Resident Evil Requiem has successfully continued the series’ three-decade saga, introducing a new character in Grace and bringing back an old favorite, Leon, for a long-awaited conclusion and a celebration of the franchise as a whole. In an interview with director Koshi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazawa, both shared their candid thoughts following the game’s release.
“We were very happy to see the reaction of players worldwide after the launch. Especially since we kept it under wraps [before release] so there wouldn’t be any surprises, particularly regarding what happens after the return to Raccoon City. So, seeing the streams, videos, and online reactions from people… we were not only pleased that they were enjoying it, but we were also relieved to see that our strategy had been correct in trying to keep that surprise for them,” states Kumazawa.
Resident Evil‘s approach to horror has evolved significantly over the 30 years since its debut. While Nakanishi acknowledges that the modern Resident Evil games’ shift towards a purer form of horror is intentional, he also points out there’s a limit. “We don’t want it to be so terrifying and unbearable that a large portion of fans don’t want to play or can barely continue. So, there’s always a sweet spot to try and reach, where it’s an addictive kind of fear, where you get scared but want to keep playing, keep having that thrilling experience.”
In a game where action includes riding a motorcycle up the side of a skyscraper, is there a limit to everyone’s favorite character, Leon? “You have to decide what scene represents Leon’s maximum level of craziness, keep it as the highlight, and not go beyond it because it needs to be balanced with other more serious scenes. So, while Leon rides a motorcycle up the side of a skyscraper and stars in a wild car chase, he also has more reflective scenes: when he arrives at the destroyed Raccoon City police station and remembers his first day of work; scenes about his infection… We want to include the fun craziness, but also have it have an end and for players to have the chance to get a little more involved in the serious narrative aspect of the game,” explains Nakanishi.
Is there pressure on Capcom’s Resident Evil team to introduce a new generation of characters to the saga? Leon, for example, is already nearing 50, which by Japanese standards is considered “old.” “It’s not an unbreakable rule that every time we create a new game and decide to release it, we have to make all characters age exactly to match the game’s age,” Nakanishi points out, mentioning the side series Revelations as an exception. More broadly, he states that the team doesn’t “feel the need to replace [their most recognizable faces] with younger characters… we don’t see it in those terms.”
“I mean, I think Leon is very appealing in his current form,” Nakanishi adds. “And who knows, we might bring him back when he’s 70, and I’m sure he’ll still be a great character.”
This content was first published on GamerFocus
