Resident Evil Village is now only a few weeks from release, with Capcom slowly feeding players more information about the next iteration of the iconic survival horror franchise. Through its exclusive coverage of the upcoming sequel, Game Informer has offered plenty of new details about Village, with its latest report detailing an intriguing new upgrade system that will buff Ethan's abilities and weapons.
Covered via a short gameplay trailer on the publication's official YouTube channel, it looks as though Resident Evil Village's upgrade mechanics will function similarly to those in Far Cry. Throughout the game's titular village setting, players will come across animals that can be hunted, skinned, and used as a resource to boost Ethan's stats.
Game Informer's footage shows that several animals will offer these buffs to you, including fish, pigs, goats, and more, with some of them even fighting back against the player when they attack. Hunting animals will force players to think tactically, as they won't want to expend more ammo on a target than they can afford. As always for Resident Evil, ammunition is a precious resource in the world of Village, and weighing up whether an upgrade is worth wasting their bullets will be a constant struggle.
As for what these resources will be used for, Ethan will be able to bring them to the Duke who can make him meals. Eating these dishes will upgrade certain stats permanently, with the "bird and beast pilaf" shown in the footage making the player's block more effective. Alternatively, upgrading guns is similar to prior Resident Evil titles, with players finding a currency called lei throughout their travels which can be used to improve firearm power, aim, handling, and more. This can all be done through the Duke's shop, which will sell an array of useful upgrades.
The system sounds like it'll be integral to surviving Resident Evil 8's various threatening enemies, whether that's vampires, Lycans, zombies, or the towering Lady Dimitrescu. The sequel already looks to be overflowing with new and returning features, with early footage making it seems like the biggest iteration of the long-running series to date. Players can expect to hear more information about the game later today, with Capcom hosting a special showcase to announce tons of new details about its latest foray into the Resident Evil world. The event will air at 3:00 PM PT, with fans speculating it could come alongside the second demo Capcom referenced during its previous Village showcase.
Resident Evil Village launches May 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Game Informer