The next installment in the long running survival horrorREfranchise is right around the corner, withResident Evil Villagelooking to scare up a new set of thrills and chills once players are able to play it. The series has been on a winning streak the past few years, completely revitalizing interest in the IP afterResident Evil 6was considered a low pointamong many fans.
Resident Evil 7was a series refresh in more ways than just style and atmosphere, with the game completely shifting the perspective from third to first person. While jarring at first and seeming to distance itself from the series more traditional formula,Resident Evil Villagelooks to continue what its predecessor began to further make the series the best version of itself that its been in years.
RELATED:Why The Japanese Version of Resident Evil Village Will Be Different From North America and Europe
A New View on Terror
As stated,Resident Evilhas moved the point of viewfrom over the shoulder to directly seeing thought the eyes of characters in the game, a change that can arguably be seen as an improvement for a game in this genre.Resident Evil 4was the first in the series to have the over the shoulder perspective, giving a new angle on how the player saw the horrors unfold before them. It was only what was directly visible in front that the player could see, with any noise behind them instantly generating anxiety thanks to the limited movement of the tank controls.
The first person perspective inResident Evil 7and nowResident Evil Villagecan be seen as the natural evolution of that restricting point of view. Only being able to see the action and horror from first person limits what is visible, causing an immediate sense of tension and claustrophobia for the player while navigating the environments. First person can help blur the line for reality and the game world like never before, withadded VR functionalityonly heightening the effect for modern games that support it.
The Fundamentals of Scaring
Aside from the change in perspective, many of thecore elements ofResident Evilremain intact, only now improved or reshaped to better fit with modern gaming expectations. As the saying goes, ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ and that proves to be true with several of the main elements to be found in anyResident Evilrelease, howeverResident Evil Villageseems to find a nice balance between these established concepts to become the most refined game yet.
If the older titles on the original PlayStation were largely focused on the slower build of tension, and thenResident Evil 4emphasized action for the next few games,Resident Evil Villageseems to be the perfect marriage between the two. The recentMaiden Demo forResident Evil Villageoffers a glimpse at the palpable atmosphere and creepiness of the game, while other previews have provided a look at the improved gunplay and combat with in-game enemies.
Furthermore, as is seen withthe scariest moments inResident Evil 7, this new approach to the franchise opts to instead keep things simple by letting the horror drive the show in much more subtle, yet disturbingly realistic fashion. Gone are the over the top doomsday scenarios and chemical warfare subplots, replaced now with more up close and personal looks into smaller locations twisted by malevolent forces. It seems fitting that finally, a series calledResident Evil, chooses to focus on twisted things happening to what were once quaint, close knit little towns and homes.
Resident Evil Villagewill be available on May 7th, 2021, for the PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.
