Of all the games fans were expecting Capcom to unveil as part of the venerable Resident Evil franchise's upcoming 20th anniversary, "Umbrella Corps," an online competitive shooter game, was likely not on the list. Despite its departure from the series' normal format, "Umbrella Corps" still contains several elements which are synonymous with the Resident Evil series, including the evil Umbrella Corporation and the presence of zombies. However, if Capcom wanted to make "Umbrella Corps" really feel like a Resident Evil game, it could start by implementing the five features outlined below.
Contextual Melee Attacks
We already know that all "Umbrella Corps" players will have access to the Brainer, a deadly pick-axe weapon which can one-hit-kill both zombies and enemy players. However, it'd be neat if players could also take out zombies (and maybe even human opponents) using stylish contextual melee attacks, much like how they can in more recent Resident Evil games like "Resident Evil 4" and "Resident Evil Revelations 2." Maybe these special melee attacks could even grant a boosted XP bonus and/or score multiplier if pulled off successfully in the heat of combat.
Raid Mode
The main focus of "Umbrella Corps" will obviously be on team-based competitive play, but it'd be nice if Capcom took the time to also implement a co-op vs. A.I. mode for less competitive Resident Evil fans. One format such a mode could take is that of the Raid mode format from "Resident Evil Revelations" and its recent sequel: both open and linear maps populated with various A.I. enemies, some of which have special conditions and/or status effects. Raid mode proved to be a popular hit in both "Revelations" games, and it would likely continue to do so if it were available in a dedicated online game.
The Spencer Mansion
A little throwback to make the longtime fans happy, a game map set in the iconic Spencer Mansion from the original "Resident Evil" could also tie into "Umbrella Corps'" loose story of rival pharmaceutical companies battling for control of Umbrella's assets. After all, we don't really know what happened with the mansion after the events of the core games, or what secrets it could still contain....
Additional Bio-Weapons
It sounds like the presence of zombies will add an interesting wrinkle to "Umbrella Corps'" otherwise standard shooter gameplay, but what if Capcom didn't stop at just zombies? Imagine being engaged in a fierce firefight with enemy players only to have Crimson Heads or Hunters suddenly enter the fray? The presence of additional bio-weapons could also open up new co-op vs. A.I. opportunities, since enemy players might suddenly become temporary allies if the threat proved to be large enough.
Character Camoes
"Umbrella Corps" players will be playing as nameless mercenaries by default, but that doesn't mean iconic characters like Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Leon Kennedy couldn't make an appearance. Maybe players could unlock the ability to temporarily play as these characters if they attained a high enough kill streak or score threshold, or maybe there could be an entirely separate "Legends" mode in which players got to pick from a roster of their favorite characters before duking it out. These characters have become a core staple of the franchise, and it'd be a shame if they ended up being sidelined completely.
Which of the above features would you want to see implemented in "Umbrella Corps?" Be sure to vote in the included Design and Trend poll!
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