Resident Evil Village (PS4)

Resident Evil Village takes some of the best parts of fan favorites RE4 and RE7 and combines them into an amazing package. It's not perfect, but it's still a fantastic experience through and through.A direct sequel to RE7, Village follows the same protagonist, Ethan Winters, as he ventures in a foreign town after disgrace hits his family and tries to put his life back together. Unfortunately for him, the past seems unable to let him go and he finds himself yet again dragged into a fight with monsters and insanely powerful people.Gameplay aspects returning from RE7 are the first person perspective, the crafting system, the permanent character upgrades and the foreboding sense of terror and loneliness. From RE4 the "inventory system tetris" is back, alongside the ... MoreResident Evil Village takes some of the best parts of fan favorites RE4 and RE7 and combines them into an amazing package. It's not perfect, but it's still a fantastic experience through and through.A direct sequel to RE7, Village follows the same protagonist, Ethan Winters, as he ventures in a foreign town after disgrace hits his family and tries to put his life back together. Unfortunately for him, the past seems unable to let him go and he finds himself yet again dragged into a fight with monsters and insanely powerful people.Gameplay aspects returning from RE7 are the first person perspective, the crafting system, the permanent character upgrades and the foreboding sense of terror and loneliness. From RE4 the "inventory system tetris" is back, alongside the ability to upgrade weapons, the salesman, the hidden gems and valuables that can be sold and action setpieces that will sometimes have you blasting your way against dozens of enemies at the same time. Also from past games is the ability to pursue challenges and gain points, which can be exchanged for prizes that either affect gameplay (such as new weapons or infinite ammo) or give you collectibles such as concept art and models.While the push for action might make it look like the game can't be as scary as its predecessor, this game contains several areas that will test your bravery and one section is, without a doubt, the most terrifying that this franchise has ever been. But still, even the action parts are good fun. Granted, the shift in tone might not be to everyone's liking. If you prefer the total horror of RE7 or the complete campiness of RE4 you're bound to be disappointed when the tone changes. If you're OK with both, you'll love it all.Visually, the game looks great and runs surprisingly well, even in middle-end PCs, but it's prone to sudden slowdowns in certain areas. This is usually fixed by reloading a save, but how often it'll happen seems to depend on chance. You can go for hours and never encounter this problem or find it several times in a row. It'll also depend on your system, of course, so you might never encounter this problem at all.And speaking of slowing down, this game sadly follows the trend many games have lately of including a few "slow walk" areas that remove your ability to run to add some cheap attempt at ambience. I wish games stopped doing that, it never works as intended. Thankfully, it's the only thing in this game that counts as padding. Everything else is perfectly crafted.There's also a Mercenaries minigame included for extra fun and the higher difficulty levels will absolutely test your patience, but in a good way. It really is a fantastic game, and I absolutely recommend it.

Hi, everyone! I'm a fan of Resident evil series and a fan of quality zombie scenarios. But in this Village, it's not about the zombies (only) anymore. You'll walk amongst ferocious lycans, vampires, gargoyles... And, of course, the stilysh, but infamous Lady Dimitrescu!The graphics are photorealistically superb, picturing a perfect visual scenario for this fantasy.The gameplay is nice, combining exploration, puzzles, smooth shooting and... shinny treasures! 😁 And crafting loot!😁😁 And guns! 😁😁😁 And even a merchant you can trade, upgrade and... speak with. 😏Maybe is not perfect... for everyone or for all the fans of the classic RE series. The gameplay can be improved. But i think that RE Village is still an upgrade, one step forward.Maybe i'm a lilltle ... MoreHi, everyone! I'm a fan of Resident evil series and a fan of quality zombie scenarios. But in this Village, it's not about the zombies (only) anymore. You'll walk amongst ferocious lycans, vampires, gargoyles... And, of course, the stilysh, but infamous Lady Dimitrescu!The graphics are photorealistically superb, picturing a perfect visual scenario for this fantasy.The gameplay is nice, combining exploration, puzzles, smooth shooting and... shinny treasures! 😁 And crafting loot!😁😁 And guns! 😁😁😁 And even a merchant you can trade, upgrade and... speak with. 😏Maybe is not perfect... for everyone or for all the fans of the classic RE series. The gameplay can be improved. But i think that RE Village is still an upgrade, one step forward.Maybe i'm a lilltle subjective. 😁 Roumanian lei, roumanian folklore, beautiful (sometimes gorry) roumanian environments and castles! 🙂😏

