Resident Evil: Village
By: Capcom
AS GAMERS bed in for the fallow post-Christmas period, it's time to look ahead at what will coax us from our duvets in 2021 – and we won't have to wait long for the year's first big blockbuster, when Resident Evil: Village lands this April.
Capcom has been gilding the franchise with plenty of Resi remakes of late, but since 2005's Resident Evil 4, there has only been one truly great new game in the numbered series – 2017's Resi 7.
Though a direct sequel, don't call the latest 'Resident Evil 8', as Capcom is keen to hammer home its horrific hamlet setting ('Resident eVillage' would have been better, in my opinion, even if it sounds like an Animal Crossing spin-off).
Taking place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7, Village continues the tale of Ethan Winters as he plays happy families with his rescued wife. That is, until series mainstay Chris Redfield pops up to put a bullet in her head – prompting Ethan to seek answers in the titular village of the damned.
Set in a creepy, snow-capped burg, Capcom says that "unlike the cramped corridors of the Baker mansion in Resident Evil 7, the fear of dark corners has been replaced with the anxiety of the unknown as Ethan searches for answers within decrepit buildings among snow-covered trees."
The developer also confirmed Ethan's journey through the mysterious village will be far more exploratory and combat-heavy than past Resident Evil games. "The first-person perspective will bring a visceral edge to combat as well. Each encounter is a personal fight for survival against terrifying foes, forcing you to keep a watchful eye on the environment and constantly looking for resources and enemies in unknown territory."
While traipsing a desolate village full of religious fundamentalists may not represent escapism for Northern Ireland gamers, the latest Resident Evil promises to be a compendium of horror stocks-in-trade – and the most startling departure from previous efforts is its enemies.
What the original game did for the undead back in 1996, Village looks set to do for folklore. Given that zombies have been done to, erm, death, Village's medieval setting appears to play host to werewolves and witches, with all manner of hairy hellion and hag on the prowl. Purists will howl with disgust, but given Capcom's track record, they could put mermaids into Resident Evil and I'd still be first in the queue.
While there's no concrete release date yet, expect to take on the Village people this April when the next chapter in gaming's most enduring horror series lands on not only the latest hardware but, reportedly, PS4 and Xbox One too.
