In 2017, Capcom decided to switch things up in regards to the presentation of a “Resident Evil” experience. For the first time in the game’s history, “Resident Evil 7” changed the player’s visual perspective by putting them in the virtual shoes of a man searching for his long-lost wife. From a first-person view, players had the opportunity to see all the visceral moments and utter distress unlike ever before and after… until now.
With the dawning of console gaming’s ninth generation comes the latest installment of Ethan’s journey and the “Resident Evil” franchise. Capcom has graced eighth & ninth generation gamers a chance to see what lurks beneath what should be a quiet, peaceful town. After playing all the available demos released prior to the game’s street date, I found myself ready to experience the full terror of what was to come with “Resident Evil Village”.
Did I Complete “Resident Evil Village”
Based on the template set by “Resident Evil 7: biohazard”, “Village” is meant to not only continue the story from the previous numbered “RE”, but also embrace the more action-oriented nature of its third-person counterparts. Set three years after the events of “RE 7”, protagonist Ethan Winters is living the perfect, secluded life until everything goes wrong. Awakening in the snow, Winters journeys forward to save his kidnapped daughter, Rose. It doesn’t take long for the player to experience the fun of shooting a werewolf in the face when it comes at Ethan with a sickle. Thanks to the main village hub, players are given more of a chance to explore the ever-expanding landscape and, through said exploration, comes plentiful rewards including treasures that can be sold and mini-bosses that can wipe out a player’s ammo inventory with ease.
But this wouldn’t be a “Resident Evil” game without the incentive of replaying the campaign; and “Village” does a great job of implementing post-game content including “Challenge Points” from the recent “RE” experiences that can be attained by completing certain criteria like finding all the in-game notes or simply finishing the story three times. “CP” can be spent in the menu for the player to unlock items such as a shotgun with infinite ammo and “The Mercenaries” game mode. After a little over ten hours I finished the campaign on “Standard” difficulty while attaining over 40,000 CP. Unlocking “The Mercenaries” mode gave me a nice thrill that encouraged me to play it more between sessions of replaying the campaign to obtain some trophies I missed including finishing the campaign in under three hours; though I probably won’t stress myself trying to overcome the relentless enemies that come with the game’s most difficult setting, “Village of Shadows”; let alone finishing all the challenges.
Did “Resident Evil Village” Live Up to the Hype?
Just like its direct narrative predecessor, there’s more to Ethan’s trek through another hazardous environment than search & rescue as the player quickly discovers some of the intricacies that essentially makes this series what it is: exploration, puzzle solving & combat. Combat is more focused upon with this entry as weapons like handguns, shotguns, pipe bombs and even a sniper rifle are provided to Ethan during the game’s first “dungeon”. Ethan – who drops a line early in the narrative that he’s now had some combat training – still can’t throw punches or kicks when unarmed. Ethan’s philosophy of defense being the best offense is seen when the game prompts the player to use the “guard” button so Winters can throw his hands up and block incoming attacks. Guard is surprisingly effective against most anything enemies dish out be it a lycan’s lunging slash with its claws or even a sword to the neck by some shambling ghoul. Blocking at the right time (just before Ethan is struck) will cause Winters to counterstrike an enemy to shove them backward that could provide an opportune head shot.
Aiming feels a lot tighter in this iteration; making head shots easier to pull off even if the enemies can be bullet sponges depending on sheer chance as some adversaries will take a shotgun slug to the head & die instantly while others will just drop to get up for another round. Item crafting is essential if the player wants to live through the growing hordes of enemies as the game’s story progresses; demanding thorough searches of every open area and even returning to the village to unlock that door specifically made for a key only obtained after overcoming the most recent boss.
Like almost every “RE” game in the past, Ethan isn’t able to carry a suitcase’s worth of items initially (be it guns, herbs, chemicals that can mix with things such as the aforementioned herbs to make first aid medicine or ammo when combined with gunpowder); thus making inventory management a key feature during the game’s early hours until the player can afford extra inventory slots via the in-game shop known as “The Duke” – a macabre, portly individual who also provides clues in regards what Ethan needs to do next in his search for Rose. “Village’s” storefront is plentiful as it is expensive; encouraging the player to search for those valuable treasures that usually are connected to overcoming mini-bosses housed in a warehouse or a graveyard, or even combining certain found items to make them worth more than their initial selling price. Via “The Duke” and the various animals that haven’t been ravaged, Ethan can hunt & deliver meat to cook meals that will permanently increase his health or decrease damage taken when blocking.