One of the best Resident Evil games to be released. Have just finished playing this with my partner and my sister, we sat taking turns and we all absolutely loved this game, it basically meshes together Resident Evil 4 and 7 then gives you an old horror twist feeling with the enemies too.The whole story had me completely invested with Ethan and what was going on, in my opinion I love his character and what he brings to this universe, he's brave, resilient but also terrified of what he knows is to come. The gameplay was good (being very similar too resident evil 7) but adding customization and more options to choose from to fight terrifying enemies with, I will say some boss fights did seem a little easy but that didn't take away the fun and horror from them (I'm ... MoreOne of the best Resident Evil games to be released. Have just finished playing this with my partner and my sister, we sat taking turns and we all absolutely loved this game, it basically meshes together Resident Evil 4 and 7 then gives you an old horror twist feeling with the enemies too.The whole story had me completely invested with Ethan and what was going on, in my opinion I love his character and what he brings to this universe, he's brave, resilient but also terrified of what he knows is to come. The gameplay was good (being very similar too resident evil 7) but adding customization and more options to choose from to fight terrifying enemies with, I will say some boss fights did seem a little easy but that didn't take away the fun and horror from them (I'm saying this only playing on normal haha haven't tried a harder difficulty yet)The village was horrifyingly beautiful and looked amazing in 4k, I loved the atmosphere and it really felt like I was thrown into an earlier setting but with a modern twist.I can't recommend this game enough even if you haven't played any of the games before give this a try and you will want to play the whole franchise. I've grown up with Resident Evil and playing these games and I can't tell you how dear to my heart this game franchise is, huge thanks to the development team and everyone involved with making this game and I really really hope we see more in the future. 10/10 and If it was up to me I'd easily give this game of the year.... A bit pre mature to say but I feel like it's going to be tough to top this game at the moment.One last thought..... There was one bit in particular that was absolutely terrifying and you'll know the it when you get there.... I loved how they switched up horror with action. Perfect balance. Well done for making a true masterpiece that I'm sure will be talked about even in years to come.

This kinda seems like a just okay version of RE4, to be honest. Like, you can play this like it's Skyrim essentially which is kinda strange. It's fun gameplay, sure, but super easy. The puzzles and boss fights are way easier than they have any right to be. I died once in an entire playthrough and only saved twice, and I'm really terrible at games.I will say that the graphics are beautiful, and the story is simple and sweet (a guy trying to save his daughter) with the worst parts being attempts to connect the Village story to historical (can we call it "historical" if it hasn't been built on since, what? 2009?) canon.Overall, it's a very meh game. It's got interesting combat that I'm not sure if I like or hate yet. The story is good until there are attempts made to ... MoreThis kinda seems like a just okay version of RE4, to be honest. Like, you can play this like it's Skyrim essentially which is kinda strange. It's fun gameplay, sure, but super easy. The puzzles and boss fights are way easier than they have any right to be. I died once in an entire playthrough and only saved twice, and I'm really terrible at games.I will say that the graphics are beautiful, and the story is simple and sweet (a guy trying to save his daughter) with the worst parts being attempts to connect the Village story to historical (can we call it "historical" if it hasn't been built on since, what? 2009?) canon.Overall, it's a very meh game. It's got interesting combat that I'm not sure if I like or hate yet. The story is good until there are attempts made to sloppily connect it to other Resident Evil games. The store system is a welcome return. The bosses are very much a mixed bag with map levels more interesting than the boss battle. The UI can be a little janky, but it's not horrible. Just makes it a little taxing to pick things up on the fly. It's very okay, and that's all I can really say.Absolutely go for it when it's on sale if you're into it. You can definitely get a solid 4-6 hours of gameplay from the main campaign and more if you like the Mercenaries, but I truly don't believe it's worth buying at more that $30.

