One of Resident Evil’s Weakest Spin-Offs Deserves a Modern Reimagining

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Spin-off games in the Resident Evil series vary greatly in quality, and many don’t live up to the standards of the main games. Some are particularly weak and easily forgotten. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is one of these, released on the Nintendo 3DS shortly after the console’s disappointing debut. Like the 3DS itself, it felt like a pale imitation of what it could have been and was overpriced. While the game’s graphics were somewhat impressive for the 3DS, it hasn’t aged well. However, it offers a good model for Capcom as they consider the future, having recently released three remakes and three brand new Resident Evil titles. Now would be a great time to create another standalone The Mercenaries game.

It makes sense to combine the popular ‘The Mercenaries’ mode from different Resident Evil games into one large experience. Games like Resident Evil 7, Village, and Requiem, along with the remakes, all feature unique enemies, locations, and bosses with little repetition. Including all the recent heroes and villains, each with their own special skills and weapons, would make the game even more fun to play again and again.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D Was a Decent Idea

The potential is incredibly exciting. Just picture playing as Leon Kennedy and roundhouse kicking Lady Dimitrescu, or having Jill Valentine take out Regenerador parasites with a sniper rifle. The game could even adapt to different playstyles, like the slower, more deliberate approaches of Ethan Winters and Grace Ashcroft. Switching perspectives could add even more variety, as we’ve seen in Village and Requiem, which proved how well Resident Evil works in both first-person and third-person. And let’s not forget VR – Capcom really perfected it with RE7, Village, and the Resident Evil 4 remake.

All the recent elements in Resident Evil games feel like they could come together perfectly to create a fantastic collection celebrating the series’ success over the last decade. The Mercenaries 3D tried something similar, but didn’t quite hit the mark. It relied heavily on Resident Evil 5 and only included small parts of Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 5 wasn’t the best choice to build upon because its combat was uneven, falling somewhere between scary and purely action-focused. However, newer Resident Evil games strike a better balance between these styles, and their improved controls would make a much stronger foundation for such a collection.

As a big fan of The Mercenaries, I always felt the 3D version just didn’t have enough to keep me coming back for more. The achievements didn’t really matter, and there weren’t enough costume options to unlock. If Capcom made a new version, they really need to add more ways to stay engaged beyond just trying to beat your high score. They’ve got tons of costumes already from other Resident Evil games, which would be a great start! But it would be awesome if they combined those cosmetic rewards with things that actually change how you play – like new weapons or gear. That would really make you want to replay levels and try different strategies, just like in the older games. Honestly, Village‘s Mercenaries mode did a great job with this by letting you customize your loadout and buy upgrades between rounds – that’s the kind of depth I’d love to see again.

Another Resident Evil: The Mercenaries Is More Fitting Than Another Bad Multiplayer Entry

Capcom could easily include content from recent Resident Evil games in a new Mercenaries mode. This would be a much better direction for the franchise than the several multiplayer games Capcom has released over the past ten years. Titles like Umbrella Corps, Resident Evil Resistance, and Resident Evil Re:Verse haven’t worked because they weren’t well-made and didn’t capture the spirit of the Resident Evil series.

Recent multiplayer attempts haven’t captured what makes Resident Evil special. They lack balance, aren’t frightening, and would likely fail quickly without the strength of the Resident Evil name. A strong single-player experience, like a modern take on the classic Mercenaries mode, would probably be more popular and offer more replay value. Resident Evil’s core gameplay is already compelling enough to keep players engaged, so Capcom doesn’t need to rely on multiplayer to boost its appeal.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D had a good basic idea – expanding the popular Mercenaries mode into a full game. While the 3DS version didn’t quite live up to its potential, the concept is still worth exploring. Now, with more powerful consoles and a strong track record of recent Resident Evil games, Capcom has a better chance to create the experience they originally envisioned.

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2026-03-15 20:12