In-depth review of the latest in the series, Resident Evil: Village! Four horror stories of varying quality, increased action, and a father's tale. ......

The latest installment in the "Resident Evil" series, "Resident Evil Village" ("Village"), was released on May 8, 2021. It is a sequel to "Resident Evil7 Resident Evil" ("Bio7") and tells the story of the protagonist Ethan Winters. In this issue, the author has completed the game and presents a review of the game. Spoilers pertaining to the story are kept to a minimum, so those who have not yet played the game should not worry.

Four Nobles and Four Terrors

Three years after the Baker Mansion incident in "Bio 7. The protagonist, Ethan Winters, is leading a new life with his wife, Mia, and daughter, Rose. One day, Chris Redfield suddenly attacks the Winters' home. He kills Mia and kidnaps Rose. In order to get his beloved daughter back, Ethan sets out for a cold village in Europe.

As revealed on the official website and in the trailer that is currently being shown, four noblemen appear in this film. The story of "The Village" centers around a cold village with a castle, a mansion, a lake, and a factory, and Ethan must defeat the nobles who reside in each of them: the over 2 meter tall Mrs. Dmitrescu, the puppet master Donna, the deformed Morrow, and Heisenberg, who wields a hammer as tall as he is with ease and even telekinesis-like powers. Heisenberg, who wields a hammer as tall as he is with ease and even uses telekinesis. The strong personalities of these characters are in stark contrast to those of "Bio 7," in which seemingly ordinary people attack.

In addition to the characterization, there is a clear distinction between "Bio 7" and "Bio 7" in terms of horror. The cold village you visit at the beginning of the game is spacious and roamed by a lycanthrope, a monster that could be a man or a wolf, but as you advance, you enter a castle inhabited by Mrs. Dmitrescu and her three daughters, and you find yourself frantically exploring while fighting them.

The first half of the game is more action-oriented horror, focusing on the fear of being chased and mental terror, while the second half is more action-oriented horror, focusing on the fear of fighting powerful enemies and hordes. In my opinion, the first half of the game is reminiscent of "1" to "3" and "7" in the series, while the second half is reminiscent of "4" to "6". It may also be a review of the "Resident Evil" series. The sense of claustrophobia of exploring a common house while running away from monsters, the internal horror of expressing human madness, and the physiological horror of using insects are very different from "Bio 7," which has a strong impression of gloominess throughout the entire film.

It is also important to note the attention paid to sound in this film. The sounds of walking on snow and mud, doors opening and closing, and the groans of lycanthropes and other creatures are balanced to emphasize realism and not be too insistent, so as to blend in with the worldview. To be honest, I noticed many of these elements when I played around. This may be a reflection of the fact that it is so complete as a "background".

As I will write more about later, with the introduction of action and RPG-like elements, such as counterattacks from defense, this title is less horror-filled than "Bio 7," as officially transmitted. However, this is taken as a whole, and some of the stages are the scariest in the series, let alone the previous title. Fans of the "Resident Evil" series can rest assured that the horror aspect has not been skimped on at all.

4" and "7. Action and Survival Horror

As mentioned earlier, this title has plenty of new gameplay elements. Enemies you defeat drop items and money, which you can use to buy weapons and ammunition from the merchant Duke, modify the weapons themselves, or give the ingredients you collect to Duke to make food that can enhance Ethan's stats. It's a transaction, so you need money, but even if you are backed into a corner by wasting ammunition or items, you still have a chance to get back on your feet. For the "Resident Evil" series, where you can get stuck depending on what you have on hand, this kind of arrangement is appreciated by beginners.

Ethan himself has additional actions, such as defensive counterattacks, and there are objects throughout the game that can be used to the player's advantage, such as a bombing talon and flour that can be used to dazzle the player. With more means of attack, players can now fight more aggressively than in "Bio 7. Players can also be more aggressive in their attacks, taking out enemies one by one to recover money and treasure to build up their forces under the Duke's command. However, both the enemies and the Duke's goods are naturally limited. If you fight without thinking, you will find yourself in a pinch in no time. Also, as in past titles, it is not possible to shoot an enemy in the head or legs, and then use physical techniques on them when they are out of position, so you are at a considerable disadvantage if you are fighting multiple Lycans at once. Lycans are physically strong and can quickly close the gap between opponents, so you cannot let your guard down even if you are facing only one Lycan at a time. Although the main character is stronger than in the previous film, the balance of being an extension of the average person works well and amplifies the fear.

The game's style of combining action and horror is reminiscent of "Resident Evil 4" ("Bio 4"), a departure from the survival horror of "3" and before, in which players had to manage ammunition and choose who to defeat while continuing to fight. The village where the game takes place, the merchants who buy and sell items, and the attaché cases that store items all suggest that the game has had a great deal of influence on "The Village.

