REVIEW : Resident Evil Village (XBOX Series X)
The presence of Resident Evil 4 reared its snarling head as soon as I arrived in Resident Evil Village’s menacing rural atmosphere. I was surrounded by rabid Lycan locals almost instantly, and I searched for shotgun shells and bookshelves to block doorways as the mob closed in, only to be rescued a split second from death. It’s a tense welcome that serves as a brilliant flashback to Shinji Mikami’s magnum opus’s beginning, and one that’s made all the more hurried by the first-person viewpoint.
It’s a story that goes from dire straits to dire wolves, which is bad for poor old Ethan. In Resident Evil 7, he is dragged to hillbilly hell and back to save his beloved, only to be plunged into a distinctly Transylvanian form of terror in Village. This time, his infant daughter is kidnapped by a wicked cabal of monster maniacs: Lady Dumitrescu, a vampire tall enough to play the lead in a Space Jam sequel; Donna Benevento, a dollmaker with a walking, talking Bride of Chucky sidekick; Salvatore Moreau, a repulsive merman; and Karl Heisenberg, a magnetically powered lunatic who runs a factory assembly line.
All four report to Mother Miranda, the enigmatic head witch, and while none of them managed to elicit the same level of genuine terror as the southern-fried psychopaths in Resident Evil 7’s Baker family, I considered them all to be entertainingly twisted in a somewhat cartoonish, Batman villain sort of way. From the opulent gold-trimmed interiors of Castle Dimitrescu to the grungy mechanical works of Heisenberg’s subterranean laboratory, each presides over their own visually distinct realm that you must endure.
Every set has a distinct mood, with one requiring a more stealth-oriented approach and the other leaning more toward psychological horror than battle. Exploring the deepest corners of Village’s universe and discovering the true explanation for these fairytale freaks’ current life made for an engrossing mystery that kept me hooked during my 10-hour playthrough.
The Wolves of Maul Street
Aside from the aforementioned Lycans, there are zombie ghouls, flying gargoyles, full-on werewolves, and more lurking around every corner, waiting to ambush you. Their assault seems like an offensive answer to one of Resident Evil 7’s most glaring flaws: the lack of diversity in enemy types; the game’s handful of lumbering monsters were dubbed the “Mold,” an apt moniker given how quickly they became dull. Village corrects this by putting a much larger number of nasties in the crosshairs; in reality, the last time there was such a diverse group of villagers, they were singing disco songs about the YMCA.
This expanded roster of bloodthirsty beasts not only makes for a more interestingly changing set of fighting encounters, but it also gives the bolstered crafting framework some much-needed depth and decision-making.
What’re You Buying?
You can buy weapon add-ons and upgrades, as well as small quantities of medkits and ammunition, from The Duke, a tubby merchant who can be found in different locations across the map like a Transylvanian 7-11. What I liked most about Capcom successfully resurrecting Resident Evil 4’s merchant is that the Duke’s high prices forced me to pore over every square inch of Village’s breathtaking scenery in search of jewels to exchange for spending money, which led to some fun and malevolent surprises.
It’s clear that this Resident Evil is named ‘Village’ not only because Capcom can painfully cram the Roman numerals for eight into its logo, but because discovering the village is a key part of the experience and one that sets it apart from previous Resident Evil games. While you must visit each of the main villains’ lairs in a specific order, keys and other resources discovered along the way unlock new paths and secrets, ensuring that your return trips through Village’s main hub are always rewarding
Ladykiller
My journey through Resident Evil Village, on the other hand, was not without its setbacks. Despite the horniest expectations of internet perverts, Lady Dimitrescu’s presence is both intimidatingly long-legged and disappointingly short-lived, so I’m not sure Capcom was prepared for how much of a sensation she will become with the Resident Evil fanbase. She appears early on, is relatively easy to avoid in terms of stalker enemies, and doesn’t have the same appearance as Village’s billboard-sized poster girl.
The Fast and the Furriest
Mercenaries is a multi-part gauntlet that takes players through four stages from Village’s campaign. Surviving isn’t difficult, but figuring out the best route to the level objective and maintaining your kill streak combo is crucial if you want to reach some of the game’s more difficult high-score targets. This time around, special skill orbs have been added to add an extra layer of strategy, allowing you to unlock bonuses like more powerful headshots, faster movement, and, my personal favourite, exploding enemy corpses to clear closely clustered enemy clusters with fewer shots.
These abilities can be stacked, and it’s fun to try out different combinations to see which ones fit your playstyle and weapon preferences the best.
REVIEW : Mighty Fight Federation (PC)
