 22, 2024
Now the question only remains as to whether or not this idea actually takes fruition.
Maybe Developers Should Take Inspiration from Stellar Blade
Akin to the next Tomb Raider game, the idea that Resident Evil 9 will be an open-world game doesn’t sit well with the franchise’s fans. The concept does sit well with the fact that Capcom may pull off a GTA in Raccoon City, a fictional town in the universe.
One fan believes that gamers cannot stand the kind of open-world games entering the market today.
Honestly today the games are so generic, anything clutter open world with 350 side missions to drag the gameplay to a point that the person can't even stand it or look at the game anymore, I'm even afraid of what can happen with Resident Evil 9, a GTA in Racoon City?😂😂 pic.twitter.com/P6F6ppYT42
— InfiniteGamingRuns (@InfiniteGamingR) May 4, 2024
If developers are thinking about an open-world Resident Evil game, one fan suggests they take inspiration from Shift Up’s Stellar Blade.
If Resident Evil is going to go "open World" the RE Devs should look at Stellar Blade as a way to go about it.
— Mercury (@MercuryMachina) May 2, 2024
Open world concepts provide more autonomy to players in the gameplay, unlike most video games that have a linear narrative. However, recent instances of developers switching from linear stories to open-world settings highlight that they aren’t very well received by fans. If these series are to enter this setting, they must take this into consideration and offer an experience that appeals to their community.
How do you feel about these series both getting games in an open world setting? We would like to know your thoughts on the topic in the comments section below.