Unfortunately for Ethan, searching through the village estate isn’t an easy task as he’s confronted constantly by adversaries big, small, and, at times, quite annoying. Then there are the central antagonists: The Four Lords. The heavily-promoted Lady Dimitrescu provides the same type of freights that came from encountering Mr. X or Nemesis in the recent “RE” remakes. Donna of House Beneviento produces a horrific experience with the worst doll ever. Moreau is slow-minded mutant that has more of a secret than anyone knows. The charismatic Heisenberg showcases his engineering abilities inside a factory that really gives the player a sense of claustrophobia. All four are commanded by “Mother Miranda” – a vocal, looming shadow of control that ties into the “mold” epidemic seen in “RE 7”.
The Four Lords get enough screen time to be seen as presence, but feel rather underwhelming in the overall presentation; just being eccentric obstacles Ethan must overcome without any lasting effects. The game’s boss battles are mostly thrilling thanks to “arenas” that aren’t that wide and feel confining. With that being stated, a majority of said boss battles don’t do much to differentiate themselves from one another with the three Dimitrescu daughters all having the same weakness that makes their fights seem monotonous. Giants with axes or obtuse maces all do the same overhead or spinning swings with their weapon of choice. Thankfully the developers learned from its enemy variation shortcomings in “RE 7” while embracing the environmental variety that made “biohazard” so fun as the small world opened up from an old house to an underground lab. Unlike “RE 7”, “Village” refuses to make the player wait too long before experiencing the intricate, beautiful levels.
Sadly, one of the biggest disappointments connected to “RE 7” returns here with puzzles being downright uninspired. A majority of the game’s puzzles only asks for the player to find a certain item, return to an area to place said item in a slot, an unlock the door currently obstructing Ethan. The most complicated puzzles are the optional “Labyrinth” games where the player drops a ball that must be found when searching an area and tilt said “Labyrinth” to guide the ball past hazards with the reward being an expensive treasure for selling.
There are a plethora of secrets, though. The obvious notes & information dumps are back again, so are things to compliment those “RE” standards like bird cages that can be shot down to attain coin or ammo; or crystals that glisten from their stationary point that too are able to be sold. As noted, the game features a good amount of post-game content including “The Mercenaries” mode where players will shoot their way through hordes of enemies for points that can be used to buy items & weapon upgrades for further shooting sessions in the mode. To get the best rating in “The Mercenaries” mode means being incredibly efficient at shooting enemies in the shortest amount of time while picking up stackable upgrades scattered around each stage.
Like the implementations of The Four Lords in the plot and the game’s puzzles is the fact Ethan is still a terrible protagonist that is constantly questioning his current situation like he did in the last game before he experienced the strangest family reunion ever. The most positive aspect of Ethan’s character development is an explanation late in the game as to why he can survive such catastrophic moments to his body like having his right hand cut off at the forearm. Technically the game is good with stunning visuals in the “dungeons”, but more muddied textures when moving through the village itself. Like “RE 7” there’s a lack of music – giving the player a chance to hear every odd noise such as enemies rummaging through an abandoned house in the nearby distance. Frame rate drops were noticeable when moving though some of the more open environments even on a PS5, but never became detrimental to the experience.
So similar to “RE 7”, “Village” isn’t perfect & has noticeable flaws while still providing a thoroughly enjoyable experience thanks to heightened combat abilities, some incredible level design, and options for post-game fun.
Should You Play “Resident Evil Village”?
“Resident Evil Village” is in no way a perfect “Resident Evil”, let alone a perfect game thanks to overall flaws in regards to the story & its antagonists’ presentation, some lacking boss battles, and Ethan’s general terrible nature as a hero. But the game’s problems feel minor in comparison to its positives including an undeniable encouragement for exploration complimenting the dread that comes with each new enclosed area. For gamers who wanted more action from their first-person “Resident Evil” experience will have the time of their lives with “Village”; as will fans of “RE 4” even if it doesn’t provide a third-person perspective. Those players that loved the terrorizing atmosphere & general uneasiness of “7’s” initial hub won’t find that same level of fright in “Village” and may be underwhelmed by the horror elements. No matter where you fall on the spectrum it’s had to deny how much fun it is shooting your way through a bunch of werewolves or surviving being choke slammed by a woman who could dunk a basketball without jumping.
