Summary
- Raccoon City’s return taps deep nostalgia, with iconic sites like the RPD and Clocktower reborn as ruins.
- Provides a strong excuse for Leon, Claire or Jill to return and guide survivors through ruins.
- Post-apocalyptic Raccoon City advances lore, honors the dead, and offers fresh, eerie environments.
It was definitely a big risk for Capcom to bring Resident Evil back to Raccoon City with the latest game in the series, Resident Evil Requiem. After all, this is an iconic area which has been explored countless times in the series, but with the developers showing more about the story, gameplay, and characters of their upcoming game, it’s starting to feel like returning to the fateful city is actually a brilliant idea, and there are a few key reasons why this is the case.
It probably would have been easy for Capcom to create a brand-new environment for players to navigate, as they did with the seventh and eighth mainline Resident Evil games, but the developers are clearly getting a lot more experimental with Requiem. By bringing back Raccoon City and giving it a new coat of post-apocalyptic paint, fans will have an absolute blast exploring this infamous location for the latest entry in the beloved series. These are the biggest reasons why Raccoon City’s return is such a genius idea from the developers at Capcom.
Familiarity
No Fan Can Pass Up The Chance To Re-Live The Horrors Of Raccoon City
Raccoon City isn’t just the most iconic area in the Resident Evil franchise, it’s one of the most recognizable locations in all of gaming. Even people who have never played the Resident Evil titles will be at least somewhat familiar with this place, and as a result, it’s always had a nostalgic aura that, for longtime fans, instantly rewinds their minds back to the classic entries in the series, specifically Resident Evil 2 and 3. Leon, Claire, and Jill may have been forced to survive in a city packed with dangerous humans and bloodthirsty zombies, but this time around, it’s going to be a lot more barren due to the devastation caused by the bombs that were designed to wipe the city off the map.
In a way, Resident Evil Requiem will feel like traveling through an old abandoned amusement park that was once full of joy and happiness. It’s going to be an absolute joy seeing buildings like the RPD and the Clocktower appear in the mainline story again after so many years, and it’s already become a major hook for why many fans of the series are interested in picking up the new game when it releases.
An Excuse For Old Characters To Return
Survivors Are Always Drawn Back To The Origins Of The Nightmare
While the Resident Evil franchise may have technically started with the Spencer Mansion in the first game, Raccoon City is where some of the series’ most iconic characters made their debut, primarily Leon and Claire. These two characters were some of the few who managed to escape the zombie-infested city before it was decimated by the bomb. While they may have avoided getting killed in the blast, it’s clear in the subsequent games that the experiences they faced in Raccoon City have taken a heavy toll on them mentally.
If Grace returns to Raccoon City and uncovers some kind of new virus or incident, it seems like a given that at least one iconic protagonist will show up to help her along the way, especially since they can act as a guide who is already familiar with the area. Raccoon City provides a perfect excuse for these characters to return, especially considering they’ve all been absent from the mainline entries for several years. It would be an amazing moment for the fans if they get to see Leon, Jill, or Claire popping zombie heads in Raccoon City once again.
Continuing The Story
With Ethan's Story Over, It's Time To Push On With The Mainline Plot
Though Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village are technically mainline games, they also feel like standalone titles since they focus almost entirely on a character who has very little to do with the overall series plot, or the other main characters of the franchise. As a result, the Resident Evil story hasn’t really moved forward since the sixth entry, which was released back in 2012. It finally feels as though Capcom is looking to move forward and explore new narrative developments and character arcs with their next game.
Since Grace is related to Alyssa Ashcroft, who appeared in Resident Evil Outbreak, she is already important to the lore of the series, but seeing an abandoned Raccoon City will also push the story forward in some pretty unique ways. Fans will now have the chance to see Raccoon City after it was destroyed at the end of Resident Evil 2 and 3. Being able to return there is a great way to advance the lore by allowing players to learn what’s actually left to see, and more importantly, whether there are still monsters lurking underneath the surface that could pose a brand-new threat.
Unique Environment
A Fresh Aesthetic That Resident Evil Players Have Never Seen Before
As mentioned previously, everybody knows about Raccoon City, but because the once vibrant and lively metropolis is now a post-apocalyptic wasteland, it ensures players won’t feel like they’re traveling through the exact same area that they did many years ago when playing Requiem. In fact, this kind of environment has never really been explored in this series, since many of the games take place in either a single building, or an area where signs of life are still clearly seen everywhere the player looks.
Usually, players will be making their way through a location that is already full of zombies and B.O.Ws, but this time around, the destination in question is somewhere that has already been completely decimated because of everything that happened during the zombie outbreak. This provides a fresh twist on the standard Resident Evil environment which many fans are eager to explore for themselves.
Connecting To Some Major Themes
Honoring And Remembering Those Who Were Lost In The Outbreak
Returning to Raccoon City also gives Capcom the perfect opportunity to tap into a pretty interesting major theme, one that appears to be at the core of the game: the idea of respecting or honoring the dead. Despite the city once having a thriving population of roughly 100,000, over 90% of Raccoon City’s citizens were taken out either by the zombies, or by the bombs that dropped in an attempt end the outbreak once and for all. Knowing that so many people met their demise in this area will already give it an incredibly creepy vibe, but the developers have also emphasized the idea of “requiem” being a prominent theme within the story itself (hence the game’s name).
As a result, having Raccoon City be the main area can elevate the story by exploring how, and if, Grace will avenge the fallen in any way she can. Of course, this will be even more important for characters like Leon and Claire, if they do show up, considering they were there to see more than a few of these grizzly deaths for themselves.
The Perfect Location For Both Newcomers And Veterans
Anyone Can Jump Into The Experience
If someone is entering the Resident Evil universe for the very first time, they will probably want to start learning as much about Raccoon City as possible, considering this is ultimately the most important location in the entire franchise. While it may have seen better days, Resident Evil Requiem will still give newcomers the opportunity to explore the iconic city as part of the brand-new mainline entry; what’s left of it, that is.
On the other hand, this setting also appeals to veterans of the series who will be excited to see how much of the city is still standing, and what has been modified by the developers since it last appeared in the games. Putting Raccoon City front and center is a clever way for Capcom to appeal to both newcomers and veterans alike, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their prior experience with the franchise, will have a great time when jumping into Resident Evil Requiem.