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Everything we know about Resident Evil Village

Joseph Yaden
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After myriad rumors and leaks, Capcom finally revealed Resident Evil Village during Sony’s PS5 showcase in June 2020. The reveal featured a nearly three-minute video, showing off the game’s tone, visuals, and a bit of its enemies and characters, too. It included surprisingly more info than many had expected, and when combined with various interviews with Capcom, along with a Special Developer Message video, there’s quite a bit we do know about Village.

Following that, Capcom held a Resident Evil Showcase, in which it revealed the release date for Village, as well as info about a demo, pre-orders, and even a new stand-alone multiplayer expansion called RE: Verse.

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In this post, we’ll go through everything we know about the upcoming Resident Evil Village.

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Trailer

Before getting to the nitty-gritty with what to expect from Resident Evil Village, it’s a good idea to watch a trailer for it to get a sense of its tone and atmosphere. Above is the second trailer for the game, which was shown during the Tokyo Game Show in September 2020. In it, you get a clear look at some of the game’s enemies, along with a tremendous amount of world-building that feels close to Resident Evil 4.

In addition, we finally got to see gameplay for Resident Evil Village, which was revealed during the Resident Evil Showcase. Check it out below!

What’s up with that title?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s not called Resident Evil 8, despite being a follow-up to Resident Evil 7. For all intents and purposes, it is Resident Evil 8, and Capcom has cleverly designed the game’s title to still include “8” in Roman numeral form, which you can check out above. You’ll remember that Resident Evil 7 did the same with its logo, as well.

The other thing to consider is that Capcom has decided to name it Village instead of 8 for a reason. As part of an interview with Famitsu (relayed by Kotaku), Capcom explained the Village would be a character, in and of itself, and that its producers would be “happy” if players “remembered Village.” Players will venture through this village, which will serve as the game’s setting.

It’s coming to PS4 and Xbox One

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Capcom has ambitious goals for Village but despite this, it will still launch for previous-gen systems — the PS4 and Xbox One. This news was confirmed by Capcom during the Resident Evil Showcase, after months of unclear messaging about Village’s platforms.

Obviously, graphical fidelity is a huge factor with upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X games, and Capcom plans for Village to look stunning. “With the combined power of next gen and RE Engine, we can take our developers’ visions to new heights,” said the game’s producer Tsuyoshi Kanda. Immersive audio, impressive visuals, and a lot more is planned for this release. Don’t expect the game to have loading screens, either — another aspect that will be bolstered by next-gen machines. It’s unclear how the game’s performance will change with the previous-gen iterations, but we’re hoping they run well enough to justify development for those machines.

The game will also apparently focus much more on exploration when compared to RE7 — which again, will require more powerful hardware to maximize the game’s full potential. Resident Evil Village is now a cross-generational title, but how it will perform across all platforms remains to be seen.

It’s a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7

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Capcom explains that Village is “the sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and serves as the conclusion to its story.” Village takes place “a few” years after Resident Evil 7, and in it, you will continue to play as Ethan Winters from a first-person perspective, as he and his wife Mia try to enjoy life after the horrors on the previous game. As shown in the reveal trailer, Chris Redfield from previous games in the series comes into Winters’ life and “disrupts” his tranquility. After encountering Redfield, Winters is led through the village to find answers. Little else is known about the characters and their motivations.

It’s unclear why Redfield is involved or if other characters from the series will make an appearance. Some fans have speculated about some characters shown in the trailer, pointing to the long-haired man with sunglasses possibly being Luis Sera from Resident Evil 4. This has not been confirmed, but that — of course — isn’t stopping the speculation.

Either way, Winters and Redfield are involved in some way, sparking the events of the game’s story. Redfield looks to be older and “brooding,” with almost an ominous presence. He very well could be an antagonist in some way.

The reveal trailer briefly shows a puzzle with the Umbrella logo, possibly alluding that the organization will make some sort of an appearance. Much of the gameplay and overall “feel” seems to be similar to RE7, but will be much more open, at least from what we’ve seen so far. Much of RE7 took place in small- to medium-sized linear areas, which made for a claustrophobic feeling.

Village will focus more on action

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Action and horror have been a staple of the Resident Evil series since its inception, though many long-time fans tend to prefer the entries that emphasize survival aspects — which offer you limited ammo and resources. In Village, Capcom will be “upping the ante on action,” but it’s unclear to what degree. Resident Evil 7 had an effective blend of action and survival-horror elements, and given Capcom’s recent track record for quality, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to see Village double down on action. What many don’t want to see is the degree of action presented in Resident Evil 6, which essentially serves as a third-person shooter, dropping nearly all survival mechanics.

