Resident Evil Village Review

Resident Evil's bioweapons change constantly in the world. Some fans want Resident Evil to stay true to its roots, while others want Resident Evil to grow beyond the current entry. It is strange that a new installment falls right in the middle.

Resident Evil Village is the latest main entry for the franchise and a continuation of the events from the previous main foray, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The last game tried to recreate some of that fear in the classic RE. This episode, however, is very similar to the RE4 and focuses on the new episodes while increasing the pace. Village is moving further away from the zombie scenario, with very few innovations.

The story's fairytale-book intro tells all you need to know about the tone and distance we have from Raccoon City. Even though the links to the past are obvious. Three years have passed since the events at RE7. The story begins with family time. Ethan Winters believes that they've overcome the tragedy, but he soon discovers that there's still much to be done. The plot is full of twists and turns and colorful circus rejects. This makes for an entertaining adventure that doesn’t outstay its welcome.

This is accentuated by the game's presentation with beautiful landscapes and trimmings. Even on my base PS4 I had no choice but to stop and take in the setting shifts from grandiose castles to snowy hills to cold lakes to desolate mineshafts. The RE Engine excels at lighting and color blending, as well as the flow of large pools. This allows the environment to cascade from one location to another, even though the spatial aspects may not always align. Even though the engine was slow in parts, it didn't detract from the experience. This is especially true after watching how enemies interacted and fought with these creatures. It was extremely exciting to be able to spot a monster using their shadow or the sparks they make along the walls in complete darkness.

I miss Dulvey Parish, Louisiana, the fictional setting of Ethan's first encounter with the Molded, traded out for the neo-Castlevania-esque Europe that surrounds the eponymous Village, which acts as the central staging grounds for locations that offer more variety with varying degrees of horror atmosphere. This setting is a reminder of the fact that we cannot go home again. All of us have to leave the (unsafety) plantation or mansion eventually. We must also open the environment for gameplay and scope. RE is constantly trying to move beyond its comfort zone to achieve more. Be assured that the Winters' opening scene in their house contains many references to more familiar times and one very nice bathroom.

Village's attempts to balance its frightening elements with action and other oddities feels more psychological horror than an invasion. Many of these events are targeted at parents and spouses, who can feel that terror. It is a terrifying experience that generates surreal moments. The visuals are powerful when needed, with the exception of a boss fight.

Capcom seemed to feel bad about not receiving another Silent Hill title and wanted to comfort us with these sections. The game is still horror, but it has more supernatural elements than any other game in the series. If the player is able to fully immerse himself in the world, vampires, werewolves and ghouls are extremely frightening. The game has a lot of enemies and the sections are varied enough that they don't get too boring.

Ethan must battle through the Village's sections of Village's world as each boss is a circus reject like I said earlier. Each area has its own haunting flavor and new mechanics. Lady Dimitrescu is only about 30% of the game's horniness. This was disappointing for many, including me. However, the sections in which I knew more about my enemy were more interesting and threatening. Heisenberg was another interesting foe. However, I struggled to get past his almost cartoonish voice and Van Helsing-inspired clothes. Even though they're not quite as bad as Mr. X or Bakers, Village's big bads make a great selection of bosses.

Even though the gameplay is somewhat scripted, players should feel like they are being chased all over the game (not just in the castle), because there are many enemies to avoid and lots of "run for you life" scenes. Many of these fights take place in small areas, and only a few are worth the effort. These individuals can make for lame duck antagonists, especially if they keep the player behind them or forgo attacks. The normal combat is still lively and enjoyable. My only complaint is the accuracy of some weapons like the sniper rifle. This could be improved. The hitboxes that allow you to interact with items were also quite irritating. The horror-action balance feels like a lost formula. However, it is not something that lasts forever and can be frustrating.

Although the puzzles aren’t too difficult, there are more of them. It was more difficult to get lost in the labyrinthine areas than I thought, even though the game provides hints. However, exploration is helpful as The Duke, Village's new mercantile, requires money. It's not difficult to backtrack through the main area, as things change a lot and there are always other things to find. The new cooking element replaces the permanent stat-enhancing items from previous games. However, this can be time-consuming.

It's fun to juggle weapon upgrades, selling items, and even selling treasures, especially when you have the return attache case. It's great to have it back. But, all the color has been drained from the screen, making the act less appealing and my rows not as neat. Although the menus have some annoying clicks that could be cut, they might prevent some players selling items they intended to keep. Saving is much faster and the loading screens are never too slow.

Village's writing style is easy to read and enjoy, even though I am not as fond of the setting or premise. If the player is open to reading everything, the story is not too complicated. It also sets up some interesting paths at the end. While it won't appeal to all fans, it will be fascinating to those who follow Capcom's lead. Ethan's personality is more clearly shown, but it's not enough to make him compelling. He spends so much time being beat up and brutalized. His incredible regenerative powers keep him from being completely disfigured. He was given a joke about having some training, which makes sense when he uses the big guns to fight hordes lycans.

Village is not without its faults. I'm not referring to the use of assets that aren't needed, which can be difficult to avoid in a game that encourages players to inspect everything. Or the different quality of enemy textures. Combat, setting, and enemies work well, but it is not always perfect. All of this does not diminish the enjoyment of an otherwise great experience. The best experience will be had by those who don't care that the game might not feel like Resident Evil, or who are able to see that there may be some flaws. Enjoy the Mercenaries mode and unlock bonus features, then finish it. This is exactly what I will be doing.