Resident Evil Village, the latest release in Capcom’s critically-acclaimed survival horror franchise, is finally releasing on PC and consoles this week, so we thought we’d talk about five things that have got us HYPED to play the game.
– Chris Redfield is the villain?!
Ever since it was first revealed that Chris Redfield was playing the ‘villain’ role in Resident Evil Village in those early trailers, I’ve found myself ITCHING (and no, not the ‘itchy tasty’ kind) to know more. Why has he betrayed Ethan? What are his motives? Is he under mind control? Are Umbrella up to no good again following their redemption arc from the end of Resident Evil 7: biohazard?
There are so many unanswered questions, with the heel turn from the series’ most iconic protagonist certainly standing out as one of the most important aspects of Resident Evil Village’s plot. Fans have been eager to see some major developments with the character, especially following his exploits in Resident Evil 6, so this could prove to be pretty interesting.
Will he come good? Will he live to see another Resident Evil game? I have no idea, but damn, I’m super excited to find out…
– The series is in such good form (and Resident Evil 7: biohazard was the pick of the bunch)
There was a time when the Resident Evil series wasn’t held in as high esteem as it was used to, with the underrated Resident Evil 5 and the disappointing (but probably not as bad as you remember) Resident Evil 6 kickstarting the need for change. That change came alright, with Resident Evil 7: biohazard not only completely changing up the formula and shifting to a first-person perspective, but also offering one of the most frightening gameplay experiences we’ve seen in years. Resident Evil is scary again and it feels good.
Besides that, we’ve also seen the release of the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, with each proving to be critical and commercial successes for Capcom. The series is in the BEST shape it has ever been in and it’s clear that a lot of love and care has gone into both the game’s development and keeping the fans happy. It can only mean good things are coming in Resident Evil Village, right? Especially if the early demos are anything to go by…
– It’s only going to be eight-to-ten hours long
So this might be a controversial one. There has been some Twitter discourse over the weekend over the reveal that Resident Evil Village is only going to be eight-to-ten hours long, but I genuinely see it as a good thing. Some games are guilty of being too long these days and pack plenty of filler content in for the sake of it, so having something that could be beaten over a weekend or just a handful of sessions feels quite refreshing.
It’s not like the series has ever been known for being overly long anyway (with an exception to Resident Evil 6 which DRAGGED). The original games were easily beaten in around five-to-six hours (even for first time players), whilst I managed to beat Resident Evil 7: biohazard in around seven-hours the first time I played it. Eight-to-ten hours is actually quite lengthy by the series’ standards, and besides…
– Mercenaries is making a comeback
That’s right, everyone’s favourite Resident Evil mode is making a return in Resident Evil Village. It has been expanded upon too, with the player moving between stages, upgrading weapons, and even improving their own capabilities to stand a better chance against the ever-improving enemies that come their way.
Whilst Mercenaries won’t be for everyone, it’ll bring with it plenty of hours’ worth of gameplay to keep players invested in Resident Evil Village for some time. There’s room for expansion there too – who knows what iconic characters will end up being playable? I’m excited for a more arcade-like way to kill enemies.
– The showdowns with Lady Dimitrescu will be intense
Listen, I know there’s a lot of love for everyone’s favourite tall lady, but let’s not pretend encounters with her won’t be terrifying. I’ve been scared of the likes of Mr. X and Nemesis pursuing me in the past, but there’s something much more menacing about Lady Dimitrescu. Maybe it’s the way she taunts Ethan, maybe it’s the way she smiles, or maybe it’s just the way that she has a Tyrant-like claw that you know will do some REAL damage if she catches you? Who knows; either way, she scares the sh*t out of me.
…I still kinda want her to step on me though.
Resident Evil Village is coming to the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on May 8th 2021. Find out more on the official website through this link.
