Capcom is days away from launching the latest entry in the long-running Resident Evil franchise. Resident Evil Village continues the story of protagonist Ethan Winters from 2017's Resident Evil 7, as players discover a castle/village setting that is very reminiscent of Resident Evil 4's setting and even has some nods and references.
The Resident Evil fans out there that have been waiting patiently for this new entry to release will be happy to know that the review embargo has been lifted today, and dozens of gaming outlets have published their reviews, sharing their thoughts and opinions on how Village fares. Many of the reviews seem to be mostly positive, with the game currently sitting at an overall score of 85 on Opencritic from 42 reviews at the time of writing.
Many players praised the graphical quality of the game and the horror aspects, but there are some folks that didn't find the game to be that scary at all, with Resident Evil Village being more focused on gunplay than actual spooky moments.
Is Resident Evil Village the dream Resident Evil game that longtime fans will enjoy? Or is the game too action-heavy and strays too far from what a Resident Evil game is supposed to be like? Here's what the critics have to say:
Gameinformer (Ben Reeves)
"Resident Evil Village is an impressive package. I loved the recent remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, but I’m excited to see Capcom push the series forward again. Village expands on Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’s approach to first-person combat, offering a series of white-knuckle encounters that perfectly complement Capcom’s unnerving environmental design. Thankfully, Village’s amplified action doesn’t diminish its horror. If anything, Village maintains a sense of dread that few games can match. If you have the intestinal fortitude for intense terror, playing Resident Evil Village is a great way to check your pulse."
Score: 9.25/10
IGN (Tristan Ogilvie)
"Roaming the streets of Resident Evil Village is like visiting a disturbing and deadly Disneyland, where every attraction is a house of horrors. I got just as big a thrill out of revelling in its frenzied violence as I did retracing my steps through the gradually revealed recesses of its sizable village setting to uncover the darkest story secrets of its monstrous main cast. Boss fights are a bit of a letdown but the great variety of enemies throughout keeps things tense, especially on Hardcore mode. The fact that it's very much a throwback to the fast-paced action of Resident Evil 4 also means it largely takes a step back from the slow-burn scares of Resident Evil 7's excellent opening hours, which may well disappoint those who prefer more psychological dread to blowing off heads. But if you have an itch for action-heavy survival-horror, then Resident Evil Village will scratch it like a fistfull of Lady Dimitrescu’s freakish fingernails."
Score: 8/10
Siliconera (Kazuma Hashimoto)
"Walking away from Resident Evil Village leaves me with mixed feelings. It wasn’t a game that I immediately disliked, and I can’t say that I didn’t have a lot of fun playing it. But a second playthrough made me more aware of pacing issues, and on harder difficulties the general spike that otherwise feels somewhat artificial. It feels more like a proper continuation of the series than Resident Evil 7 ever did, but at the same time it manages to still feel somewhat lackluster. Either way, it makes for a decent horror game, and if anything it’ll captivate players the first time around."
Score: 7/10
VentureBeat (Mike Minotti)
"Resident Evil 4 is still my favorite entry in the series. So I enjoyed Resident Evil: Village’s similarities. It’s not as well-paced as that masterpiece, but it’s also something of a modern gaming technical marvel. If you own a new console and are looking for a graphical showpiece, Village can be that game for you. Resident Evil: Village is going to make fans of the franchise happy, especially those who aren’t cowards like me. But even if you also find yourself shying away from horror, I’d encourage you to screw your courage to the sticking place and consider a look at Capcom’s latest survival horror stunner."
Score: 4/5
Push Square (Liam Croft)
"While the Resident Evil series has been on a high for a number of years now, Resident Evil Village sets an entirely new standard. Its cast of villains is up there with the very best, memorable sequences and gameplay sections beg to be played over and over again, and a sense of constant dread created by the atmosphere and soundtrack keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even the combat is solid this time around and the lengths Capcom has gone to take advantage of the PS5 pays off with impressive Ray-Tracing. Does it better Resident Evil 4? Maybe not, but it's damn close. Real damn close. Resident Evil Village is an essential playthrough for anyone with even a passing interest in the franchise."
Score: 9/10
A majority of the Resident Evil Village reviews are positive, and it seems that fans will be mostly happy with how Capcom mixed things around a bit for this latest entry in the series. While it may just be more of what made Resident Evil 7 such a great game, it's still a solid entry that will surely be met with positive reception from the community, especially with all of the nods to Resident Evil 4.
There's no telling what Capcom is planning to do next with the series, but if it's any indication, a remake of Resident Evil 4 is highly likely to follow. Capcom's remake of both Resident Evil 2 and 3 were highly received, and it only makes sense for 4 to come next, especially with all of the rumors going around.
Resident Evil Village will launch on May 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.