The next entry in the iconicResident Evilfranchise,Resident Evil Village, is just weeks away from release. Horror enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to, especially becauseResident Evil Villageis shaping up to be quite the departure from previousResident Evilgames, even more so thanResident Evil 7.
Resident Evil Villageis not just looking to be the most expansiveResident Evilcampaign of all time, but it’s also a meaty package as a whole.Resident Evil 3 Remakefelt like an inadequate release, soResident Evil Villagefeels like a decent surprise. For fans still hesitant to get the game at launch, here’s a breakdown of everythingResident Evil Villageoffers at launch.
RELATED:Resident Evil Village Demo Is A Promising Showcase of What’s to Come
Resident Evil Village Campaign
Resident Evil Villageshoves players into the shoes of the returning Ethan Winters, who is on a mission to find his daughter Rose. UnlikeResident Evil 7,Resident Evil Villagedoesn’t take place primarily in a single house; instead, it takes place in a whole village with versatile locations to explore. As mentioned above, the game takes a more open-ended approach with a newfound emphasis on exploration. IGN recently gave a sneak map of the game’s map that revealedsome of the different areas of the game. This includes Castle Dimitrescu, Heisenberg’s Factory, and Moreau’s Reservoir, to name a few.
Resident Evil Village’sfocus on exploration and variety means that this will be a relatively longer game than some of the previousResident Evilentries. Notable leaker Dusk Golem had revealed earlier thatResident Evil Villageis the longest RE Engine gameto date. He further suggested thatResident Evil Villagewould be longer thanResident Evil 7,Resident Evil 2, andResident Evil 3, but shorter thanResident Evil 4andResident Evil 6.
The campaign inResident Evil Villagecould take 12-15 hours to beat, however, it’s possible that Capcom would add a new difficulty option later on to encourage replayability.Resident Evil 7added a “madhouse” difficulty challenge that featured reduced checkpoints and saves, placed more enemies in certain areas, and more such options to heighten the game experience.Resident Evil Villageis rumored to add anunlockable difficulty modethat would randomize enemy and item placement, though this has yet to be confirmed by Capcom. Needless to say, all of this would contribute to a substantial single-player campaign inResident Evil Village.
Resident Evil Village Mercenary Mode
The fan-favorite bonus Mercenary mode returns inResident Evil Villagewith some new bells and whistles. TheMercenary moderetains the over-the-top arcade-style action where players fight enemies in a time-restricted zone, with new additions like the option to visit the Duke’s shop in-game. Aside from the usual weapon upgrades, players will also gain new abilities. These abilities provide bonuses such as increased damage for handguns, increased movement speed, or decreased damage taken while guarding.
With a wide array of weapons at their disposal, the Mercenary mode is shaping up to be a challenging and fun gameplay experience for both newcomers and hardcore fans alike, and would add a few more hours to the gameplay experience.
RE: Verse
RE: Verseis a free-to-play multiplayer expansion for everyone who purchasesResident Evil Village. It’s a six players deathmatch mode where players get to play as some of the iconic protagonists and antagonists of theResident Evilfranchise. Players start as one of the heroes, however on dying they turn into villains like Mr. X or Jack Baker.
It’s also important to note that every character would have its own unique weapons and abilities which would lead to a more tactical gameplay experience. All of the action takes place in one of the many popularResident Evilgame locations, including the RPD from theResident Evil 2 Remake. Unfortuantely, theRE: Versebeta had a plethora of game-breaking issues that deteriorated the gameplay experience, though it would be interesting to see how the game handles at launch.
All of this makes up for a solid day oneResident Evil Villageexperience. Unlike some other next-gen titles,Resident Evil Villageis still priced at $60 and offers a substantial amount of content in return. Moreover, ifResident Evil 7is any indication,Resident Evil Villageplayers should expect some free story DLC and paid expansions in the future.
Resident Evil Villagelaunches May 21, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Parallels Between Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4
