The original Resident Evil games were defined by fixed camera angles, tank controls, and third-person gameplay. As the franchise evolved through Resident Evil 4 and slowly lost its defining features, the third-person perspective stuck – until Resident Evil 7. A genuine return to form, the only thing Resident Evil 7 doesn’t inherit from its predecessors is its first-person camera. 

RELATED: Resident Evil Village: All Crafting Recipes

Resident Evil Village keeps players in first-person but adds a layer of depth to the combat. Action isn’t as sparse as it was in Resident Evil 7 and players will need to adjust to Village’s unique mechanics fast if they want to survive. Resident Evil Village’s combat might seem overwhelming at first glance, but there are a number of ways to get an advantage and keep it. 

10 Keep That Guard Up

Resident Evil 8 Guard

Since dodging wouldn’t work with Resident Evil’s new first-person perspective, RE7 gives players a Guard mechanic so Ethan can negate damage in situations where he realistically can’t get away.

This mechanic returns in Resident Evil Village, but is arguably even more important given how much stronger enemies are. Guarding often means the difference between being near-death and barely losing any health. 

9 Push Enemies Away

Resident Evil 8 Push

One major tweak Resident Evil Village makes to Guarding is the inclusion of Pushing. After Guarding any attack, Ethan will be able to push enemies away by tapping the Guard button right away.

Pushing requires quick reflexes and functions like a pseudo-parry mechanic. Learning how to Guard and Push helps create easy openings for headshots. Pushing isn’t viable against every enemy in the game, but it’s a luxury for most encounters. 

8 Learn To Quick-Turn

Resident Evil 8 Lady D

Quick-Turn has been an essential Resident Evil mechanic since the RE3: Nemesis on the PlayStation. By holding back and pressing Circle/B, Ethan will immediately turn around. Since enemies are frantic and faster than usual in Village, learning how to Quick-Turn early pays off. The mechanic even feels necessary for most boss fights. 

RELATED: Resident Evil Village: How To Obtain The Azure Blue Eye Ring

The fact of the matter is that strafing just won’t move Ethan quick enough or give him an opportunity to get behind most enemies (especially in the latter half of the game). Just knowing how to back away on a dime and turn back to fight back makes combat so much easier. 

7 Build Blockades

Resident Evil 8 Blockade

Heavily inspired by Resident Evil 4, it should come as no surprise to franchise fans that Resident Evil Village reincorporates blockade building. There are several set pieces where Ethan will walk into a house only to be ambushed by Lycans.

In these scenarios, players are free to board up the doors with dressers to create a barricade. Enemies will eventually fight their way in, but this should buy you enough time to prep and keep Lycans in an easy to kill location. 

6 Swap Guns Instead Of Reloading

Resident Evil 8 turning quickly will help in all situations

Every gun in Resident Evil Village has its own reload speed, which adds to the in-game tension during combat. It goes without saying, but the strongest weapons are often the slowest to reload. Trying to fight off enemies with just a single weapon and reloading when necessary is honestly just making things harder on yourself.

In the heat of combat, swap to one of your other weapons in your shortcut. Instead of risking an enemy attack mid-reload, just blast them in the face with another gun and guarantee safety. 

5 Listen Carefully 

Resident Evil 8 Pipe Bomb

Resident Evil Village is a showcase of next-generation hardware at its core, right down to how its visual presentation and advanced sound direction influence the game design. Capcom has outdone itself in creating a world that demands observation.

Growling in the distance means an enemy is nearby, distorted music means you’re in a combat situation, and several side-puzzles require you to spot visual details in the architecture unprompted. Bags of flour also appear scattered throughout the Village, blinding enemies if damaged near them. It pays to pay attention at all times. 

4 Master Using The Sniper Rifle ASAP

Resident Evil 8 Sniper Rifle

The F2 Sniper Rifle will be found inside of Castle Dimistrecu as part of the story and is very hard to miss. While the Sniper Rifle sways considerably while aiming, the Cheek Rest attachment makes shooting down the scope much smoother. 

RELATED: Resident Evil Village: Heisenberg's Key Location

So much so that it pays to train with the Sniper Rifle and master it right away. The Sniper Rifle isn’t as strong as the Magnum, but it’s jarringly close for how early it’s obtained. Sniper Rifle ammo is also easy to craft where you can reliably use the F2 for every encounter. Most normal enemies will drop with one shot. 

3 Aim For Weapons

Resident evil 8 Dungeon

Several enemies carry weapons in Resident Evil Village, whether they be swords or farm tools. Almost all of these weapons can actually be shot down if you just aim carefully enough.

This is obviously easier said than done since enemies are so manic in their behavior, but a little focus goes a long way. Dropping an enemy’s weapon buys more than enough time to drop them for good. If nothing else, it buys you time to escape. 

2 Upgrade & Sell

Resident Evil 8 Duke's Store

Resident Evil Village brings back the weapon upgrade system, allowing players to customize their guns over the course of the story. Unlike in Resident Evil 4 or 5 where there was an element of choice with no real “best” when it came to picking which weapons to upgrade, Village keeps things rather linear. 

Your next Handgun will always be better than the last, which applies to the Shotgun and Magnum as well. Since weapon value scales with upgrades, you can sell a fully upgraded LEMI to buy the new M1911 and repeat the pattern for the V61 with virtually no downside.

1 Be Patient 

Resident Evil 8 Factory

Above all else, be patient. Enemy movements are sporadic across the board, but this doesn’t mean they won’t slow down or create openings. Don’t just fire aimlessly or in a hurry. Take a breath, aim carefully, and pay attention to staggers. Don’t rush into a horde – pop some heads with your Handgun and then finish the job with another weapon.

Let enemies come to you, but don’t just stay put. Fight back slowly and by the time they arrive, they’ll be on their last legs. There are several stretches of gameplay where you can get by enemies unscathed if you just keep a distance and exercise patience. 

Next: Resident Evil Village: All Main Hall Item Locations