Resident Evil Village Review (PS5)

Although Capcom could not have figured out the correct pronunciation of her name even if their life depended on it, Lady Dimitrescu proved to be the right kind of fuel for the imagination of gamers around the world. But is there more to the new Resident Evil game than an extremely tall vampire lady, how do you get from Louisiana in Transylvania and how does all this fit in the Umbrella lore? All these questions and more are answered by one of the best installments in Capcom’s long-running series.

Not everyone’s cup of coffee, but Biohazard managed to instill new life in the Resident Evil series that was becoming stall. Ethan Winters and the horrors of the Baker House proved to be successful enough to convince the developers and the publisher to continue this thread and develop the main storyline in this direction. As a result, we got Village, which picks up the events three years after the horrors of Resident Evil VII. It all starts like a fairy tale, in a completely different part of the world, with Ethan and Mia having successfully settled down and started a family.

But you cannot escape your past and Ethan learns this the hard way when Chris Redfield shows up kills his wife, kidnaps his daughter, and turns our hero into a whining punching bag. After escaping from the grasp of the mysteriously murdered soldiers, our hero lands in a village inspired by the rural countryside of Romania. You will have to face a mixed bag of horrors with creatures inspired by East European folklore such as a specific type of Lycans, poltergeists, zombies, giants, and even a giant fish creature. Often you will get annoyed by the unaptness of the main hero, but somehow he will manage to pull through each time and best odds and enemies that slaughtered the professional soldiers.

+4more

If you are familiar with the source material, you will easily recognize the elements so typical to the region, starting with the village itself: pots on the fence, hand-painted plates, carpets on the walls, plastic hoses connected to outdoor faucets, blue plastic drums with black lids, viscose tablecloths and the unmistakable outdoor privies. It is obvious that the developers made their homework and based their setting on a particular reality that still can be seen in many villages around the country.

The visuals and the atmosphere changes when you visit other locations, like the castle of Lady Dimitrescu, which has its roots in the story of Bram Stoker rather than reality. The village itself will serve as a hub where you will return time and time again while exterminating the bosses of the game and reclaiming the territories they used to control. The atmosphere of the village will shift as you progress through the game suggesting that there is hope for this God-forsaken place.

Focusing on Lady Dimitrescu, Capcom did a good job keeping the fans in the dark and creating the impression that the game revolves around her. The good news is that although an important part, the giant vampire lady is just the first of the many challenges you will have to face in the game. From Lycan mini-bosses to puzzles and horrible nightmares and fears brought to life, you will have to face a lot of horrors in different locations that are generally bigger and better designed than in any previous game.

It is worth taking your time and exploring each corner of the game world because you will find items that will help you along the perilous journey. In the traditional fashion of the series, you will have to revisit the different areas several times until you can fully uncover them. In general, the map does a great job helping you keep track of the different treasures, but sometimes it can be a bit misleading because the buildings can have several levels, both above and under the ground.

Play Video

For the most part, if you have found a specific tool like a lever, a crank, or a key you can backtrack and access the goodies that were off-limit up until that point. But sometimes you will have to solve different puzzles or traversal challenges to access the much-desired treasures. These can be traded with the Duke, a character that will be recognized by many, despite its new look. He will be the one that will improve your arsenal and even your attributes. By hunting down different animals you can deliver the necessary meats to prepare recipes inspired by the Romanian cousin that will permanently improve your health and defense stats.

The inventory system has been renewed a bit, it is a bit more permissive, but still, you will have to manage it to be able to take with you all the weapons, ammo, and healing items you want. A welcome innovation is the different categories, the developers making sure that key items, the crafting materials, and even the treasures do not consume from the limited space in your backpack. As a trade-off they have removed the storage chests, so you will have to think twice about what you ammo or explosives craft and what items you leave behind.

Most of the fights require planning and a lot of firepower. Even the basic enemies can be a challenge if they corner you or you are faced with higher numbers. But you can always take advantage of the surrounding hazards like the exploding barrels that can help you save precious ammo. Especially on advanced difficulty levels, you can take advantage of the sound your firearms make to direct your opponents in a well-planned ambush. With just one explosion you can replenish your resources and increase your odds of survival.

The level design itself is quite smart and gives you alternative routes around the enemies. Even if you are spotted you can escape, since after a while they will stop chasing you. For example, the flour sacks that at first seem to serve no purpose will come in handy when you want to escape your opposition: cutting them open will give something else for the monster to focus on instead of Ethan.

+5more

Alternatively, in some houses, you can bar the entrance by pushing cabinets or cupboards. All these solutions give you only a moment of respite because make no mistake the monsters around you will find their way to you if you stay in one place for too long.

One complaint we have is that the variety of creatures to kill or be killed by is somewhat limited. From Lycans to witches, zombies to flying “monkeys” the hordes of basic monsters are neither very bright nor do they have many moves. They really solely on their power and numbers. The AI is quite limited and you will often see your basic cannon fodders get stuck in environment that despite the explosive barrels are not actually destructible.

On the other hand, the boss fights are a real challenge and you need to be on top of your game to take them down. Even with more ammo at your disposal than before, you cannot rely solely on your firepower. You will need to learn their patterns avoid them, lure them around and focus the fire on their weak spots. Fortunately, the save system also has been updated: now you can use the typewriters without ribbons, and before the most challenging confrontations Village features checkpoints.

The RE Engine shows its best so far in Village, offering gorgeous visuals. Some details would have needed some more care and love like some textures and the explosions, but overall the graphics are impressive. The interiors are extremely detailed and the village that transforms from a gloomy hell hole into a space of hope warmed up by the rising sun is complemented by the face of the characters.

The many close-ups are proof that the developers knew how expressive the facial expressions are conveying a wide range of emotions. The framerate is more or less stable on consoles and you have nothing to worry about the fights fps-wise. The audio part of the game is flawless: from the disturbing noises to the voice acting and the soundtrack everything is truly memorable. The only complaint would be that the music tracks are used scarcely, as warnings before the most important and ominous moments.

+6more

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion