The Mercenaries has been an immensely popular game mode in the Resident Evil franchise since its reinvention within Resident Evil 4. While the mode owes its origins to Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil 4 made Mercenaries what it is today: a fast-paced, action-packed massacre as players strive for ever better scores, ever longer combos and ever more viscera. And, after its absence in Resident Evil 7, The Mercenaries has made its triumphant return to the series in Resident Evil Village. While the mode is good, it could be better.
The Mercenaries is unlockable from the extra content shop after completing the game for a measly 10 CP. The mode is just as fun as players would expect, but it isn't perfect. Here are three things that the mode does exceptionally well and three things that Mercenaries could improve on to help make it a more complete package.
The Mercenaries has featured time bonuses that can be acquired by smashing floating objects since Resident Evil 4. Village expands on the smashable goodies with the new blue orbs. Blue orbs are scattered around each stage, and destroying them will allow the player to choose a character upgrade from a randomized selection of three. These upgrades can range from increased movement speed all the way to causing enemies to explode upon death.
Blue Orbs offer wonderful variety. The randomized nature of the orbs can sometimes be frustrating if the player is searching for a specific skill for their run, but on the whole, they make each attempt more exciting. Reaching certain scores in different maps also unlocks new skills for the orbs rotation, providing even more variety. Giving The Mercenaries more roguelike elements was a smart decision.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of The Mercenaries in previous titles was the ability to play as a variety of characters from Resident Evil history outside of that particular game's protagonist. While it goes without saying that Ethan Winters should indeed be playable in the game mode, having him be the only playable character is a huge missed opportunity - especially in a game that already features Chris Redfield as a playable character within the story.
While some may argue that Village's first-person nature would make extra playable characters pointless, Chris's story segment and his Resident Evil 7 DLC Not a Hero already disprove this. Unique starting loadouts, abilities, HUDs and voice acting would make each character feel totally unique. The Duke could even sell particular weapons or upgrades only to specific characters, allowing players to select the one that best fits their favorite playstyle.
In most previous entries, the starting loadout for each character was unchangeable. With the exception of the spin-off The Mercenaries 3D, each character began with specific weapons and was unable to upgrade them, add attachments or exchange them within play sessions. Village solves this issue by bringing The Duke over from the main game into The Mercenaries.
Before each area, the player is free to spend Lei collected in previous stages on new weapons, upgrades, or items. In addition, they are free to sell anything they may be carrying, allowing complete freedom to create the kind of playstyle that they prefer. Making the mode a more customizable experience adds longevity to The Mercenaries, allowing players to distribute their wealth however they see fit and then completely change their strategy between areas. If Capcom is planning on further supporting the mode, some form of double Lei event will allow for even greater destructive options.
The underappreciated Resident Evil 5 introduced cooperative play to the series, and The Mercenaries benefited immensely. The mode seems tailor made for multiplayer, as working together with a friend to beat a previous high score or to survive as long as possible are formulas that have already proven successful by a litany of other games. Despite the mixed response from fans to games such as Resident Evil 6, the cooperative Mercenaries mode is commonly regarded as a genuinely enjoyable experience.
Co-op would also allow even greater use of additional playable characters, creating new ways to view them outside of the first-person perspective. As it stands, Village features no multiplayer modes whatsoever, and adding the feature to The Mercenaries would be a perfect fit. Many fans lamented that the mode didn't feature co-op to begin with, and hopefully this is something Capcom is able to rectify.
Resident Evil Village is an intense experience, to say the least. Areas such as House Beneviento feature more intense horror than the series has seen in years and spending the whole game conserving ammunition and fighting against creatures more powerful and plentiful than the player will leave many exhausted after completing Ethan's story. The Mercenaries is the perfect palette cleanser.
Enemies are slightly less bulky than the main game, allowing for quicker dispatching of foes with whichever weapon takes the player's fancy. The soundtrack is a far cry from the ambient tracks that pervade through most of the story, too. The intense music encourages the player to slaughter. The Mercenaries is Resident Evil trying its hand at DOOM - and that is exactly how it should be. The mode is a reward for completing the game, and it is pure, unbridled fun. Mercenaries is a power fantasy at the end of a journey that centers on powerlessness.
While undeniably an exceptional amount of fun, Village's Mercenaries mode has more in common with the Raid mode seen within the two Revelations titles. It retains the classic emphasis on kill combos and frantic gameplay, but the focus on completing stages quickly is the antithesis of what The Mercenaries expected of the player traditionally.
The classic mode wanted players to keep the game going as long as possible to gain high scores. Killing all enemies in a stage wasn't an easy task, as it would require extensive knowledge of map layouts, enemy spawns and time bonus locations. Supporting The Mercenaries with an extra mode that functions more akin to the classic rendition would be a perfect way to retain the original experience without erasing what Village's Mercenaries has already done. Capcom could even include the No Mercy mode, a special addition in re-releases of Resident Evil 5 and 6 which made Mercenaries exponentially more challenging with far more daunting enemy spawns.
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