Because the franchise has experienced a second wind in recent years, it is clear to see why so many are excited forResident Evil 9. It has not been confirmed yet, but a few rumors have popped up and there’s speculation galore. The IP overall is exploring a wide range of game mechanics and settings with its new releases, and its next installment will surely carry forward this trend.
Although recentResident Evilreleases have been successful,RE9will still have to introduce a range of new elements in order to stand out. As a result, theResident Evilfranchise should look towards other survival horror IPs likeDead Space, and more specifically the franchise’s use of an Intensity Director, to keep things fresh.
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TheDead Spacefranchise recently debuted a fascinating new mechanic known as theIntensity Director in January’sDead Spaceremake. A form of AI, the Intensity Director takes control of the number of enemies faced by the player, ambient elements such as fog, and even what resources the player can find. The Intensity Director is a fantastic way to level out the playing experience of the title, ensuring that players are constantly in the sweet spot of being alert and on edge but not entirely overwhelmed.
Other games and franchises have used similar mechanics to great success,such as theLeft 4 Deadseries, where boss enemies and special events were controlled by an AI director.Dead Spaceshares a lot of its core themes and game mechanics with theResident Evilfranchise, and the latter can take a lot of inspiration from the former. In particular, the use of an Intensity Director inResident Evil 9could make the release seriously stand out among fans.
Resident Evil 9 and an Intensity Director
Not a lot is currently known aboutResident Evil 9, with the franchiseonly recently releasing a remake ofResident Evil 4. Early leaks and rumors suggest thatRE9is in development, reportedly going by the working title of “Apocalypse.”
These rumors also suggest thatRE9will be set in a ghost-town village in the western United States. With this kind of setting likely fostering the same tense gameplay as other recentREtitles, an Intensity Director could work wonders for the release. Like many survival horror titles,Resident Evilgames are renowned for their level of replayability, with fans often engaging in “New Game Plus” modes for the franchise.
While these subsequent playthroughs can unlock things like new outfits for characters, the gameplay itself is largely the exact same. The introduction of an Intensity Director would completely eliminate this, ensuring that every playthrough has its own unique pacing and order of encounters. As well as this, an Intensity Director forResident Evil 9would generally foster smoother gameplay by making sure players are consistently met with a fair challenge.
Of course, an Intensity Director would also do wonders for the difficulty options ofResident Evil 9. The difficulty would take on a whole new feel for the franchise with an Intensity Director, creating a truly grueling challenge where every facet of the game’s AI is working to give the player no form of respite at higher difficulties, and vice versa. The concept of an in-game director is quite an old one within the gaming industry, yet one that has recently shone in the survival horror genre. Given the similarities between theDead SpaceandResident Evilfranchises, a clearlesson can be learned byResident Evil 9in the introduction of its own Intensity Director.
