Capcom is getting ready to finally unleash its fans on Resident Evil 8 Village. While the outside world is blooming in spring and it is finally sunny again, it will be pretty dark and uncomfortable in many homes this May. Fans of the horror genre have marked May 7, 2021, in their calendars because, almost a year after its announcement, Resident Evil 8 Village will finally appear. The anticipation is great and the expectations are even greater but – will Capcom be able to meet them? This is what you should be prepared for…
Nice to See You Again, Ethan…
A few years ago, things were not that good for Resident Evil. After some polarizing parts of the main series and offshoots that mercilessly rattled through the fans, many had thought there was no save for the franchise. In 2017, however, Resident Evil 7 came around the corner more or less surprisingly and proved that the last drop of fuel from the horror tank was far from being used up. The AAA horror was back on PC screens and it was more brutal, unpredictable, and immediate than it had been in a long time.
More than four years have passed since Resident Evil 7. Capcom has since released some good to great remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 (which had an exciting casino map that resembled a lot to some of the best Canadian casinos) but one big question remains: How will Capcom build on the success of Resi 7 in a sequel? Apparently, the developer and publisher of Resident Evil 8 Village wanted to stick to the classic sequel motto: in contrast to its direct predecessor, the village should be bigger, better, and with much more things to compare.
The direct predecessor is an important keyword because Resident Evil 8 Village connects almost seamlessly to the events of Resident Evil 7. Again you slip into the shoes and eyes of Ethan Winters, who leads a quiet life with his wife Mia and daughter Rose after the events of Resi 7. The latter is abducted by son-in-law Chris Redfield in a not-so-son-in-law-like action. Ethan follows Chris and his daughter’s heels, ending up in the eponymous village in Eastern Europe.
Resident Evil 8 Village: With Gun Violence Against Hairy Figures
Of course, Resident Evil would not be Resident Evil if Ethan would simply march into the village with the police at the ready and then sue the kidnappers. Mainly alone and at gunpoint, you as a player have to make your way through the snowy Village of Resident Evil 8. But you will still meet a few friendly faces. Unlike Resi 4, where even the local farmers want your scalp, this time the residents do not know exactly what phase is and why their community is being seized by hairy Lycans. There are also a few moments when things slow down a little and the game seems to take the time to present its large and small characters appropriately.
In contrast to your relationships with the locals, Resident Evil 8 Village has copied a lot from Resi 4 in many other places. The setting alone, with its somewhat shabby village idyll and its gloomy secrets, is very reminiscent of a sequel no. 4. The parallels seem unmistakable, especially when it comes to gameplay. Opponents face you more numerous and in more various ways, even compared to the seventh sequel. Accordingly, Ethan is also a little more defensive, thanks to new weapons and the possibility of buying and improving them from the mysterious character Duke.
If you are worried that Resident Evil 8 Village will be too action-heavy again and break you out in a cold sweat, we should give you a heads up at this point. The first impression is that the new part probably takes the great advantages of Resi 4 but relies on the modernized concept of Resi 7 and remains faithful to the horror. The first-person perspective, as well as the slow and methodical gameplay, are retained and, at least, in the beginning, Village wants to put on an atmospheric and oppressive tone.
Resident Evil 8 Village: Capcom Wants to Capitalize On Immersion
To play this game, perform graphics and sound design tests. After titles like Resident Evil 7 and the remake of the second sequel, as well as Devil May Cry 5, it should be known that Capcom’s RE Engine is a real beast. Of course, a more precise opinion on graphics and performance will have to wait for the test when players experience the game in its entirety. Finally, after an early gameplay trailer for Resident Evil 8 Village, there were still some critical voices about the badly muddy textures.
For good horror, however, the ears should not be neglected. Resident Evil 8 Village seems to have understood that very well. The bombastic moments with loud monster screams and thick rifle fire to small moments full of creaking snow streaks and crackling leaves can give you hard time. We are curious to see how it will play out with 3D audio, which Village supports and even promotes. Immersion is probably very important to Capcom and therefore wants to take advantage of the new features of the DualSense controller of the PS5.
Since, for now, the game test was able only to a limited extent on a demo version, at least in the short combat interludes, the benefit of the adaptive triggers was a little noticeable so a completely new feel has not yet set in. Future demos and the full version will then show better how clever Resident Evil 8 Village makes use of the capabilities of the new consoles.
Resident Evil 8 Village: Preview of the Continuation of Capcom’s Legacy Series
It probably has not even been a fraction of the total game that can and will be seen for Resident Evil 8 Village. Overall, the game should be significantly longer than its predecessor, which itself added around 8 hours. Nevertheless, we are already quite optimistic that Capcom will again serve the finest horror entertainment. The mixture of horror and action seems a little more mature than in part 4 or 5, which were mostly on the trigger-happy side. At the same time, Village probably also takes some of the virtues that Capcom learned from the series revival in Resident Evil 7.
Hopefully, Resident Evil 8 Village can keep a good first impression over the entire season. So far, the game so far, after the material has shown, has not done anything completely new with its mechanics or systems. You can see quite a lot of set pieces from earlier parts of the series. The story about Ethan’s daughter, Chris Redfield’s sudden role as a villain, and the many secrets of the nameless village make you curious enough that you throw yourselves into the wintry village idyll as soon as you get the chance.
