The greatest Resident Evil adventures kick off with a sense of desperation. Utterly terrifying enemy encounters, impossibly tight resources and a feeling that there’s …
The greatest Resident Evil adventures kick off with a sense of desperation. Utterly terrifying enemy encounters, impossibly tight resources and a feeling that there’s no way you’ll live to see the next stage — survival horror at its most visceral. Resident Evil Village captures that feeling magnificently in its early hours, clutching you in its menacing vice grip. The game hit PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X| S, Xbox One and PC on Friday. After surviving the harrowing events of 2017’s Resident Evil 7, Mia and Ethan Winters are living in apparent domestic bliss. That’s quickly shattered by the arrival of longtime series protagonist and anti-bioterrorism agent Chris Redfield, an event that sends Ethan to a creepy European village as he tries to rescue his daughter Rose. Upon arrival at this snowy hamlet, all hell quickly breaks loose as you’re attacked by a horde of werewolves, and that video game fight-or-flight response sets in. Fans will notice that it feels whole lot like the iconic opening of 2005’s Resident Evil 4, in the first of many tributes to the Capcom series’ 25-year history. Once you’ve survived the opening salvo, the mystery of the village starts to unfold and you’re tasked with defeating the four lords who rule over its inhabitants with apparent supernatural powers. The village itself acts as a hub, and you gather items to enter each of the lords’ territories. Each area is visually distinctive and infused with its master’s personality, with fascinating imagery and iconography providing every environment with character. The first territory is the gothic castle of internet phenom Lady Dimitrescu. Wandering its halls, figuring out safe routes and solving fun puzzles elicits the same sense of satisfaction as getting to know the original game’s Spencer Mansion or the police station of Resident Evil 2 — it captures so many of the series’ finest elements. Subsequent regions take different turns aesthetically, but each oozes atmosphere and begs you to explore.