I can't properly say how much I've enjoyed every Resident Evil game since 7, which was the revival of the series and the ushering in of this new era of modern RE games. They have all been utterly excellent. The remake of RE2 was a masterpiece in my opinion. It is so refined in every area, the environment especially. But everything even several years on and several replays later is still so impressive. The enemy design, level progression, gun handling, and every gamer's favorite fast walker in a trench coat, Mr. X. There's so many things that make this game stand above other third person shooters, survival horror games, and arguably even the earlier classics in its own series. It is a masterclass of game design. To say I enjoyed Resident Evil 8 just as much would be ... MoreI can't properly say how much I've enjoyed every Resident Evil game since 7, which was the revival of the series and the ushering in of this new era of modern RE games. They have all been utterly excellent. The remake of RE2 was a masterpiece in my opinion. It is so refined in every area, the environment especially. But everything even several years on and several replays later is still so impressive. The enemy design, level progression, gun handling, and every gamer's favorite fast walker in a trench coat, Mr. X. There's so many things that make this game stand above other third person shooters, survival horror games, and arguably even the earlier classics in its own series. It is a masterclass of game design. To say I enjoyed Resident Evil 8 just as much would be an understatement, It's just as good in every area, if not better. And while it lacks compared to 2 in length or replayability, so do RE7 and the remake of RE3. But you'll have such a great time in just one run of this game it'll make up for that minor flaw and then some. I don't like hard games, and I normally don't do playthroughs again on the higher difficulties. I liked that first run so much I did it all again on standard and hardcore, and it even pushed me to replay the earlier 7, 2, and 3 on their other difficulty settings to experience what they had to offer as well. But like I said, you don't need to do play any previous game in the series or play this through more than once to be satisfied with the variety of content and the polish that is dripping off of every pixel of this game. Does it have the atmosphere of the Baker mansion? Maybe not, but even with a broader range of environments, each different area had me just staring at walls, floors, ceiling, and furniture, all things I'd hardly notice in any other FPS. Does it have the iconic villains like Mr. X and Nemesis from past two games? Lady Dimitrescu certainly has presence, and I wouldn't say she or any of the other lords are what you'd call forgettable. Does it have the pacing and variety to match Resident Evil 4, the fan favorite, and the one this game emulates in some areas? There are no companions to escort in this game, or jet skis, or harpoon rowboat boss fight. It might be the shorter game but in turn there's much less bloat and hardly anything you could say that could have been cut for length or pacing. It's not by any stretch of the imagination a perfect game, nor is it the best I've ever played. However, without a doubt I'd say it can go toe to toe if it's measured against any other RE game or modern survival horror game.

A Decent Mix of Fun and Scares

Resident Evil: Village feels like a weird mix between Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 4. It has a decent balance of action and scares. Although I found the game more fun than Resident Evil 7 it was not nearly as good moment to moment. The boss fights for example, were far less interesting and creative. Hopefully the blandness of the combat in the game was created that way intentionally for future VR support. I also much preferred the atmosphere of RE7 to RE8. I personally feel that's one of the reasons Village's scares and jump scares often missed the mark for me. With the exception being one certain area of the game. The dialogue is still cringe worthy as ever for the series. Whether you view that as part of the RE charm or its detriment is up to you. The story ... MoreResident Evil: Village feels like a weird mix between Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 4. It has a decent balance of action and scares. Although I found the game more fun than Resident Evil 7 it was not nearly as good moment to moment. The boss fights for example, were far less interesting and creative. Hopefully the blandness of the combat in the game was created that way intentionally for future VR support. I also much preferred the atmosphere of RE7 to RE8. I personally feel that's one of the reasons Village's scares and jump scares often missed the mark for me. With the exception being one certain area of the game. The dialogue is still cringe worthy as ever for the series. Whether you view that as part of the RE charm or its detriment is up to you. The story does, however, have a few surprises for fans of the past games. If you're not familiar with them you may miss out on a few small things.Overall, I enjoyed Resident Evil Village. To my surprise, I really liked how they managed to integrate Ethan's story of both Resident Evil 7 and 8 into the series story as a whole in what felt like a fairly natural way. I would definitely give the game another star for the inclusion of a VR mode. Perhaps that will come in time with PSVR2. But as it stands now, 4 out of 5 stars.

Best of 4 and 7

The shift to first person perspective in RE7 was one of the biggest shakeups in the franchise's history. I'm in the crowd who thinks the venture paid off, so I'm glad that Village presses forward in the same style.The first person perspective again works well to up the horror feel, though admittedly, this iteration leans more towards action than the previous one. It's not far-fetched to say this is more action-adventure, tinged with horror. Ammo isn't very scarce, and with enemies now dropping treasures as they did in RE4 and 5, there's no longer incentive to run past them. You'll want to pick up all the treasures you can to strengthen your arsenal. This motive to continually get stronger is a vastly different from struggling to survive, but vets who loved RE4 and ... MoreThe shift to first person perspective in RE7 was one of the biggest shakeups in the franchise's history. I'm in the crowd who thinks the venture paid off, so I'm glad that Village presses forward in the same style.The first person perspective again works well to up the horror feel, though admittedly, this iteration leans more towards action than the previous one. It's not far-fetched to say this is more action-adventure, tinged with horror. Ammo isn't very scarce, and with enemies now dropping treasures as they did in RE4 and 5, there's no longer incentive to run past them. You'll want to pick up all the treasures you can to strengthen your arsenal. This motive to continually get stronger is a vastly different from struggling to survive, but vets who loved RE4 and 5 are no strangers to the feeling.Speaking of treasures, they can also be obtained by shooting shiny spots in areas or solving light puzzles. Some hidden areas and objects also provide incentive to explore thoroughly. Those who venture off the beaten path will be greatly rewarded. I like the dense, well-designed levels that you can quickly familiarize yourself with. There's plenty of replayability in the form of additional unlockable weapons and challenges with which to earn points for additional unlocks.Story was always a nice-to-have in RE games for me, but it takes center stage here. The presentation and cinematic feel are higher in Village than ever and make for a personal and engaging story.

