Capcom debuts Resident Evil Village gameplay, sets May release date

Big bad vampiric momma

Capcom is in a unique position with the Resident Evil franchise. The past two years have seen the Japanese gaming giant update the classics, bringing Resident Evil 2 and 3 to a whole new audience and giving the two PlayStation One gems a fresh coat of paint.

With talks of a Resident Evil 4 remaster already in the works, it is safe to assume that we will see all the pillars of the franchise return.

But what about Resident Evil 7?

Oddly enough, the game that bought the series back from the brink of extinction after the dumpster fire that was Resident Evil 6 faded from the limelight.

The first person ‘spookfest’ that was heralded for being an important step forward for the franchise, ironically took a step back and let its classic brethren bask in the glory. All of that changed in June last year.

Following the ho-hum response to the Resident Evil 3 remake in April, Capcom finally announced the return of Ethan Winters. The everyman hero of Resident Evil 7 took players through a focused, heart-pounding campaign with memorable set pieces. If the new trailer for the direct sequel to 7 is anything to go by, it looks like it's going to be more of the same.

After playing hide and seek with the Baker’s in the last instalment while searching for his wife, Ethan now looks for his kidnapped daughter. Replacing the spooky mansion from the last game, we now have an equally spooky village with a giant castle to boot.

As for the ghoulies, Ethan will face an assortment of foes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses that the player must adapt too.

The big bad this time around is a giant vampire woman called Lady Dimitrescu and her clan of bloodthirsty daughters. Ethan will have an assortment of weapons to take down his foes but the gameplay showcase also stressed on the importance of defence, noting that blocking will be a key mechanic in the game.

Capcom has also added crafting to the gameplay loop, which will allow you to craft important items and upgrades. The game also introduces “The Duke”, who like the strange vendor in Resident Evil 4 will sell Ethan items, weapons and enhancements.

Ethan can still scavenge items from the environment using his trusty knife to break open crates, vases and any other objects he comes across. For the more OCD among us, there will also be tons of collectables to find and achievements to hunt down, spread through the village and the castle.

Resident Evil Village will be released worldwide on May 7, 2021, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Current PlayStation 5 owners also have access to an exclusive demo titled Maiden, which is an exploratory experience that features no combat but gives players a small tease for what to expect.