The eighth installment in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Village will likely serve as a franchise introduction to many gamers. Even though this new entry takes place after the events of Resident Evil VII, it serves well as a standalone title and as a callback for fans of the older entries like Resident Evil 4.
Many of the mechanics will be familiar to returning players. However, for newer players, it’s always useful to have a bit of information to get prepared to enter the Village. The opening level will prove to be overwhelming for some new players. However, as this list will prove, perseverance and a little bit of knowledge will go a long way.
10 Take Time To Explore
Compared to its predecessor, Village is a far more intense experience. As a result, it’s very easy to get caught up in the roller coaster and keeping moving forward with the story.
However, Village is incredibly well-designed. To rush ahead would be to completely miss the point. There are so many hidden secrets, pathways, items, and enemies to discover throughout the game. Players should take their time and explore once they cleared out an area of villains.
9 Check The Map
There are a lot of missable items, secrets, and lore just waiting to be discovered. It’s very easy to miss them. Just like its predecessors, however, Resident Evil: Village has a map mechanic that allows players to see which areas and rooms remain unexplored.
This is a great way to get around the map and find one's way to the next area. Additionally, the areas that are highlighted red show where the undiscovered rooms and items are hiding.
8 Look Out For Sparkling Items
Players that are familiar with the Resident Evil series should already know that there are items hiding in among the strange décor. These items and artifacts often lie in the strangest of places throughout the game’s world.
Eagle-eyed players should be able to spot the sparkling and flashing items that blend in with statues, lights, and more. Players will often have to adjust the camera angle to get a good view of the shining items, but they're waiting for players to pick them up.
7 Collect And Combine Valuables
Another familiar concept in the Resident Evil series is the addition of collectible items that players can combine. However, a new concept in Resident Evil: Village is that collectible items can be sold to The Duke.
This is when players need to be careful. They shouldn't be too hasty to sell these valuables just to clear out their inventory and make a quick buck. Some items can combine to create even more valuable items, which can make the player a nice profit.
6 Destroy The Hanging Bird Cages
The Golden Cages make a return in Resident Evil: Village. Fans of Resident Evil VII will remember the little cages in the caravan/trailer that accepted antique tokens to unlock. However, these function a little differently in the eighth installment.
Now, players have to keep an eye out for the hanging cages and destroy them on sight. These cages will offer all kinds of rewards, ammo, and items that will come in useful. Just like the sparkling items, they often hide in plain sight and are surprisingly easy to miss.
5 Mix Up Blocking With Melee
The guard mechanic has returned from Resident Evil VII, and it’s as invaluable in Village as it was then. It doesn’t seem like it would be that effective against some of the horrors that are lurking and hunting Ethan in the Village, but it is.
In addition, melee is a lot more effective than it would seem, considering how strong some of the creatures are. Slashing away using a knife is also important, but when players implement the block right after a slash, it will interrupt the animation. This can allow Ethan to slash at his enemies even faster, while also keeping himself defended.
4 Use The Quick Turn Mechanic
The quick turn feature first appeared in Resident Evil 3. Since then, this mechanic has been a staple of the Resident Evil series. It’s even more useful in both Resident Evil VII and VIII.
The enemies in the Village will creep up behind Ethan, so the quick turn a great way for him to defend himself. It’s also useful for getting out of a tight spot to make a run for it. To activate the quick-turn, players need to pull down on the analog stick and hit the B button (or the Circle button on PlayStation).
3 Use Landmines For Surrounding Enemies
There are lots of powerful ways for Ethan to fight back and take down hordes of enemies and werewolves in the Village. One of the most useful are the landmines. These allow Ethan to set traps for stalking enemies, and are a great way to cause a distraction.
Luckily, Ethan doesn’t take any damage from exploding landmines. As a result, he can literally surround himself with these explosives and destroy an approaching horde of enemies without getting hurt. Whether this was an oversight by the developers remains to be seen, but at the moment, the landmine invulnerability is incredibly useful.
2 Use The Environment
Using the environment to fight back against the hordes of evil monsters is a great way to gain an advantage. Ethan can use plenty of items to create distance between himself and his enemies, or to gain an advantage.
Customary exploding barrels marked in red can take down several enemies at once. Additionally, the player should also keep an eye out for bags of flour that are lying around. Cutting these bags open near an enemy will momentarily stun them. This provides Ethan with time to either fight back, or make a run for it.
1 Turn Off Aim Acceleration
The combat in Resident Evil VIII is a lot of fun. It’s satisfying, violent, and the guns feel great to use. Capcom has also added a new feature to help players control their shots in combat better than its predecessors: the Aim Acceleration feature.
Unfortunately, the Aim Acceleration feature is more of a hindrance than a help. It was intended to allow its players to quickly aim the reticle at specific body parts. However, the accelerated speed makes aiming feel a bit too loose and slippery. It’s better to turn this feature off completely in the settings.