Resident Evil Village: The Best Game in the Series? [Resident Evil 8 First Impressions]

Resident Evil Village is the 8^th game in the main Resident Evil series. It is a great survival horror but is it the best installment in the franchise? Let me share my Resident Evil 8 first impressions after my first playthrough of the game.

Story of Resident Evil 8

My initial impressions after the trailers were mixed because I did not think we would be playing Ethan Winters once more after he was the main protagonist of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The story of the 8^th game is pretty simple, similar to the previous game, we lose someone close to us, and then our main goal is to find them. It was the case with Mia in RE7, and it is the same scenario in Resident Evil Village, chis time with our daughter Rose.

The game takes place a couple of years after the events from the previous installment. Like I mentioned before, we play as Ethan Winters, and now the action takes place in Europe. Due to some events, we are thrown into the eponymous Village.

I do not want to spoil anything, so I will only give some details from the prologue of the game. We are put under the observation of BSAA with our wife Mia from the previous game. Ethan and his wife have a daughter Rose, and future events give us purpose for exploring the horrifying Castle and its outskirts.

Presentation of the Game

I would like to keep it simple and combine both graphical and audio presentations into one section of Resident Evil 8 First Impressions.

The graphics look stunning, especially with Ray Tracing. I do not have a beefy PC, but I have played the game on PS5, so I was able to experience the adventure in a new generation of gaming. The visual aspects of the game are awesome, especially the landscapes, enemies, and all the environment. It is a survival horror game, and being able to get yourself immersed like that due to the realistic graphics, makes the horror aspect of the game even scarier.

One of the most important aspects of any horror game is sound. The audio layer here is near perfect. The sounds of birds in the sky, monsters in the distance, as well as once more amazing soundtrack make you question your every move. The best way to experience the game is to use headphones. I had the pleasure to use the PS5 headset with 3D sound options, and at the time I jumped out of my chair. Not even to jump scares or anything, but just because of the atmosphere the game creates.

Credit: Capcom

The Gameplay of Resident Evil Village

The game follows the same patterns from the last game, with minor improvements. The shooting mechanics are decent, the camera movements are a little limited, to preserve the intended spirit of the game. If you have played any other Resident Evil game you will know exactly what the core of gameplay is. You are able to gather crafting resources, ammo, and more, either scattered around or hidden in the destroyable crates.

Resident Evil 8 First Impressions | My Final Thoughts

The game plays great, and the strongest aspects are definitely the graphics and the atmosphere created. It is not a perfect game, and it is not my favorite game of the series, but it is in my Top 6 Resident Evil Games. If you are a fan of survival horror games or the Resident Evil series in general, then it will be a very strong addition to your collection. It is an awesome game but could use a bit of innovation. The gameplay scheme is similar to every other Resident Evil, shoot minor enemies, run from a strong antagonist and fight your way through puzzles and story elements.

Check out my Top 6 Resident Evil Games article for more thoughts on the entire series.

Resident Evil Village is out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One S/X, and Xbox Series S/X.