Capcom has finally revealed Resident Evil 8: Village during Sony’s PlayStation 5 event. And it looks like all the previous rumors were true. You can watch the game’s announcement trailer below:
Trailer
It will once again feature a first-person perspective that was introduced in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It was described by Capcom’s Kellen Haney that Resident Evil Village will introduce ultra-realistic environments and characters that inhabit a strange and snow-capped village.
In the trailer, we get to see another haunted house in a wintry climate. And unlike the previous Resident Evil games that only feature zombies and mutants, Resident Evil Village will introduce werewolves and witches into the franchise. The trailer then ends with Ethan looking up at a shadowy-figure who he called Chris.
Development
Resident Evil Village was developed using Capcom’s in-house RE Engine to bring a next-generation survival horror experience to PS5. The RE Engine made it possible for the developers to create ultra-realistic environments and characters that inhabit the game’s snow-capped village.
RE Engine was first used in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Remastered of the previous games in the series was also done using RE Engine, including Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil Resistance. Devil May Cry 5 and Pragmata were also developed using the said engine.
Story
Resident Evil Village takes place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It introduces an all-new storyline that begins with Ethan and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location. Moving on from the nightmares that happened in Baker’s Mansion, Ethan’s world comes crashing down again when he meets Chris Redfield. Chris horribly disrupts their peaceful life, which leaves Ethan into an entirely new nightmare once again.
The game starts with a distraught Ethan who wakes up in a snow-capped village. There, he must fight for his survival while being hunted by vicious enemies that have infested the area.
Elements
Another element that will be introduced in this game is occultism. According to Capcom, occultism will play a significant role in the game, but there won’t be any magic. But instead, the cult in Resident Evil Village worships the monsters, which were created by the Mold. The Mold is the infectious and fungal superorganism that was developed by Umbrella Corporation.
Unlike its predecessor, many scenes in Resident Evil Village will be set outdoors, including in areas like the castle, caves, forests, and villages.
Resident Evil Village will also introduce a host of new enemies aside from zombies. There will be pale humanoids, dogs, wolves, and werewolves.
Characters
We’ve known Chris Redfield as a legendary hero from the Resident Evil series. However, it seems that he has finally crossed over the dark side in Resident Evil Village. It was also said in the plotline that Chris’s actions had set off a chain of events that led Ethan Winters into the mysterious village plagued by monsters.
A new playable character in the game will also be introduced, a woman in her late-20s named Emily. She will help Ethan on his journey as he investigates the unexplained disappearance in the mysterious village.
A new main villain will also make his debut in the game called Alan R., a mysterious Count and an esteemed member of a crime syndicate created by the Mold.
In Resident Evil Village, Ethan Winters was abducted from his remote life with his wife Mia and found himself in a small village shrouded with mystery and occultism. With the help of a new friend, he looks for a way back home while trying to deal with the horrors the village presents.
Gameplay
Resident Evil Village is said to have a greater focus on combat and exploration than Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The game will also feature many narratives and mechanical departures for the series, including hallucinations and insanity segments.
Each encounter in the game will be a personal fight for survival against the terrifying foes present in it. This will force players to keenly watch their environment and continuously look for resources in the unknown territory.
Regarding its current setting, Capcom explained that the village in the game will be as important as the main character. It is a location that has a life of its own, designed to keep the players on edge as they discover the secrets it holds.
Release
As of now, Capcom hasn’t revealed any scheduled release date for Resident Evil Village. But as posted on the PlayStation Blog, Resident Evil Village will be coming to PS5 in 2021.