Even though the story of Resident Evil could be more engaging if players spent more time controlling the antagonists.
The story of the Resident Evil franchise follows a plethora of characters in different locations dealing with the negative effects of the Umbrella Corporation's actions. Games like Resident Evil 2 and 3 follow the events of the Raccoon City disaster, and the newer Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village focus on a brand-new protagonist named Ethan. Even though there are so many stories taking place in this universe, Umbrella's negative influence on the world is a consistent theme throughout the main games.
Resident Evil's story may be complicated in of the sheer amount of information regarding the background stories for each character and organization, but the stories still ultimately boil down to Umbrella being an evil corporation seeking world domination that the player needs to stop. Likewise, one could argue that the Zelda series boasts an extremely complex plot overall, but most Zelda stories end up with Link fighting Ganon and saving Zelda. For the most part, neither of these franchises have any truly complex stories, because the groundwork for each side of good versus evil is simple and to the point.
Resident Evil's Umbrella Corporation Needs More Humanization
There's nothing innately wrong with this approach, but some extra moral ambiguity to liven up the plots of new Resident Evil games could give them the edge they need to truly shine from a narrative perspective. For example, Ada Wong's goal in Resident Evil 2 was to soften Leon enough to trust her so she could more easily steal the virus in Umbrella's headquarters. However, she ends up saving Leon's life at the end of the game, and this moment showcases how not everyone in Umbrella is pure evil. Regardless of how controversial The Last of Us: Part 2 is, Ada's sudden act of kindness is reminiscent of how Abby is depicted as a heartless menace at first, but the game then takes time to build up her trauma to make her appear empathetic.
Many seemingly simple stories end up being far more compelling when they dance around the grey area. The Last Of Us games have pulled it off twice, and after getting to know both Ellie and Abby's side of the story, the players are the ones who decide who was right or wrong, something which can be much more engaging and memorable than a simple black and white morality tale. If the Resident Evil games focused more on making Umbrella playable, the writers could focus on why these people work for such an organization in more detail, and ultimately present a more thought-provoking experience.
