A New Kind of Evil

Chris is back.

Resident Evil is back for a fifth outbreak later this year. The first teaser shown months and months ago showed a male character in an exceedingly sunny town, stalked by fast-moving humanoids that have more in line with the enraged humans of 28 Days Later than Night of the Living Dead. Well, this year’s E3 showed us a bit more, and a new trailer recently appearing online hinted at even more horror goodness to come.

For one thing, the male character shown is Chris Redfield, former STARS agent and hero of Resident Evils Past. Like Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil 4, Chris seems to have moved on; it’s been years since the Racoon City incident that started it all, and presumably Umbrella is also no more at this time. However, trouble isn’t hard to find for ol’ Chris. He finds himself on a unspecified mission in this African-like town, populated by tribesment who soon become savagely hostile like the Ganados in RE4. Soon, Chris is running or fighting his way past huge mobs of crazed attackers, machetes and sickles flying at him here and there. All in a day’s work, I guess.
According to Capcom, RE5 will share much with the previous game, but will have distinct new features. Of course, as of right now we have no idea of these new goodies. The most obvious improvement is in the graphics- Next Gen and all that- so at least this Evil will look the most horrible- in this case, that’s a good thing.

One last thing- in the new, extended trailer, the last thing shown is a mysterious, blonde-haired female sleeping in bubbly liquid who suddenly opens her eyes. This is obviously a very important figure in RE5’s story- perhaps even the End Boss. Who could it be? Reports say it could very well be Rebecca Chambers, another former STARS member and heroine of several RE games who was captured by the current enemy. I was kinda hoping though this mystery femme may be Alexia Ashford, but that’s a longshot… considering she’s dead. Or is she? Hmmm.

Damsel in Distress or Evil Femme Fatale?

Resident Evil 5 is as yet exclusive to the Xbox360, and is set for release on October 1, 2007.