From as far back as 1996, Capcom has been terrifying gamers worldwide with their infamous game franchise, Resident Evil. With Resident Evil Village set to be released, I took a closer look at the latest in my favourite franchise.
First Thoughts
Not surprisingly set in a village, Resident Evil Village takes place a few years later than the previous game. Resident Evil 7’s Ethan Winters is back for the latest scare-fest, making all signs point to a follow-up story.
Early trailers show that alongside our seasoned protagonist, stands an old favourite. The original hero Chris Redfield returns in Resident Evil 8, harbouring a dark shroud of mystery. As veteran and comeback kid’s worlds collide, Ethan’s will never be the same again.
Next-Generation Exclusivity
Resident Evil Village will only be available on the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X and PC. While this sad news for those that aren’t planning on upgrading; it’s a welcome confirmation for those that are.
By making Resident Evil Village next-generation exclusive, Capcom has rid themselves of any hardware limitations that they would otherwise be tied down with. Without the need to pander to last-generation capabilities, we will see our new consoles being pushed to the limits. Along with the promised eradication of loading times, we will see vividly stunning visuals, smooth physics and turbo FPS-rates.
The Story
After the events of Resident Evil: Biohazard, Ethan Winters has set up a new life with a fresh start for him and Mia. Following their harrowing experience in the previous game, the unfortunate couple wants nothing more than to live in peace. However, when Redfield enters their lives, Ethan is thrown into a dark journey; a chilling quest to find answers surrounding a macabre past and to uncover secrets best kept hidden.
Keeping their cards close to their chest, Capcom hasn’t revealed much about the Village but with the dawn of a new age in console gaming; the goalposts have been well and truly moved.
The use of characters already known to us has introduced an element of familiarity and kinship. Despite tireless efforts, I couldn’t, however, find any evidence we will be seeing our favourite gargantuan ghoul, T-00. Nicknamed ‘Mr X’, the monster has instilled fear into many fans. His bad habit of crashing through walls at the wrong moment creates an omnipresent tension in every game he has appeared in. It would be great to see him in the latest instalment but it doesn’t look to be on the cards.
In place of the notorious nemesis, it appears we are to see a werewolf stalking us throughout the game. Mr X he isn’t, yet this lycanthrope looks to supersede in style. The thought of being chased through the game, with a snarling, snapping wolfman on my heels, is both a terrifying and an exciting prospect.
Resident Evil Village Gameplay
Again we are firmly kept out of the loop with very little gameplay footage made available. However, judging by the hardware packed into both consoles, we can expect smooth movement and breath-taking visuals. In one video I saw, a director mentioned that they wanted the game to play out like a “playable horror movie”. While I doubt that Resident Evil Village is going to go to the extents of titles like Until Dawn and Little Hope, I do feel we are going to be walking into an immersive, hauntingly claustrophobic experience. So, stock up on your underwear and hold on tight, Resident Evil Village is set to be one hell of a ride.
Conclusion
Call me biased but I have huge hopes for Resident Evil Village. The shift to the new era of gaming will pave the way for an abundance of possibilities; opening the player up to a potentially terrifying experience.