Title: Resident Evil Village
Type of Game: Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: May 7, 2021
Platforms Available: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Mac, iOS
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 13 minutes

A New Nightmare Unfolds

The latest Resident Evil 8 (from the main numbered series), subtitled Village, is pretty simple this time around. It’s a story-driven action-adventure that takes what worked best from its famous predecessors. Still, it simultaneously tries to wrap it all up with brand-new ideas that, at first glance, seem like they don’t really belong in the franchise at all. The Louisiana home of the Baker family from episode seven has been replaced by a half-empty village somewhere in Europe. In its immediate vicinity, you’ll also find the Dimitrescu family castle, which in more ways than one evokes, for example, the Spencer mansion from the first episode. However, there are also other places, including mines, a factory, or a small area with a water dam. It’s definitely a unique setting for the series, although its originality won’t wow you. Instead, what strikes you is the atmosphere that each location exudes and the overall high quality of the workmanship instead of originality.

The Haunting European Landscape

In the half-empty village, you are not chased by hordes of undead but by werewolves, witches, and other monsters. There are, at best, a few dozen of them, but moments of silence will occur frequently, and you will never know when the subsequent shootout and fight for life will begin. It makes you feel like you’re being watched the whole time, and you often feel the urge to look behind you. Add to that the fact that the main story revolves primarily around the protagonist’s family, so on paper, it’s something that previous installments never really tried to do, and you’re either in for a total bummer that will put off regular fans… Or something that will take Resident Evil as we know it one step further. The developers have taken an ambitious project on their shoulders that could be described as a considerable risk. But in this case, one thing is true – risk is profit.

Ethan’s Quest: More Than Just Family

I’ll mention at the outset that I won’t talk much about the story here. Not because it’s bad or not in the game, but on the contrary. There are a lot of cutscenes, as well as dialogue and story moments where you find out what’s going on, why the inhabitants are becoming werewolves, why your missing daughter is of such interest, and who Mother Miranda and her children are that the locals so blindly worship. But these are all things that are good to know as little about as possible. Likewise, the role played in the game by the fan-familiar Chris Redfield, one of the series’ consistently positive characters, is put in a villainous role from the start of the game. Or how the entire eighth installment actually fits into the more expansive Resident Evil universe. Because yes, it does fit, if only a little. Without proper context, there’s simply no point in explaining anything at all, so you’ll have to make do with the fact that the protagonist, Ethan Winters, is trying to find his daughter. It was the search for his daughter that I found the least interesting part of the story. While it was the main driver for Ethan, I was much more interested in figuring out what actually happened here, why everything is so disturbing, and why Chris Redfield went through yet another redesign.

One particular thing I’ll dwell on, though, is the aforementioned Ethan Winters. Personally, I found him to be a really uninteresting protagonist in the previous episode. Although he mostly appears to have some emotion in the case of the Village, it’s still a relatively weak aspect of the story, unfortunately. It often felt like the developers just didn’t know whether to make him a fully-fledged character or leave him empty enough for anyone to take to. At times, he simply baffles you with his planked reactions, while at other times, you feel that if the writers had gone a little further, he could have been a really interesting character. This way, though, you mostly hear an emotional monologue about his daughter, which is soon replaced with a bad and indifferently delivered line after some major personal injury.

Blending the Best of Resident Evil

What I can easily and mostly positively talk about, however, is the gameplay itself. After a couple of hours, it left me with one main thought, which I kept repeating to myself while playing… It’s as if the developers found the perfect way to combine the first episode and blend the fourth and fifth with the seventh. What does that mean in practice? You’ll spend one part of it in Dimitrescu Castle, which, as mentioned, is reminiscent of Spencer’s mansion from the first episode. From the fourth installment, the game again takes relatively fast-paced locations linked together by some uniform characteristics, with a greater emphasis on just the occult and unknown mutations. From the seventh volume, you will, of course, find the first-person view and somewhat of a story-telling style, while it is from the fifth volume that the overall pace and momentum is most apparent, where you often don’t feel like you can or rather want to, stop. The pacing, in particular, is really well done. You won’t spend so much time in the slower parts that you get bored, and at the same time, the action passages never suck all the energy out of you once you start to feel like one option or another is taking too long, the game comes back with something completely new.

This, including combining elements from the older installments, is something Capcom has managed to balance really well, and I think all fans of the series, no matter what their favorite installment, will be happy, just as I’m sure complete newcomers will be delighted.

Action-Packed Survival Horror

In any case, if we focus purely on the differences between this and the seventh episode, as they are directly related, there are several. Especially the fact that the eighth episode is much more action-packed. Rather than a survival game where you have to choose well when to attack and when not to, there are directly designed action sections where a pack of enemies or a stronger opponent can charge at you. Often, you’ll have the choice to simply run on through or fight them.
Given that you’ll have a slightly more expanded arsenal of weapons on hand than in the last installment and just enough ammo, you’ll feel like the choice to deal with each opponent isn’t a bad one either. Ammo-making materials are mostly plentiful but not overly so, and if you happen to “manage” to be out of ammo, there are other options. For example, Duke the Merchant will gladly sell you some ammo for some cash. You can also find first aid kits, manufacturing recipes, weapon accessories, or the possibility to directly upgrade a weapon for more power, faster shooting, or magazine capacity. You can also sell him a number of rare items that can be found hidden in the world, be it gems or special skulls, as well as cook a meal with him later in the game using specific ingredients to permanently upgrade some of your character’s stats. Yes, there’s even some form of animal hunting. So it’s worth exploring the various locations you get to thoroughly. But if you don’t want to, you don’t really have to. The most important treasures, such as new weapons or costly rare items, are marked on the map after a while, and even then, you don’t have to take them into account to finish the game.