Treasures are scattered in the field where the game takes place, and Duke will buy them at a high price. The treasures are placed in such a way that they respond to the game-like thinking, "If I use this item there, I can get it at ......," or "What will happen if I go there at this stage of the game? It took me about nine and a half hours to complete the game after taking a few detours here and there. When I tried a time attack later, it took me about two and a half hours. Even though I got the gist of the game, the challenge was quite challenging, considering the difference of about 7 hours. After clearing the game, various elements will open up, such as "The Mercenaries," where you can earn scores by defeating enemies, and "Infinite Bullets," which can be used in the main game. It's nice to see that the game is designed to be played over a long period of time.

Incidentally, I played this game on PS4 Pro, and I was impressed by the fact that it took almost no time to load, except when I was riding the elevator to each stage. There were a few moments of darkness when I was in a hurry to move around a building, but after completing the fifth lap, I can only count them on one hand. Saving time was so short, usually less than one second, that at first I was worried about whether the game was saved properly. The use of elevators for loading is reminiscent of the first "Resident Evil" game, where the loading time between areas was replaced by the opening of doors.

On the other hand, the elements of "Bio 7" are also continued across the board. The "isolated view (first-person perspective)," in which players progress through the game from the same perspective as the character they are controlling, and "crafting," in which players combine specific materials to create items, are still present. The same survival horror features as in the previous title can be enjoyed. In particular, the first-person perspective is a symbol of the new "Resident Evil," and is one of the elements that amplifies the scares of "Bio 7" and "The Village.

In previous installments of the "Resident Evil" series, heroes such as Chris, Jill, and Leon have faced the scourge, and players have controlled the characters over their shoulders as limbs to help them. The heroes and the third-person perspective (TPS) acted as a filter, taking the place of the fear felt by the player. After "Bio 4," the emphasis has shifted to action, and as a result, the player has become stronger, and although survival in extreme conditions is emphasized, the horror aspect seems to have diminished.

In a departure from the current state of the series, "Resident Evil 7" shocked players by reexamining the survival horror genre. The game was packed with elements that contributed to the horror: an amateurish and ineffectual protagonist, slow movement speed, a user interface with little to rely on, and a first-person perspective that put the player in the same shoes as the character. Based on "Bio 7," which produced one of the most horrific games in the series, "Village" combines the qualities of "Bio 4," which took a new direction as the action-oriented Resident Evil.

The world of "Resident Evil" also includes ordinary people.

Resident Evil" began in a Western-style house in the Arklay Mountains, and over the course of the series, the story has expanded to include an industrial city, a country, and the world. While it is fun to control the familiar protagonists and play them out in the world, once you get used to it, you don't really care about one or two zombies, and it is hard to care about the ordinary people who fall prey to these beings. They are a necessary sacrifice to create fear. It's a game before it's a story, so there's nothing we can do about it.

In "Bio 7" and "The Village," the protagonist is Ethan Winters, a civilian. Both films were "Resident Evil" from the public's perspective, told through Ethan's eyes. In "Bio 7," he goes to the Baker residence for Mia and gets involved in a case, and in "The Village," he goes to his death for Rose. His motive is love for his family, which is very small compared to Chris and the others who are committed to eradicating bioterrorism. But this small battle of an ordinary man is universal and rather familiar to the player. Some players may even identify themselves with him as he fights as a father. There must have been many people like Ethan in past tragedies, just not depicted. When you think about it, you realize that the new Resident Evil is part of a series that has continued for two games.

Even though the series had established itself with its charming characters, it was shocking at the time to see the series turn to a full-fledged survival horror film. Village," which completes Ethan's story, draws on much of "Bio 7" while also incorporating elements taken over from "Bio 4," and skillfully builds a balance between survival horror and action. It will satisfy both those who like "Resident Evil" as a horror game and those who prefer "Resident Evil" as an action game.

(Text: Natsuyoshi Natsuyashirai)

• Film Information
• Resident Evil Village
• Resident Evil Village Z version will be released at the same time.
• Genre: Survival horror
• Release date: May 8, 2021 (Saturday)
• Compatibility: PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
• <Price
• Packaged version
• Normal Edition: 8,789 yen including tax
• Collector's Edition: 31,669 yen including tax
• *Packaged editions are only available for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
• Download Edition
• Normal Edition: 7,990 yen including tax
• Deluxe Edition: 8,990 yen including tax *9,104 yen including tax for PC version only
• Resident Evil Village & Resident Evil 7 Complete Bundle: 9,990 yen including tax
• Trauma Pack (DLC sold separately): 1,300 yen including tax
• Genre: Survival Horror
• Players: 1 player
• CERO rating: "D" (recommended for ages 17 and up)
• Z version" released at the same time is "Z" (only for 18 years old and up)

(C)CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.