TheResident Evilfranchise has long been at the forefront of gaming’s horror scene, and for good reason. Although the series hasn’t always batted .100, fumbling withcontroversial releases likeResident Evil 6, it’s had far more hits than misses, succeeding in the 90s and 2000s with the originalREreleases, and in the modern age with games likeResident Evil VillageandResident Evil 4 Remake.
Resident Evil’s longstanding success can be attributed to a number of factors, not the least of which being its penchant for experimentation and versatility. Indeed,Resident Evilcan wear many hats, oscillating between visceral, psychological horror like that ofResident Evil 7’s opening hours, to the more campy and absurd, like so many setpieces inRE4. This helps the franchise strike a balance between scary and entertaining, but it has an even greater positive effect on its interactive elements: as a video game series,Resident Evilis able to provide tense, unsettling atmospheric storytelling and action-packed gameplay in equal measure. While few would consider it the bestREgame full-stop,Resident Evil Villagearguably encapsulates this iconic balance better than any single entry in the series.
How Resident Evil Village Straddles Action and Horror Through Its Structure
Resident Evil Village Provides Versatile Scares
Resident Evil Villagekicks off with a striking blendof excitement and horror: Ethan believes his wife dead by Chris Redfield’s hand, and after being taken captive, he is caught up in a car crash and escapes to the titular village, which is overrun by unfamiliar, Lycan-esque monsters. The opening hour ofVillageputs players in a particularly vulnerable position while forcing them to push forward, setting the stage for the game’s knife-edge action and terror.
Before too long,Resident Evil Villagethrusts players intoCastle Dimetrescu, home of the internet’s favorite vampiress. This section of the game is akin to the stalker-focused gameplay of classicResident Eviltitles, as players have to be constantly vigilant, prepared for Dimetrescu to chase them. Like a mouse in a maze, Ethan is powerless, which is what cultivates a sense of anxiety within the player.
The horror of the game takes a more psychological turn later on, when Ethan travels to House Beneviento, also known as the doll house. This stretch is slower, but perhaps the most uncomfortable: there’s no real combat, and players are tasked with solving various puzzles and eventually facingResident Evil Village’s most disturbing enemy, a creature known only as Baby.
Much like several sections inResident Evil 7,Resident Evil Village’s House Beneviento levelostensibly takes inspiration from Kojima’sP.T.
Resident Evil Village Balances Its Horror with Action
Much likeRE4andRE5,Resident Evil Villagelands more on the action endof the action-survival-horror continuum, regularly providing players with intense showdowns against major threats or hordes of fodder enemies. Sections like the Stronghold and Heisenberg’s Factory are more or less combat gauntlets, focused more on high-speed gunplay and strategy than horror. Then there’s the finale, where players say farewell to everyman Ethan Winters and assume the role of special operative Chris Redfield, a man far more capable, and far better-equipped for lethality. It’s at this point that the game turns into a horror-themed FPS rather than a survival horror title.
By expertly teetering between action and horror,Resident Evil Villageis able to serve players the best parts of theResident Evilformula. The hub world and level-based structure ofVillageoffers versatility, partitioning these horror and action sections before fully embracing action in the final act, facilitating an explosive climax. Although the game isn’t perfect overall, these clever design principles help make it one of the most flexible and variedResident Evilgames, proving that the series doesn’t have to choose between intense gameplay and affecting, nail-biting terror.
Resident Evil Village
WHERE TO PLAY
Ethan Winters finds himself in an entirely new nightmare in Capcom’s latest installment of the acclaimed Resident Evil franchise. Whether you’re defending against Lycans in the grim dwellings of the village or exploring the lavish Castle Dimitrescu, the meticulously designed environments immerse you in this eerie world, powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine. Run from, hide or face off against a diverse cast of terrifying village inhabitants in dream-like - no, nightmarish - situations and fight your instincts to push through classic horror-based sequences. Also, be sure to check out “The Mercenaries” that unlocks once you’ve finished the campaign, a fast-paced and arcade-like game mode which challenges players to blast away enemies against the clock.
