The inevitable Resident Evil 4 remake will likely introduce a lot of changes, but what about the game’s Mercenaries mode? Following in the shoes of successful, high-profile remakes for both Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, leaks point to a Resident Evil 4 remake, with a rumored release window of 2022.
Capcom has a lot of work to do if it wants to outshine the original Resident Evil 4. First released in 2005 on the Nintendo GameCube (a possible rebuttal to the popular “Nintendo only has kiddie games” line of thinking), the title racked up dozens of awards, including multiple Game of the Year prizes. The entry’s popularity has led to ports across 11 different platforms (including mobile and even the Zeebo), and this helped propel RE4 to more than 10 million units sold.
Alongside Resident Evil 4’s excellent story campaign, Capcom also included another entry of the RE series’ Mercenaries mode, which challenges players to dispatch the most enemies possible within a time limit. Mercenaries was included in Resident Evil 3, 4, 5, and 6. However, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and the remake of Resident Evil 3 have no Mercenaries modes, and there’s currently no news of it being included in the upcoming Resident Evil Village. Fans may eventually have to face the bad news that Capcom is no longer interested in supporting the minigame series.
What Mercenaries Could Look Like In Resident Evil 4’s Remake
Instead of Mercenaries mode, Capcom included Resident Evil: Resistance (a new, 1-vs-4 online game) alongside the Resident Evil 3 remake. RE: Resistance follows the popular Dead by Daylight formula, wherein one player (in this case, the Mastermind) tries to prevent the others (the Survivors) from escaping from the map. This type of gameplay may be trendy, but it lacks the arcade high-score hype of the classic Mercenaries mode. Plus, because the 1-vs-4 structure is unbalanced by its very nature, it’s tough for players to compare their results to those of their friends and see who comes out on top.
Resident Evil 4’s original Mercenaries mode featured Leon, Ada Wong, Jack Krauser, HUNK, and Albert Wesker as unlockable playable characters, each with their own unique abilities. Other unlockables included different stages and more powerful weapons. If Capcom wants to continue the games-as-service model of Resistance, adding online co-op and PvP, local and global rankings boards, cosmetic microtransactions, and other perks are obvious ways to revive Mercenaries and maybe even keep it going for the long haul. Think of playing as Resident Evil series staple Chris Redfield – or of the redemption of playing a version of Ashley Graham who not only doesn’t scream for Leon’s help but manages to take down Los Iluminados on her own.
Unfortunately, the downside of online multiplayer is the amount of ongoing support (both technically and creatively) these endeavors require. It’s entirely possible Capcom is simply not interested in making that investment for Mercenaries mode, nor in outsourcing it, as it focuses on new endeavors like the Resident Evil Netflix adaptation. Nevertheless, fans should still keep their fingers crossed.
Although Resident Evil 4 has elements of both survival horror and action game, the title represented a split in the franchise, with fans often preferring either the old (survival horror) or the new (action) style of game. Currently, Capcom seems to be entertaining both crowds. Its remakes are leaning more towards action, while its brand-new games have been a return to survival horror. If Mercenaries mode is ever going to make a comeback, the Resident Evil 4 remake is the time to do it, as it would help maintain that balance of old and new and keep fans of both styles of gameplay engaged.