Based on the enemies you’ll be facing off against (which we’ll get into in more detail below), it stands to reason the game will be more action oriented. In the trailer, we got to see short snippets of action against human and non-human enemies. It’s unclear to what degree action will play a part in Village, but it seems to be very much in the vein of RE7.

Along with its action gameplay, it’s also highly likely we’ll see the return of puzzles, if the game’s reveal trailer is any indication. In it, we got to see lots of puzzle-like imagery, with many items that resemble those introduced in RE7. One such item features a fetus-like creature in the center, surrounded by twigs and black feathers, which some fans are speculating is supposed to resemble the Umbrella logo. Maybe this is an item involved in one of the game’s puzzles.

As shown in the recent Resident Evil Showcase, Village will also feature an inventory system similar to that of Resident Evil 4’s — wherein players must apply items at varying sizes across a grid, while ensuring there’s enough room for everything.

Enemies aren’t exclusive to zombies

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Speaking of enemies, the short reveal trailer showed some beautifully designed Werewolf creatures, but it’s unknown if they’re infected by a virus or if their origins lie elsewhere. Nonetheless, these seem to be one of the game’s more formidable enemies, joining the various human characters you’ll face off against. Based on how quick the enemies seem to be, it gives even more credence to upping the ante on action.

Interestingly, the trailer doesn’t seem to show any zombies at all. We’ve seen that Resident Evil doesn’t need to have zombies to be great, but it is a question many have brought up. It’s possible zombies don’t make an appearance at all, which is fine by us. Though some rumors have hinted to the game including both zombies and other enemies, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Depending on why Chris Redfield is visiting you, it’s possible you’ll have to face off against him, which would be an interesting twist, given his lineage as a protagonist throughout the series.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

And of course, the internet has been going crazy for the tall vampire woman known as Lady Dimitrescu — who is expected to be one of the main villains in the upcoming game. It’s currently unclear what her role will be in the final product, but one thing’s for sure: Lady Dimitrescu is scary and the community seems to love her.

When can we play it?

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Resident Evil Village finally got a release date slated for May 7, 2021 across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It’s currently available to preorder, but we’ll cover more on that below. Players who purchase on previous-gen systems will gain access to the current-gen versions at no additional cost, as long as it’s within the same ecosystem (PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S).

Resident Evil Village launches May 7th – and that’s not all. It will be available on PlayStation 5, PS4 (with upgrade to digital PS5 version), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One (with Smart Delivery) and Steam!

The #REShowcase is LIVE NOW:
???? https://t.co/e4wOPFi45Z pic.twitter.com/U90P8FFFfR

— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) January 21, 2021

There’s a PS5 demo available now — with a separate demo to come to other platforms later

Better yet is that PS5 owners can access a free demo for Resident Evil Village right now. It’s being referred to as “Maiden” and features a different playable character than the game’s protagonist, Ethan Winters. The demo is short, but it gives us a taste of what to expect from the full release later this May.

Though, if you’re on other platforms, you’ll be happy to know that a separate demo will be made available to all sometime in the spring.

Resident Evil Village will come with a multiplayer game called RE: Verse

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The Resident Evil series is no stranger to multiplayer modes. Take the cooperative features of Resident Evil 5 and 6, or the Mercenaries game on Nintendo 3DS, for example. Most recently, the remake of Resident Evil 3 featured Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical online multiplayer game in which players must work together to defeat the Mastermind.

With all of that in mind, yes, Resident Evil Village will come with a separate multiplayer game called RE: Verse, which is a stand-alone game that will feature many of the series’ most beloved characters. It will be available for free to all who purchase Village. You can register for the beta here.

Below is a trailer for RE: Verse.

As you can see from the trailer, the character models have a comic book style that resembles their realistic counterparts, but with a cartoon-like visual style. According to Capcom, “players can choose from a fan-favorite roster, each with their own unique skillsets to master. When players are defeated in combat, their character respawns by mutating into a bioweapon to enact revenge on their foes.”

DLC

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As for DLC, Village will feature what is referred to as the Trauma Pack, which is included in the Deluxe Edition of the game. This comes with lots of in-game goodies to enhance the experience. Outside of that, all who preorder Village will gain access to additional items as well. More on that below.

