Resident Evil fans have finally been graced with some exciting new information about the latest instalment in the franchise. Last week’s showcase has given us a sneak preview of not only the story and gameplay for Resident Evil: Village, but also an introduction to its newest characters (including the towering Vampire lady).
The story of Resident Evil so far…
We’ve known for a while that Ethan Winters was going to take the helm once again in Village, but the very nature of his involvement has mostly been left to speculation. The newest trailer finally sheds some light to the entire affair, giving us a better picture of why Ethan would once again put himself into harm’s way.
According to the game’s official website, the story is set a few years following the events of RE:VII. Ethan and Mia have decided to relocate and start a family, as they try to ‘free’ themselves of their “past nightmare”. This, however, is cut short by the sudden re-appearance of Chris Redfield, who launches an attack on their home and kidnaps their daughter. Ethan must now ‘once again head into hell’ and fight against the forces to get his daughter back.
This explanation mildly alludes to Chris’s sudden turn to the dark side, which is an interesting take on one of the series’ most beloved and ardent heroes. The whole ‘taken’ situation also provides a decent reason to bring back Ethan, with most of the story seemingly focused on the mystery behind his daughter’s role.
Many other pieces of information are scattered throughout the trailer, such as the primary setting of the game and the key characters Ethan will encounter. The most notable of which is the ‘vampire’ lady, who has formally been introduced as Lady Dimitrescu. While she appears to be a prominent figure, she doesn’t seem to be the only main player in the narrative. Another character known as ‘Mother Miranda’ seems to be pulling the strings, while Lady Dimitrescu, her brother, and her ‘daughters’ are charged with dealing with Ethan.
Of course, there’s still quite a lot more of the mystery to uncover from the game, which has officially been given a May 2021 release date.
Watch the story trailer here:
Gameplay – A New Nightmare Begins
We also got look at the combat system that will be used for Resident Evil: Village. Seemingly refined to accommodate the new setting, the game borrows key elements from previous entries in the franchise while also maintaining a new look.
The most notable feature making a return is the first-person perspective, which managed to bring a sense of eerie realism to the previous game. As the map will have a much larger area to explore this time around, players can expect to see plenty of carefully crafted details and set designs throughout their playthrough. Unfortunately, Capcom hasn’t made any mention of VR support as of yet, which is a shame since it helped to bring a greater immersion in Resident Evil 7.
Seeing as you will face a much larger roster of enemies ranging from werewolves to dungeon denizens reminiscent of ghouls, the combat sees a few improvements to address these new threats. While shooting will still be your main method of dispatching enemies, counter-attacking will also play a vital role in your survival. Players will once again be able to block incoming attacks, while also being able to kick the assailant away. This gives room for strategy in each fight, while also emphasising the uniqueness of every encounter. However, Ethan is not a well-trained government agent like Leon or Chris, so we can expect his response to each threat to feel more grounded.
The rest of the gameplay preview indicates that Village borrows many of its mechanics from Resident Evil 4. The most notable of which is the return of the inventory management system. Taking on the very same ‘briefcase’ look, players will once again be able to modify how items, weapons, and ammo fit into their inventory. They also introduced a crafting section as part of its menus, where you will be able to “create items such as first aid and ammo”.
Another exciting feature making a return is, of course, the ‘merchant’. Now embodied by a peculiar character known as ‘The Duke’, players will once again be able to purchase supplies, weapons, and upgrades. You will be able to encounter him throughout different parts of the game, seemingly in odd and interesting situations. His appearance also indicates that you will have a much larger arsenal of weapons to use, which is another exciting change from the previous game.
Overall, the game looks to reinvigorate the Resident Evil franchise with everything they’ve learned over the last few years. Coupled with the arrival of possibly the most powerful console generation of our time, we’re excited to see how Resident Evil: Village will push the story and continuity forward into this new era.
Ominous Beep 