Capcom’s legendary Resident Evil series is the legit OG of the zombie phenomenon and experience counts in the lands of the dead…
Game: Resident Evil Village
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival-horror
Formats: PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, PC
Release Date: May 7
Since its debut in 1996, the Resident Evil series has had way more hits than misses. As the genre that popularised not just the survival-horror genre, but contemporary culture’s fascination with the zombie apocalypse, each game is greeted by ravenous anticipation. But after peaking with Resident Evil 4, the series lost its way through the 2010s, threatening to die like its poorly attired antagonists.
If you lost your way with the series too, we understand; but you need to come back.
In 2017, Capcom reinvented the series, focusing in on the series’ survival-horror core with the tight, atmospheric and pant-filling Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Fans and critics loved it, and this year we get a direct sequel in Resident Evil Village.
Ethan Winters returns as the protagonist shortly after the events of the last game. Series stalwart Chris Redfield — whose role and shifting persona is a part of the game’s mystery – has seemingly killed his partner Mia and kidnapped their daughter, taking her to a mysterious village lying in the shadows of a feared castle. Ethan follows in Redfield’s wake.
Said castle is home to the vampiric Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters, while the surrounding world paints the dark, gothic, snowed-in landscape one might associate with Transylvania. This setting brings with it a catalogue of new beasts, including the aforementioned blood-suckers as well as werewolves, bugs, giants, witches and other beasts. Plenty to keep you on your toes.
Moment-to-moment action is measured and tense. Played from first-person, you explore through the village, castle and surrounding woods flipping between edge of your seat stealth exploration and fierce against the odds combat, all while solving puzzles and discovering clues that broaden the ever-deepening Resident Evil mythology. Bullets are at a premium and frequently you’re left with little but a knife and your wits, often trying to block and defend advances as much as attack.
We love the way that cinematics and gameplay intertwine, giving each moment the kind of blockbuster, polished feel you expect from the very best games. And because it all unfolds in first-person, those moments give you a sense of scale that seeds true dread. When it comes to survival-horror, surely Capcom are an auteur.
Of course, it helps that the game world itself is so compelling. On next-gen consoles the game is truly gorgeous and — perhaps more importantly for a horror title — the audioscape delivers. In particular, the PS5 benefits not just from its 3D Audio tech, but the DualSense controller. And don’t worry, the old-gen systems hold up surprisingly well. The lighting and character models, for example, are still very impressive.
No matter which platform you choose, Resident Evil Village is a winner. Immersive, scary as hell and action-packed. What more could you want? ■
What about multiplayer?
There is an additional online mode to jump into. Called RE:verse, the six-player experience features stars from across the series in short, sharp deathmatches or revenge modes where felled enemies become bioweapon allies. A unique, interesting approach made predominantly as fan service.
For the full article grab the May 2021 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
