Resident Evil Takes a Bold Leap, Shaking the Franchise to Its Core
Resident Evil: Village's latest installment takes a bold and thrilling direction, solidifying the franchise's evolution With its supernatural-themed enemies and clever storytelling, the series embarks on an exciting path that leaves fans eagerly anticipating its future
Highlights
The enemies in Resident Evil Village, unlike previous games in the franchise, have a more supernatural theme and are not traditional zombies.
The franchise has made a definitive decision to adhere to a scientific explanation for the monsters in the game, thereby ruling out the inclusion of supernatural elements in future installments.
Released in late 2021, the latest installment in the acclaimed Resident Evil series, Village, made its way to shelves and online video game stores across the globe. While the gameplay of Village closely resembled that of its predecessor, it stood out in one particular aspect. Unlike the traditional Resident Evil antagonists, the primary enemies featured in this game departed from the usual norm, potentially paving the way for a new franchise direction.
Throughout the series, various zombie-like creatures have taken center stage as the main adversaries. Although not strictly zombies, the Ganados and Majini in Resident Evil 4 and 5 exhibited striking resemblances to the undead, seamlessly blending into the franchise. In contrast, the enemies in Resident Evil: Village embraced a more supernatural theme. Surprisingly, each of these supernatural creatures possessed a scientific explanation for their existence. This pivotal shift may have permanently halted the inclusion of supernatural elements in future Resident Evil installments.
The Supernatural-Themed Enemies of Resident Evil: Village
The enemies in the eighth game differed greatly from those in the rest of the franchise, evoking a feeling reminiscent of Universal Monster movies. Haunting castles, swamps, and factories set the eerie backdrop for these adversaries. Rather than the typical zombies, the primary antagonists took the form of werewolf-like creatures. Among them, the standout character in Resident Evil: Village was Lady Dimitrescu, a vampire, accompanied by her three vampire daughters.
Heisenberg, another prominent character in Resident Evil: Village, embodied a strange and monstrous persona, resembling a fusion between Doctor Frankenstein and the main characters from Tetsuo: The Iron Man. While Donna Beneviento and Moreau may not have possessed overt supernatural qualities, their abilities and overall themes seamlessly fit into a horror film. Disappointingly, fans who anticipated paranormal enemies were in for an unexpected jolt.
How Resident Evil: Village Put the Axe to Any Supernatural Explanations in the Franchise
The first preview for Resident Evil: Village hinted at a wealth of supernatural elements, but the game ultimately neglected to explore them further. It was revealed early on that the abilities and appearances of the antagonists were actually rooted in the science fiction aspects of the franchise. These were the eerie results of Mother Miranda's experiments, which often produced unexpected and horrifying outcomes. Like previous installments of Resident Evil, the chaos and malevolence in Village can be traced back to rogue scientists or corporations that have deviated from ethical boundaries. While this has been a recurring theme throughout the series, it seemed as though Village was poised to take a different approach.
Given that Resident Evil: Village provides yet another scientific explanation for the events taking place, it seems unlikely that the series will explore alternative, non-scientific sources for future games. If future sequels were to introduce supernatural explanations for the terrifying encounters the player faces, it would likely feel contrived, unearned, and potentially out of sync with the established narrative. This is particularly true considering that both Resident Evil 7 and Village laid a clear foundation for such explanations but ultimately chose not to delve into them.
Currently, the future of the franchise remains uncertain. Speculation suggests that Resident Evil 9 is being developed, possibly featuring Chris Redfield. Additionally, there are expectations for a remake of Resident Evil 5 in the works, although neither of these projects has been officially confirmed. However, one thing is certain among fans: Resident Evil has made a commitment that cannot be undone. Resident Evil Village can be enjoyed on a variety of platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
