After a longer wait than usual, the ninth installment in theResident Evilseries was finally revealed,Resident Evil Requiem, arriving just in time for the series' 30th anniversary. WhileRequiemlooks incredibly exciting,with its dual perspective system, it has an even stronger imperative to deliver as an anniversary title.Requiemalready brings the series back to its roots, returning to Raccoon City where it all began, but after playingResident Evil 7: BiohazardandResident Evil: Village,RE9must do something different.
The most iconic weapon in theResident Evilseries has to bethe Rocket Launcher, but the last time it was featured in the mainline series was back in 2012’sResident Evil 6.It’s incredibly odd that the Rocket Launcher was missing in future games, but withRequiemarriving for the 30th anniversary, it’s about time to make it available once again when thegame comes out on February 27.
The Rocket Launcher Is Synonymous With Resident Evil
Whenever You Need To Take Out A Big Baddie, A Rocket Will Do The Job
Resident Evilhas its fair share of tropes, but one of the biggest that’s had a massive impact on players is the Rocket Launcher finale. There’s always a big bad at the end of theResident Evilgames, and most of the time, you get a Rocket Launcher that’ll kill the final boss in one shot.The games played up these moments with slow-motion shots of the rocket firing, with the big bad blown to smithereens. It was an awesome running tradition, along with being able to unlock said Rocket Launcher.
In mostResident Evilgames, you can unlock an Infinite Rocket Launcher, killing everything in a single hit. The infinite ammo weapon is typically acquired by beating the game within a certain time or getting the best rating. Some games, likeCode: Veronica, were notablyhard to 100% complete, butgetting and using that Infinite Rocket Launcher was worth the trouble. However, the Rocket Launcher seemingly vanished, starting withResident Evil 7: Biohazard.
RE6 Was The Last Resident Evil Game To Have This Iconic Weapon
Why Did Capcom Remove It?
Resident Evil 6is a very controversial game in theREcommunity, with key elements like its story being panned, amistakeRE9can’t repeat. However, it did include a Rocket Launcher at the end of Leon’s campaign and would be the final numberedResident Eviltitle to feature the iconic weapon. Sure, the remakes ofResident Evil 2through4featured the Rocket Launcher,but they were already present in the original. In terms of brand-new games, it’s not included at all.
Rocket Launchers are present in 2015’sResident Evil Revelations 2, but that game is not a mainline entry into the series.
At the end ofResident Evil 7: Biohazard, you use the Albert-01 handgun to defeat Eveline.Resident Evil: Villagefeatures no final weapon at all, though there’s an unlockable gun similar to the Rocket Launcher. The Rocket Pistol is neat, butit’s not a fair substitute for a proper Rocket Launcher, as it’s not even as powerful as the high-grade Magnums. The Rocket Launcher is so iconic toResident Evilthat it’s baffling that Capcom didn’t include it, even as post-launch DLC.
Resident Evil Requiem Has To Include The Rocket Launcher
Take It All The Way Back To The Beginning
Resident Evil Requiemis not just the latestResident Evilgame — it’s the end to this current first-person trilogy that began withRE7.Requiemis bringing the franchise back to Raccoon City, where it all started, and it’s releasing for the series' 30th anniversary.Capcom needs to bring the love toResident Evil Requiem, incorporating what made theResident Evilfranchise so special in the first place into this game. That’s why the Rocket Launcher needs to return.
It was a staple and iconic weapon throughout the first two trilogies ofResident Evil, and everyone in theREfandom can likely agree that those amazing slow-motion kill shots felt great and proved to be a satisfying way to cap off the experience.Resident Evil Requiemneeds to bring that all back for what appears to be the endgame chapter to theResident Evilsaga.
