The most recent sport from venerable horror collection Resident Evil is the worthy recipient of our Greatest Horror award. For extra accolades, head to the GOTY 2021 hub, which we’re updating by the remainder of the month.
Jacob Ridley, Senior {Hardware} Editor: Resident Evil Village is a way more fast-paced sport than you would possibly count on off the again of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. For that, it is the Resident Evil sport I might advocate to those that have not tried one earlier than, as in between all of the physique horror there’s an entire lot of running-and-gunning.
It additionally blends so many glorious horror sport staples right into a single, fluent sport. Every main ‘space’ of the map looks like a discrete expertise, some specializing in motion and others downright haunting. And each is dwelling to a well-written, and well-acted, paranormal mob boss. Resident Evil Village looks like a horror sport constructed to cater to most horror followers, and whereas that will sound like overreaching, Capcom manages to string the needle exceptionally nicely.
Harry Shepherd, Guides Editor: I skipped Resident Evil 7, however completely not as a result of I used to be too scared. And I can show it: I performed Resident Evil Village. Nevertheless it means my final expertise of the collection was terminally bloated motion film Resident Evil 6, and Ethan’s terrifying jaunt by Fort Dimitrescu may hardly be extra totally different. In one of the best ways attainable. It additionally reasserted how nice and helpful it’s to have totally functioning fingers.
Anyway, the place Resident Evil 6 was overlong, excessive, and wanted the reset of seven to get again to what the collection is greatest at—scares—Village takes {that a} step additional: It is tighter, extra centered, and, most essential, blood-curdling. As Jacob says, every space feels distinct. They are a collection of neat, horrifying episodes that really feel recent sufficient that, as soon as Girl D is shipped packing faster than you would possibly count on, you do not actually thoughts.
Resident Evil Village boasts loads of fearsome moments, even once you’re armed to the tooth. In what looks like no time in any respect after admiring the reveal of the imposing Gothic fortress, you are surrounded by werewolves, left scrapping for survival with a combination of bullets, purple barrels, and sheer dumb luck. I used to be at my most afraid in these moments—once I was cornered.
For all of the gratifying weapons, the part through which they’re all taken away will at all times stay longest within the reminiscence. The tall vampire that stole the present forward of launch might solid an extended shadow, however hidden behind her was one of many scariest horror sequences I’ve ever performed.
Jody Macgregor, AU/Weekend Editor: Like Jacob and Harry stated, Village stays enthralling due to its distinct sections and their selection. They preserve asking totally different questions: “Do you want gothic horror? Do you want physique horror? Do you want unsubtle metaphors for grownup fears?” Sure, Resident Evil Village, I performed Silent Hill 2. I bloody love unsubtle metaphors for grownup fears.
It is like working by Resident Evil’s biggest hits. Here is the large spooky constructing filled with puzzles and zombies. Here is the village the place you board up home windows earlier than getting besieged. Here is the lake with a large fish in it. Here is the manufacturing facility stage that goes on barely too lengthy. I am making enjoyable of the Frankenstein manufacturing facility, however I nonetheless loved it, although I most well-liked the doll home and the Dracula fortress—even the puzzles, which averted a few of the style’s pitfalls. When I discovered the piano puzzle, I figured it was going to be the standard nonsense that assumes you’ve got excellent pitch and recall, but it surely’s fairly doable even for those who assume scales are simply issues on a snake.
As one other one that skipped RE7, I am glad I got here again for Village. It is an actual “everyone will get to eat” expertise, with room for thrilling monster-fight set items in addition to sneak-and-chase sequences and the occasional wander by decaying grandeur for the sake of pacing. It even introduced again Mercenaries mode, which guidelines. (Should you additionally skipped RE7 I like to recommend studying a abstract first, as a result of when you hit Lore City, there’s stuff that will not make any sense in any other case.)
