PLATFORM: PC, PS4 / 5, XBOX ONE / SERIES X (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: MAY 7TH
Hot on the heels of the recent Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, the lovely and ever so productive folks at Capcom are treating us to yet another entry in the much-lauded survival horror franchise, this time in the form of a mainline title and a direct sequel to 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It’s no secret that the RE devs have been absolutely knocking it of the park recently, with three incredibly immersive and extremely well-received games in the space of four years, but will RE8 continue that trend of quality or is it more lifeless than the reanimated occupants of Raccoon City? Let’s stock up on green herbs and take a look!
The opening cinematic begins with an animated sequence that is more reminiscent of the work of Tim Burton than something one would expect to find in a Resi game, but it’s merely a ruse as the cutscene begins proper with the protagonist from the previous game – Ethan Winters, along with his troubled wife Mia – as they tend to their baby daughter, Rosemary. The proverbial plop soon hits the fan as the first big twist (and shock) of the game is revealed almost immediately and Ethan finds himself alone in a strange village. This intriguing set-up leaves players in control of Ethan as he attempts to work out just what on earth is going on with this crazy village and tries to find his missing daughter.
Once again utilising the fabulously robust and versatile REengine, gameplay is essentially a continuation of the first person style of RE7, with a few small tweaks such as an improved crafting system and a briefcase-style heavily-customisable inventory, very similar to the fan-favourite RE4 inventory system. The Merchant also makes a welcome return, this time in the form of a rather portly gentleman called The Duke, who provides all manner of purchasable items, weapon upgrades and consumables. This is the kind of fan service that Capcom have been known for in recent years, and it’s little touches like these that really show they listen to what the RE fan base wants.
The setting of RE8 has shifted away from the Louisiana swamps to the cold, snowy villages and castles of Eastern Europe. This icy atmosphere and predominantly white and light blue palette may seem rather out of place next to most of the other games in the series, but big RE aficionados / supergeeks may notice the similarities to one of the early RE4 builds (popularly known as RE 3.5) that never saw the light of day. This may again be an example of Capcom taking fan feedback on board, as this pre-release version of the fourth RE game is highly revered in the Resident Evil fan community and is often seen as “the one that got away”.
Despite all the catering to the fans, Capcom have never been scared to try something new with the RE franchise and have consistently tried to reinvent and keep the whole thing fresh – they’re a bit like the Madonna or Chris Jericho of survival horror. Things are no different here, as the boat has been really pushed out on the more fantastical elements of the story and it’s possible this might put long-term fans of the series off. Horror is still at the forefront and there’s no shortage of shocking moments scattered throughout, but it seems scaring the pants off you isn’t quite the priority that it was in RE7 or the RE2 remake.
The focus here is more on creating a huge fantasy / horror world that really feels like a lived-in place with tonnes of lore and mystery behind it. It might not even be too much of a stretch to say that RE8 occupies a strange middle ground somewhere between Resident Evil and Lord of the Rings. That’s not to say that Village doesn’t feel like a Resi game – far from it. In a lot of ways, it plays out like a Resident Evil “greatest hits”. We’ve got cryptic puzzles, backtracking, convoluted key items, varied enemy types, limited ammo, the aforementioned return of the merchant and briefcase inventory and even a couple of sections where the player is stalked by an indestructible threat. There’s no denying that this is a tour de force of RE gameplay tropes, but if you go in looking for a truly frightening experience, you may be left a little disappointed.
Presentation here is as good as we have come to expect from the last handful of RE games and the amount of care and attention to detail is nothing short of stunning. The REengine has provided us with some of the most graphically-impressive games of recent times and RE8 continues that trend with gusto. Although there are small amounts of pop-in and occasional framerate dips on a standard Xbox One, the game really shines on the Series X and shows just how much of a powerhouse these new fancy consoles are. Capcom have showed us again that they are just ahead of the curve right now in terms of putting out real premium content when it comes to their main franchises.
The only criticism that can be thrown at RE8 is simply that it is a victim of the success of the previous three games in the series. It’s not like Village isn’t a fantastic game, but it’s not as scary as RE7 nor as immersive as the RE2 and 3 remakes. Taken as a standalone product, it’s a wonderful experience – an incredible adventure that we can’t recommend enough. One filled with intrigue, twists, turns, fantastic boss battles and monsters galore, but when you hold it up to the last three games, it doesn’t quite hit the same notes. RE8 has a longer campaign than any of the previous games and has tonnes of replay value too, so it’s not like you won’t be getting your money’s worth. Resident Evil 8: Village might not be the absolute best entry in the whole franchise, but it’s still likely to be one of the best first-person adventure games of the year. Capcom are becoming known as the company that can do no wrong right now.