Pre-order and special editions

As announced during the Resident Evil Showcase, Resident Evil Village is available to pre-order now. Moreover, it will come in a few different versions, like a Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Collector’s Edition. Here’s how to pre-order and what comes with each.

Pre-order bonus

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All who pre-order Resident Evil Village will gain access to the following in-game items:

  • Mr. Raccoon Weapon Charm
  • Survival Resource Pack

Standard PS5:

Standard Xbox Series X|S:

Deluxe Edition

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Here’s what you get with the Deluxe Edition:

  • Safe Room Music
  • Mr. Everywhere Bobblehead
  • Max Difficulty
  • Save Device
  • Albert01 Chris Handgun
  • Found Footage Re7 Filter
  • The Tragedy of Ethan Winters

Deluxe Edition PS5:

Deluxe Edition Xbox Series X|S:

Collector’s Edition — GameStop Exclusive

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The Collector’s Edition comes with everything in the Deluxe Edition plus the following:

  • Poster
  • Trauma Pack Product Code
  • Steelbook
  • Chris Redfield Statue
  • Collector’s Box
  • Artbook

Collector’s Edition PS5 [Currently sold out]:

Collector’s Edition Xbox Series X|S:

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Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
Resident Evil 4: All Yellow Herb locations
Yellow herb in Resident Evil 4.

Despite being sent all the way to Europe to rescue the president's daughter, Leon arrives vastly underpowered for the job presented to him in the Resident Evil 4 remake. Not only was he sent in alone, but with just a single handgun (with 10 bullets) and a knife. If you want any hope of completing this mission, you will need to get every advantage you can. Aside from expanding and upgrading your arsenal, collecting as many of the game's Yellow Herbs will be your top priority. Of the three types of Herbs -- Green, Red, and Yellow -- these are the rarest of them all. In total, you can only grab 17 of them in a single playthrough. You will want as many of them as possible to give Leon a much-needed buff, so here's what Yellow Herbs do and where you can collect them all in the Resident Evil 4 remake.
What Yellow Herbs do

Each of the three Herb types in Resident Evil 4 serves a different function. Green Herbs are for healing, Red Herbs enhance the effect of whatever Herb they're combined with, and Yellow Herbs actually increase Leon's maximum health. That makes them by far the most valuable of the three since, with enough of them, you can essentially double the amount of damage you can take once you max out his health.

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Resident Evil 4 locked drawers guide: all Small Key locations
Infected villager from Resident Evil 4 remake.

Keys and Resident Evil games are like peanut butter and jelly. If you're not fighting zombies, you're looking for a key to get you to the next room -- where you will fight more zombies. While there are plenty of mandatory keys in the Resident Evil 4 remake, there are also a set of extra keys that you can completely miss. These Small Keys are used to unlock locked drawers you come across, as opposed to doors, and hold some very valuable treasures. Considering how precious money is in this game, the more treasures you can find and sell to your Merchant friend, the better off you'll be. Small keys aren't in your direct path often, and once you leave an area, you can't go back to collect them later in most cases. We'll help you become the master of unlocking by showing you where to snag all the Small Keys in Resident Evil 4, as well as where to use them.
Where to find all Small Keys
Before getting into the locations of Small Keys, note that these keys are not exclusive to a single drawer. Any Small Key can be used to open any drawer, so feel free to spend them as soon as you find a drawer with a key in hand. However, once you leave an area in Resident Evil 4, there's no going back. That means if you left any keys or drawers behind, you won't be able to open them unless you start another playthrough or wait until you begin a new game. There are eight Small Keys to get, and they are all found within the first two zones of the game, but won't show up on your map. Locked drawers won't either by default, but if you buy the Treasure Map from the Merchant, the drawers will be put on your map. Here's how to track all the keys down, and where the nearest locked drawer is in the order you can first encounter them.

The first key you can get is in Chapter 2 in the Valley. After meeting the Merchant, you will be sent into the Valley to find a key to open the gate opposite the Merchant. After clearing out the enemies, drop down to the lowest level on the south end and enter the shack. Inside, take a right and look for a case on the shelf. Loot it, and pick up the first Small Key. The nearest locked drawer is back in the Factory past the Merchant. Go into the room where you retrieved Leon's equipment after it was taken from him and use the key on the desk drawer.

