Summary
The Mercenaries may have started out as a small extra game mode introduced inResident Evil 3: Nemesis, but it became so popular that Capcom decided to include it in nearly every entry going forward. However, while the main gameplay loop of killing enemies to rank up a combo for high scores has remained virtually untouched, there are still a few differences for the mode in each game, which help make them feel unique and fun.
As anyone who has been following this belovedsurvival horror seriesknows though, it has gone through quite a rollercoaster over the years in terms of design, with some being more action-oriented, while those released afterResident Evil 6have been much more horror-filled. Therefore, while some of the slower and more atmospheric games didn’t pair too well with Mercenaries, there are others where it feels right at home, so without further ado, it’s time to see which iterations of The Mercenaries stand tall as the mostfun, engaging, and replayable.
It should also be said that the Raid Modes featured in bothRevelationsspin-off games will not be included here as they have very different mechanics and don’t follow the basic Mercenaries template, so only official versions of the mode will be featured.
5Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
After the immense popularity of Mercenaries inResident Evil 5, Capcom decided to capitalize on the success by launching a game entirely centered around this one modeon the 3DS. Rather than being a very ambitious or innovative title,Mercenaries 3Dfeels more like a love letter to the fans, featuring plenty of fan-favorite characters, such asClaire and Hunk, who all have their own unique moves and weapons.
The stages are also all based on memorable areas inResident Evil 4and5, but while it’s very fun in short bursts and great as a bit of fan service, it’s severely lacking in content. The online was also very unreliable, so there really wasn’t much more to do after getting an SS rank on every stage with each character, but for what it is, it’s still a great attempt at a standalone Mercenaries game.
The Mercenaries inResident Evil 4was already top-notch, butthe remake of the 2005 classicreally took it to a whole new level, even adding a brand new character to the mix in Luis. Each character has their own unique abilities, some of which are brand new, like Hunk’s infinite ammo and Luis' dynamite, which helps to make them all feel unique and drastically different to play. Because of how masterfully crafted the action is in theRemake, it also creates anextremely addictive gameplay loopof stunning enemies with a weapon before taking them out with a melee attack to gain just a little more time.
There’s no denying that the gameplay here is extremely fun, but the biggest downside is, by far, how easy it is to get an SSS rank for all the characters. Doing so will earn some special rewards that Leon can use in the main campaign, but the mode does feel a little less memorable than others due to how quickly it can be fully finished. Still, though, while players might not return to it that much, it’s still a blast to play through on the odd occasion.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesiswas the perfect game to introduce the Mercenaries Mode as the gameplay leaned a lot more into action compared to its predecessor, especially thanks to the new dodge button, whichallows Jill to bob and weave her way through zombiesif the player can pull it off that is. The objective of the mode is pretty straightforward: travel through Raccoon City under a time limit and eliminate as many zombies as possible, but there are even a few civilians scattered around the map that can be saved too, which hasn’t been seen in the mode since.
Once players reach level 3, they’ll be in for one of themost challenging experiences of anyResident Evilgame, so there’s definitely a learning curve here that’s so satisfying to finally master. There are even 3 characters to choose from who all play differently from one another. The tank controls can admittedly feel very restrictive when there are multiple enemies on screen at once, but it’s nonetheless still an excellent mode that has aged well.
Many longtime fans of the seriesweren’t too fond ofResident Evil 6when it was released, primarily because it strayed so far away from the series' survival horror roots, but in some ways, it almost feels like the game was literally designed for the Mercenaries Mode. This is especially the case with the movement, which allows players to roll and slide around the map with ease, which can result in some truly epic and intense moments.
There’s also a ton of content here, featuring a star-studded cast of 9 characters, most of which return from previous games, and 10 unique stages that all contain their own unique enemies and mini-bosses to mix up the challenge. The Skill system also allows players to create theirvery own character build, which adds an extra layer of strategy to the mode, making it the best part ofResident Evil 6in the eyes of many fans.
As good as the Mercenaries Mode is inResident Evil 6, Capcom truly struck gold when creating the mode forResident Evil 5, and the fact that it is still the most popular version of the mode to this day proves just how insanely fun it is to play.Resident Evil 5doesn’t exactly switch up the formula of this mode since players will still need to find Time Crystals and take out enemies to reach a high score, but it’s the deeper elements that really make it something else entirely. Unlike nearly every other game in the series,Resident Evil 5allows the player to open up their inventory while performing a melee attack, meaning if they’re about to punch a Majini, they can quickly reload weapons at the same time.
This is very difficult to pull off, but it alsoraises the skill ceiling drastically, ensuring the player is engaged for every second of a match. The incredible gameplay is complimented by a staggering amount of content, especially with the introduction of The Mercenaries United, which features 8 unique characters with a few different variations and 8 stages to play through. It also brought with it the No Mercy mode, which is as brutally difficult as it sounds. It’ll be very difficult for Capcom to top this version of The Mercenaries, especially since the mode is still going strong even to this day.
