Capcom’s Resident Evil games hold undeniable significance in the history of modern video games. From the groundbreaking original in 1996 on Playstation, which delivered intense scares and established a new benchmark for survival horror (and remains one of the better game film adaptations), to the more recent Resident Evil 7, which offered a particularly visceral VR experience (many fans have eagerly anticipated Resident Evil 8. This installment, titled Resident Evil Village, also marks the series’ debut on the latest generation of consoles. We ventured into the Romanian-inspired nightmares and experienced a surprisingly engaging horror adventure on Playstation 5.
Resident Evil Village is set a few years after the events of the seventh game (which we will avoid spoiling here; a recap is provided upon starting the game for those unfamiliar with the prior narrative). Ethan Winters has relocated with his family to “a European country,” heavily implied to be a fantastical interpretation of Romania, evidenced by references to traditional soup like Ciorba, the currency lei, and altered versions of well-known family names such as Dumitrescu, rendered as Dimitrescu (pronounced close to “Dimitrish” in-game). When Chris Redfield, a recurring character in the Resident Evil franchise, unexpectedly appears and abducts Ethan’s daughter, Rose, a sequence of unusual events unfolds, plunging our protagonist into a nightmarish ordeal involving werewolves, an imposing vampire matriarch, and a witch-like figure named Mother Miranda, seemingly linked to antichrist themes.
Resident Evil Village retains the first-person perspective introduced in the seventh game, placing players directly in the role of Ethan. This approach presents both advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately proves effective. The game maintains a largely linear structure, foregoing a vast open world in favor of a more directed experience. While exploration isn’t entirely unrestricted, the critical path remains clear, with minimal backtracking required. Puzzles are present, but they prioritize logical problem-solving over extreme complexity, differing from the style seen in games like The Witness. Instead, they predominantly involve locating and utilizing the appropriate object in the correct context. Resident Evil Village emphasizes the narrative experience, action-oriented encounters, and light puzzle elements, resulting in a highly engaging overall experience.
The Playstation 5 version boasts high-resolution visuals and ray tracing (which can be disabled, though its impact on the frame rate is minimal, making it preferable to leave enabled for enhanced graphics). Built on Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, the game appears to render at 3840x2160p (4K), potentially employing checkerboarding techniques, while targeting an unlocked 60 fps. Frame rate dips are occasionally observed, dropping to around 50fps in certain instances, but these occurrences are infrequent. Generally, the game offers impressive visual fidelity. The potential of the current generation of consoles is beginning to materialize, generating renewed excitement for upcoming titles. Resident Evil Village delivers compelling visuals and immersive audio (particularly with headphones), though it may not fully leverage next-gen capabilities to the same extent as titles like Returnal. The game’s finer details are where some shortcomings become apparent. The DualSense controller’s haptic feedback is implemented sparingly, primarily to indicate an empty magazine, triggering a trigger lock – a subtle yet effective feature. Similarly, the graphical fidelity of details varies noticeably upon close inspection. While environments and elements like paintings exhibit impressive quality (especially the natural lighting from lamps and torches with ray tracing enabled), certain textures, such as twigs, appear flat and unrefined. The game also employs a technique where details visibly “pop” into view as the player approaches, which slightly detracts from the overall visual experience. The Xbox Series X version is expected to deliver slightly improved performance, and we hope to provide impressions of that version in the future.
Resident Evil Village offers a moderate level of challenge for most players. It provides an engaging and exciting experience without being overly frightening or frustrating. Experienced players may wish to begin on the Hard difficulty (which can only be changed upon death), while those primarily interested in the narrative may find the Casual difficulty more suitable. However, we recommend starting on Normal for a balanced experience. The game’s narrative unfolds as a dark fantasy, drawing inspiration from fairy tales and evoking elements of Castlevania, with a Dracula-esque castle and adversaries reminiscent of that series’ archetypal enemies. While Resident Evil Village delivers plenty of excitement, it leans more towards action-adventure with horror elements than a pure horror game, a welcome departure after the intensity of the seventh game (particularly in VR). However, players expecting a genuinely terrifying experience might be somewhat disappointed, though individual reactions to horror naturally vary.
We thoroughly enjoyed Resident Evil Village and were impressed by Capcom’s offering as an early title on PS5 (although it’s also available on Xbox Series X and previous-generation consoles). It signals the beginning of a new era, where the increased power of current-generation consoles, combined with technologies like ray tracing, promises a wealth of compelling gaming experiences. If you have any interest in the genre and enjoy action-adventure games with dark fantasy themes, Resident Evil Village is a must-play, especially if you own a current-generation console or a high-end PC capable of showcasing its visual splendor. However, the limitations imposed by its cross-generation nature are evident in aspects like the character models, the relatively confined level design, and the lack of a final layer of polish in certain details. While it falls just short of absolute perfection, it comes remarkably close. We offer a strong recommendation for this bloody, richly atmospheric fantasy adventure filled with excitement.
Happy 25th anniversary, Resident Evil!
Footnote: A demo of Resident Evil Village is available for download from your platform’s online store, offering a one-hour trial of the game.