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The best weapons in Resident Evil 4
Leon holding a gun in Resident Evil 4.

Leon clearly wasn't prepared for what he would encounter in the Resident Evil 4 remake or he would have come with more than a middling handgun and a knife. While those basic tools can get you through the opening stages of the game, it won't be long before you will need to call upon some much stronger firepower in order to survive the tougher -- and more grotesque -- monsters that stand in your way. The Resident Evil 4 remake offers a ton of weapons you can collect, such as pistols, SMGs, rifles, and more. However, most will cost a lot of cash -- and even more if you want to invest in their upgrades. You will have to make some tough choices about what weapons you want to stick with, and picking a dud can make your playthrough much more difficult. Instead of investing all your cash in a pea-shooter, check out the best weapons you can get in the Resident Evil 4 remake to blast your way through Ganados and Las Plagas alike.
The best weapons in Resident Evil 4

Red9
Where else could we start but with the Red9? Almost certainly the most popular handgun -- or gun in general -- from the original Resident Evil 4 has returned in the remake and is just as potent as ever. Not only can you grab this gun as early as Chapter 3, making it a great choice for investing your upgrades in, but it can be altered and has essentially no drawbacks. By default, the Red9's recoil is the primary point of criticism you could levy at it, but if you spend a few Spinels to give it the stock, you'll be able to basically snipe with this pistol. By the time you unlock the Exclusive upgrade, which multiplies the gun's power by 1.5x, you'll hardly ever find a situation where this handgun can't do the job.
Bolt Thrower
The Bolt Thrower isn't on this list for its high power, accuracy, or anything that you would traditionally look for in a gun. The reason it has to be here is due to the simple fact that you can recover the bolts it shoots into enemies after they're dead to massively cut down on your ammo expenditure. Ammo for it is also crafted using knives, but it even has a secondary firing method where it launches mines, giving it a lot more utility. The Exclusive upgrade isn't game-changing -- it doubles the ammo capacity -- but the less you have to reload, the less often you'll be caught in a sticky situation.
Stingray
In the rifle category, the Stingray is never going to let you down. This is a semiautomatic rifle, so the firing rate is mostly up to you, plus it has a great clip size by default. If you're hitting those weak points, this baby will also deal 3x damage, and can be outfitted with almost any scope. The Exclusive upgrade boosts your final firing rate by an additional 2x, which shouldn't be too necessary if you're trying to be precise, though can help in a pinch.
LE 5
The LE 5 is a weapon you can easily miss that is kind of like a good version of the Punisher in that it has amazing penetration power. Being an SMG, it also boasts a far greater firing rate and clip size, as well as more power. This is the perfect weapon to rip through any shield-wielding enemies. Again like the Punisher, the Exclusive upgrade allows the LE 5 to pierce up to five targets at once.
Broken Butterfly
Another returning favorite, the Broken Butterfly magnum is not just the best-looking hand cannon in the game, but also the most deadly. If you don't count a special weapon like the Rocket Launcher, the Broken Butterfly (after upgrades) deals the most damage of any gun in the Resident Evil 4 remake. The Exclusive upgrade plays a major part in this by boosting its final damage by 1.5x, again just like the Red9, but magnum upgrades are among the most expensive in the game, so this power won't come easy.
Striker
What's the worst part of a shotgun? The firing rate. Well, that is if you're not using the Striker. This semiautomatic shotgun spits out damage like nobody's business. It has power on par with any other shotgun, but way better firing speed, plus a massive clip size so you don't have to worry about running dry out an enemy in your face. If you get the Exclusive upgrade, you can even double the already huge clip size.
Rocket Launcher
This is a big investment both in terms of cash and space, but the Rocket Launcher is too iconic to the series not to be amazing. Yes, this has a one-hit kill on just about everything and will cost more or less depending on what difficulty level you're playing on. It has no upgrades because, well, what is there to make better? Unless you're playing with the infinite ammo for it enabled, you do only get one shot, so make it count.
Primal Knife
While technically not a gun, the knife is so good in the Resident Evil 4 remake that it has to be mentioned. This tool will save your skin more often than you think thanks to the new ability to parry and finish downed enemies, but the obvious drawback is durability. The Primal Knife has to be unlocked by finding and destroying all 16 of the Clockwork Castellans in the game. What makes it the clear frontrunner of all knives is the Exclusive upgrade that makes it completely unbreakable, no matter how much you use it.

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