Novistador were a man-made species of insect-looking creatures designed through experiments by the
Los Illuminados cult on human hosts and Las Plagas parasites - an organism which when bonded to its host can change physiology and mental state in various ways. In this case the changes were quite pronounced with the end result looking like a human sized flying insect.
It is not known whether any insect DNA was used in the experiments but it is highly likely because the features of the Novistador naturally occurred in the insect world. It had two sets of eyes, antennae, insect wings and long sharp claws at the end of spindly arms and legs. They could also vomit a strong corrosive acid substance which is most likely used to break down solids, but it was strong enough to eat away at skin and muscle tissue. It's claws were also strong enough to completely decapitate a person in one swift action.
Novistador could also employ a stealth technique known as camouflaging - in a much more effective way than natural creatures such as chameleons. It could essentially change its skin tone at an extremely high resolution making it appear invisible apart from its eyes, which for obvious reasons could not change.
They could also fly for limited periods, and in this state this is when they were at their most vulnerable - if they were to be fired upon and came crashing down, they would have perished. Their wings were not large enough for sustained flight, but they made them far more agile and dangerous of a foe.
Leon S. Kennedy encountered many Novistador whilst on a mission to retrieve the then-US Presidents daughter
Ashley Graham from the
Los Illuminados cult in an unknown part of Spain. The creatures were some of the more advanced and experimental creatures he encountered, including an entire nest area most likely where the Novistador were born. All of this plus the others roaming around the area were destroyed, making the creatures extinct.
The Novistador take clear inspiration from monster movies such as Seth Brundle/Brundlefly from The Fly, and the titular Alien from the Alien franchise.
