Resident Evil Village the eighth instalment of the Resident Evil franchise has been announced for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC. It’s only out next year but we already have some great details on the game. Which we’re going to deep dive into here. Watch the trailer and you’ll spot plenty of new monsters, a mystery to solve and of course the village. If you missed watching the trailer check it out below before we begin.

Update January 2021: This week Capcom launched a surprise PlayStation 5 exclusive demo for Resident Evil Village called “Maiden”. In the lead up to the game launch on May 7th 2021, Maiden offers just a taste of what’s to come in Resident Evil VII. Complete with tidbits of lore and an idea of what the main game is about. So we’ll be updating this article to be more current! C’mon tall vampire lady.

 

The Story

Set after the events of Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, we follow the story of Ethan Winters – the survivor of the previous game. He’s managed to put the horror of Biohazard somewhat behind him and is happily living a life with his wife Mia. Everything is hunky-dory until Chris Redfield arrives.

If you’ve played the Resident Evil franchise then you probably won’t need an introduction to Captain Chris Redfield. He’s the series’s virus busting hero and he’s saved the world on a number of occasions. Now however it seems like a darker more swole Chris has emerged from the shadows. And it’s not good news for Ethan and his family. With no explanation, Chris brutally kills Mia in front of Ethan for no reason.

The trailer dramatically opens with the line “His story comes to a close”. Could this be the end of Ethan’s story? Whether he dies or simply gets to live a peaceful life afterwards. Or could this line apply to our boy Chris Redfield? I mean dude has been fighting zombies since 1996, he’s clearly losing it.

Update May 2021: As if it wasn’t enough we learn that after murdering Ethan’s wife, Chris kidnaps his daughter Rose. I mean we get it Chris you don’t like the guy. It’s not too clear what’s going on with the new swole Chris. Is he evil now? Is he being controlled? I guess we’ll find out more in Resident Evil Village.

As you can expect Rose has been kidnapped to a place called the Village. Once Ethan gets there he finds the place besieged by lycans and Rose is inside Lady Dimitrescu’s castle. However, he’s captured by a character called Heisenberg and taken to meet what appears to be the ruling villain of the area: Mother Miranda.

What we know from maps and other details is that each of the other main villains appears to have their own locations you’ll have to infiltrate to take them on. Dimitrescu, Moreau, Beneviento and Heisenberg look to be the stepping stones needed to reach Mother Miranda who runs the show. 

 

The Village

A “village” resting in the shadow of an ancient castle.

Why not call this game Resident Evil 8? Well the VIII is replaced by the first few letters of Resident Evil VIIIage. Smart. A little unnecessary but smart. The village itself is modelled in a gothic European look which actually looks a bit Bloodborne-esque. Resident Evil Village will include many monsters and set pieces that are based in Eastern Europe. European themes can also be seen in the castle which appears like a classic medieval home. With a very demonic front door as well as a chandelier, a callback to the first classic mansion.

The snowy forest surrounding the village and castle could indicate a northern European setting. Which is more likely due to the apparel of the old farm owner Ethan encounters along with the other non-infected villagers. The infected enemies also appear European in nature, including a possible army of werewolves, a creepy old shamanistic woman, and the four terrifying women who seem to flirt and harass Ethan through the game.

 

Who’s Tall Vampire Lady? [January PS5 Demo Update]

Where the mistress of the castle, Dimitrescu, and her daughters reside. The villagers live in fear of what’s inside.

Tall Vampire Lady has taken the internet by storm. But who is she and what is she doing there? Her name is Alcina Dimitrescu and according to the official website, she is “The mistress of the castle that overlooks the village”. “A towering woman with bewitching looks.”

If you’ve played the demo then you have a PlayStation 5 and I am jealous of you. Or like me, poor plebians have just watched the gameplay online, we’re introduced to Castle Dimitrescu home of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu and her daughters. Some of the backstory that can be discovered from notes around the castle hint at the ladies of the house being vampires. Cue the glasses of red wine around that seem to be a bit more… viscous than regular wine. Tall vampire lady in the demo is after a particular vintage this time though called Sanguis Virginis, or “maiden’s blood”.

In the demo, you don’t play as Ethan Winters rather, you’ll be playing as “The Maiden.” Probably there to be drained for that particular Sanguis Virginis vintage. Unable to fight or even block, you’ll be in control of her as she attempts to escape from Dimitrescu Castle.

This is a stand-alone separate experience from the main game that doesn’t take place during the main story of Resident Evil Village. We’re pretty sure the stories are linked but time will tell exactly how they are.

 

We’re Back To First Person

Thank goodness. Much like Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village will return the franchise to the popular first-person format. Following the use of the classic third-person view in the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3. There’s just something more frightening about being playing in the first person. Your view is limited and you’re directly in the shoes of your character.

This return to the first-person view could also mean the possibility of the Virtual Reality mode returning. It was first released for RE7 Biohazard and some would say that it was potentially too immerse at that point. While I would appreciate the chance to see the highly detailed graphics up close, I’m not sure it would be worth risking a panic attack in there. So far there have been no announcements if there even is a VR headset for the PS5.

 

Combat Mechanics

Capcom has announced that this Resident Evil will focus a bit more on the action than the previous game. The trailer showed off this change from full-on horror to action horror. We can see Ethan facing off in a much faster-paced situation, keeping his gun at the ready. It is unclear how much more different the combat will be when compared to Resident Evil 7 though. Hopefully, it will be faster-paced than the usual slow-walking through dark hallways avoiding jumpscares.

Ethan Winters is one of the least combat-trained protagonists of the series, so you’ll likely have to be clever and careful to get out of harm’s way in the village. In Capcom’s gameplay reveal, they let on that blocking will play an important part in avoiding danger, not just preemptively shooting things.

 

Crafting & Eating

The crafting system is a new one for Resident Evil Village where before you could combine items to make things like ammo and health, you now need to unlock recipes before you can make key items. There are also new resources to find and use and the grid-based inventory of Resident Evil 4 is making a return. Another new addition is The Duke, a merchant you’ll encounter throughout the game who will sell Ethan supplies, weapons and upgrades. You’ll get a currency call, Lei, in the game that can be found as you explore and recovered from dead enemies. You’ll also be able to find and sell treasures. 

A man’s got to eat! In Village, Ethan can stop in at Duke’s Kitchen for a bite. Killing animals like pigs, goats, and chickens will give you ingredients for Duke to cook up into meals that give permanent buffs to Ethan’s abilities.

For example, if you gather the right ingredients for the Bird and Beast Pilaf, and then eat it, you’ll get a permanent reduction in damage when guarding. Other upgrades are things like reducing the sway on a sniper rifle or increasing the damage of a pistol. How Ethan gets all that from one good meal is a totally different question. Better not think about it too hard.