Not as good as 7

I'll be upfront about this: I prefer a game, any game, in first-person. That's the we way we all experience the world and that's what I'm attracted to when gaming. If you feel otherwise, alright, but don't knock a game just because of that. Hate on the story or controls or length, but not the POV.RE7 and Village are first-person, Resident Evil experiences. No the first RE games to try this, but certainly the best. Village is good. Very good, in fact, but it's just not as good as RE 7, which truly brought me back to "survival horror" when I'd practically given up on anything new being worthwhile.7 had the crazy, dirty Texas Chainsaw-like family and the grody environment. Village is more an eclectic, mish-mash of disparate fantasy enemies. Everyone's obsessed with ... MoreI'll be upfront about this: I prefer a game, any game, in first-person. That's the we way we all experience the world and that's what I'm attracted to when gaming. If you feel otherwise, alright, but don't knock a game just because of that. Hate on the story or controls or length, but not the POV.RE7 and Village are first-person, Resident Evil experiences. No the first RE games to try this, but certainly the best. Village is good. Very good, in fact, but it's just not as good as RE 7, which truly brought me back to "survival horror" when I'd practically given up on anything new being worthwhile.7 had the crazy, dirty Texas Chainsaw-like family and the grody environment. Village is more an eclectic, mish-mash of disparate fantasy enemies. Everyone's obsessed with Lady D and I sort of get that, but Village lost alot of the horror for me. Except that baby...But, altogether, you can do alot worse than Village. The story isn't too long, maybe 6 hours, but the post game stuff has legs.

Worthy addition despite the unworthy protagonist

Had an amazing time with this game. This entry of resident evil is more oriented in the action department which isn't really an issue with me but I didn't find it too scary outside of the village introduction survival section which is also the hardest part of the game. I love some of the new enemy designs and their movement and attack patterns particularly the Lycans. This game is definitely meant to be experienced more than once because of all the rewards you unlock upon completion of the game on certain difficulties. Then there's mercenary mode which comes with it's own challenges and worthwhile unlocks to strive for. There will be plenty to do to keep any completionist busy before and after the initial playthrough. My only gripe with the game is probably the weak ... MoreHad an amazing time with this game. This entry of resident evil is more oriented in the action department which isn't really an issue with me but I didn't find it too scary outside of the village introduction survival section which is also the hardest part of the game. I love some of the new enemy designs and their movement and attack patterns particularly the Lycans. This game is definitely meant to be experienced more than once because of all the rewards you unlock upon completion of the game on certain difficulties. Then there's mercenary mode which comes with it's own challenges and worthwhile unlocks to strive for. There will be plenty to do to keep any completionist busy before and after the initial playthrough. My only gripe with the game is probably the weak protagonist and overall medicore narrative in comparison to previous entries. I feel that even Capcom is ashamed of this lead character so much that they hide his face in shame throughout the entire game. This becomes apparent when you unlock his miniature display figure and go to view, it shows that the man clearly has no face. Now I don't mind protagonists who don't show their faces if the character buildup is good like Master Chief from Halo. His suit is part of his identity and everytime he takes his helmet off to filter out the air, the camera cuts away to keep the player guessing and intrigued in the lore. The protagonist of this game does not garner such reputation as he's not a spartan and I thought he was a very mediocre character from the previous game. I personally like this game better than 7, because apparently alot of people thought that game was much scarier than this one and had a better story. I on the other hand thought the fear factor in both games were about the same. The pacing, progression system and the gunplay are much improved from 7 as well as the enemy varieties. The pacing in this game is almost similar to Resident Evil 4 which is undoubtedly my favorite which might also indicate why I really enjoyed this game as well.