Ultimate Showdown: Diablo 4's Butcher vs Resident Evil's Terrifying Pursuers

Diablo 4 distinguishes itself from survival-horror games as it immerses players fully in the dark fantasy ARPG genre. The game's appeal lies in the satisfying grind of killing enemies and looting better gear to improve stats. Fortunately, Diablo 4 offers a plethora of endgame content to keep players engaged until the arrival of seasonal updates. While the game has always had a macabre and dreadful aesthetic, it has never fully embraced horror elements. However, Diablo 4 makes a genuine attempt to incorporate horror into its dark fantasy lens, and one particular feature is truly terrifying for players, especially when encountered early in the game.

On the other hand, Resident Evil has established itself as a survival-horror franchise, undergoing various gameplay restructurings throughout its history. One of its most popular features, introduced in the modern remakes, involves relentless antagonists that cannot be fully defeated and must be evaded. In contrast, most enemies in Diablo 4 appear as swarming mobs on the screen, leading players to rely on spamming abilities. However, the Butcher, a returning character from previous Diablo games, takes on a new direction in Diablo 4. This demon randomly appears in players' games and relentlessly hunts them, sharing similarities with Resident Evil's pursuers in the early stages of the game.

Diablo 4’s Butcher is a Relentless Pursuer Like Resident Evil’s Mr. X and Nemesis

In the original Resident Evil 2 game, the 'Mr. X' Tyrant made an appearance, but his determination to chase the player was nothing compared to the remake of Resident Evil 2. This antagonist instills fear primarily because of his imposing presence - a massive figure with clay-like skin, donning a fedora and a trench coat, and remaining silent throughout.

Mr. X maintains a brisk pace, with his footsteps echoing ominously behind the player. His approach can be heard from distant corridors, floors, and rooms. Although players can use ammunition to temporarily incapacitate Mr. X, it provides only a fleeting respite as he swiftly recovers and resumes his relentless pursuit. Much like the Butcher in Diablo 4's early game or in Diablo 4's permadeath Hardcore mode, escaping this relentless foe once encountered proves to be challenging, and engaging in combat is ultimately futile.

The Resident Evil 3 remake and Resident Evil Village introduced their own pursuer antagonists, Nemesis and Lady Dimitrescu, respectively. However, they failed to have the same impact as Mr. X, the original pursuer in Capcom's remake series. There is nothing more unsettling than carefully planning your moves in Resident Evil 2, only to have Mr. X suddenly appear and disrupt your strategy.

Similarly, in Diablo 4, players may be effortlessly defeating enemies in one of the many dungeons, when suddenly the Butcher emerges and wreaks havoc. While deaths in ordinary difficulty modes are not overly punishing, the Butcher becomes a nightmare that can abruptly end your run in Hardcore mode. In fact, the Butcher proves to be much more menacing than Mr. X ever was for Leon or Claire.

Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.