With the release of Resident Evil Village less than two weeks away, fans of the series have grown excited to see what happens next. Riding off the major success of Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village looks to expand upon everything that was introduced in the previous mainline installment as far as gameplay and narrative. However, it seems there will also be a nod to one of the most popular games in the series.
Many fans consider Resident Evil 4 to be the best game in the series, and for good reason. It was the first game to introduce a fixed camera perspective, which enhanced the shooting mechanics and made aiming more precise. It was also the first game to take place out of the Raccoon City area, and featured a shop where the player could buy and sell items. This would inadvertently create one of the most iconic characters in Resident Evil.
The Merchant from Resident Evil 4 is beloved by many in the Resident Evil community, and was confirmed to be making a spiritual return in Resident Evil Village as 'The Duke.' However, it seems 'The Duke' is more similar to the Merchant than fans may have initially realized. During the demo, he can be caught saying the Merchant's iconic line, "What're ya buying?"
'The Duke' later goes on to say it was something an "old friend" used to say. There have been several comparisons made between Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4, but this callback solidifies a connection between the two games. This could be a one-off callback meant to acknowledge Resident Evil 4, but perhaps more lore will surface during the main game that showcases a greater connection between 'The Duke' and the Merchant.
In any case, it will be interesting to see if Resident Evil Village contains any other connections to the larger story of Resident Evil. A lot of new developments occurred at the end of Resident Evil 7 that could greatly affect the outcome of Resident Evil Village's story.
Having said all this, there still hasn't been any solid news with regards to a remake of Resident Evil 4. While a VR version of the game was confirmed to be in development, there still hasn't been any updates or confirmation that a remake of the game is officially in development. Even so, Resident Evil fans already have a lot to look forward to.
Resident Evil Village will launch on May 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.