Resident Evil Village Review (Kenstagator)
Resident Evil Village: A Chaotic Blend of Horror and CInema
Resident Evil Village is a mixed bag of horror elements that caters to a wide range of tastes, but this concoction, while intriguing initially, becomes overwhelming and unbalanced as you delve deeper. Just like sipping a complex smoothie, the first few sips are delightful, dark, and brooding, but as you continue, it turns fiery and wild, leaving you with a confusing aftertaste.
In this game, you once again step into the shoes of Ethan Winters, the same resilient yet bewildered protagonist from Resident Evil 7. This time, he's found himself in a chilling, snow-covered village teeming with lycanthropes instead of kids playing. The game manages to blend action and fear effectively during its first half. It starts with a hair-raising introduction that leads you through a village that's as monstrous as its furry inhabitants. Silence dominates the atmosphere, and every creak or snap of a twig sends shivers down your spine. Resources are scarce, firepower is limited, and fights are genuinely perilous. It's an unsettling crime scene that defies understanding, but you know you'll return to uncover the truth. Resident Evil Village shines when it embraces this patient, eerie atmosphere.
One of the early locations you explore is Dimitrescu's Castle, a grand fortress inhabited by a formidable lady, her diabolical daughters, and classic Resident Evil puzzles. More importantly, the castle preserves the village's eerie ambiance. The pacing is superb as you navigate its enigmatic puzzles and hidden passages, all while trying to ignore the suffocating silence.
But not everything in this game is flawless. Some moments prioritize action over fear, with boss fights feeling choreographed rather than genuine tests of survival. This pattern continues through most of the game, where significant encounters feel more like rehearsals with strict cues to follow. However, one location stands out as an exception.
As you progress, Resident Evil Village takes a turn. The village transforms into a hub world with four different zones, each home to one of the game's villains. The area you visit right after escaping the castle is especially exceptional, but I can't reveal any details about it without spoilers. Suffice it to say, it's a nightmarish and inventive experience that will keep you on your toes. It's a moment of vulnerability in the game, and it's masterful in how it plays with your fears.
Each return to the hub world keeps things fresh. The village subtly evolves to reflect your absence, with weather changes and subtle alterations that make revisiting areas feel rewarding. You may find new tools, like keys, during your adventures, making it satisfying to unlock previously inaccessible spots. These moments of discovery, such as finding new weapons or mysterious treasures, add depth to the gameplay.
Resident Evil Village is visually stunning, with detailed environments and intricate objects that bring its world to life. While the game ran smoothly on my RTX 2070-equipped system, I experienced one crash during a cutscene. This occurred during an early review build, so it may not reflect the final product.
The change in tone during the latter half of the game is kind of jarring. Action increasingly supersedes the horror aspect, and the abundance of weapons feels out of place. The introduction of the Duke, a shopkeeper who offers supplies and gun upgrades, makes resource scarcity less meaningful. By the end, the game prioritizes shooting over suspense and unpredictability.
As Resident Evil Village nears its conclusion, it spirals into chaos, with sequences that feel more suited to Call of Duty than a survival horror game. The transition from a chilling, unknown world to action-packed shootouts is unsettling, and the fear of running out of ammo replaces the fear of the unknown. The game sacrifices its unpredictable, chilling atmosphere for more straightforward gunfights.
Despite this shift, the game's story remains engaging. Ethan Winters' predicament hooks you from the beginning, and the conclusion, while messy, ties up loose ends and leaves room for more questions, a challenging feat for a long-running series.
In the end, Resident Evil Village tries to cater to a broad audience, but this ambition comes at the cost of balance. The early horror-focused sections are exceptional, but the game loses its way as it approaches the end, favoring action over fear. Despite this, it remains compelling.
Overall it's a wonderful game and it's a nice change of pace. The serialization and cinimatic focus of recent Resident Evil titles is something I'm enjoying and I'm hoping to see where Ethan's daughter plays in the next game.