Resident Evil Village really tries hard to make sure that just about any gameplay style you choose is a good one. You can use brute force, aim for the enemy’s head with your skills, or try to think a bit. Maybe you can use a good shot to expose a weak spot or shoot the enemy’s weapon out of their hand. You can try to cleverly herd them into one place and throw a grenade at them, shoot them down from a distance, or guide them to where you’ve laid a landmine. All of these options are at your fingertips, and it’s really up to you what you reach for at any given moment.

The Art of Exploration and Puzzles

But, of course, this game isn’t just about shooting. The exploration of the environment that I mentioned and also the puzzles are another vital part. In the case of exploration, there are very few things to complain about. The whole map will surprise you with its size and openness, and you’ll often find yourself returning to places you’ve visited as you unlock another path or search for another abandoned house. Sometimes, you may find a completely off-the-beaten-track area that may hold some interesting treasure, but it may be just as dangerous that you may prefer to walk away from again. And sometimes, as you progress through the main story and explore the site content, you’ll encounter just the puzzles. Like the rest of the game, I’d describe these as a bit of a mix of the previous few episodes. Sure, they’re there, varied, unique, and often so utterly nonsensical that you wonder why someone thought up and built it in the first place, but at the same time, they’re not difficult or significantly profound. In other words, you’re unlikely to get stuck on any of them. Still, I appreciate their variety. There are even some environmental ones.

Audiovisual Mastery in Terror

So Resident Evil Village does a lot very well, and I believe veterans of the series will recognize most of these elements very well. However, the audiovisual design also plays a big part in their enjoyment. The sounds, in particular, are something I’d like to single out. I’m not entirely sure if it’s just me. Still, throughout the entire playthrough, I felt like the developers weren’t at all afraid to “attack” us with deafening sounds out of nowhere. Which only added to the atmosphere and instant adrenaline rush. Still, there were several moments when just dull background noises, some screeching behind you, or a noise in the distance were enough to draw you into the game nonstop. It’s hard to describe, but the fact that I was able to perceive and enjoy the sounds like that is quite a feat.

Graphically, the game has nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, there are some things that bring it down a bit. The occasional places where you’ll run into edges a lot, the occasional worse textures, or the odd vegetation here and there are probably the most obvious, but it’s still hard not to enjoy watching this title. The lightwork is excellent, and the color palette is pretty much perfect. More than once, I was downright amazed by the sight of new environments.

Balancing Nostalgia and Innovation

It’s tough to find fault with Resident Evil Village. It’s a sequel that has combined the best of the previous installments with new ideas that simply work. Some may be bothered by the fact that the game isn’t all that scary or horror-y in the finale, primarily relying on the adrenaline sections, the parts where you don’t know what to expect, and the visuals rather than how well you can navigate the space and manage your inventory. But you’ll often be on your guard anyway. I personally didn’t mind this at all, though, and happily played through the average eight-hour campaign in one go.

Beyond the Campaign: Mercenaries Mode

And if eight hours doesn’t seem like enough, you can certainly take advantage of unlocking the harder difficulty, the special arcade mode Mercenaries, after you’ve finished the game, in which you try to shoot waves of enemies or complete a series of challenging trophies. Can you finish the game in under three hours or using just four or fewer healing items? You can find out for yourself…

Leaving Excellent RE Village

For the verdict, it’s enough to say that this one was really good. The game earns a high rating and recommendation thanks to a lot of good decisions, even for players who have no experience with the series. They may miss some of the smaller connections, but otherwise, this is a title that can easily be enjoyed on its own. And you don’t have to worry about this volume straying too far from the series’ themes as a whole. There’s more to the werewolves and witches than meets the eye.

Where to Buy Resident Evil Village

Steam (PC): Available for $59.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam.

Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S): Available for $59.99. Check it out on the Xbox Store.

PlayStation Store (PS4, PS5): Available for $39.99 (currently on discount for $15.99). You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Nintendo Shop (Cloud Version): Available for $39.99. Purchase it from the Nintendo Shop.

App Store (iOS): Available for free with in-app purchases. Download it from the App Store.

Official Page: Visit the official Resident Evil Village page for more information.

Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Resident Evil Subreddit.

The post Resident Evil Village: Werewolves, Witches, and Winters’ Vengeance appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

Title: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Type of Game: Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: January 24, 2017
Platforms Available: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (Cloud Version), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, iOS
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 11 minutes

The Rebirth of Fear

All gamers are very familiar with Resident Evil, so there’s no need to bring up the fact that the seventh installment is the first in the main series to use a first-person camera view. Some fans may not buy it, but I think most will come to their senses once they get a taste of the game. We’ve complained for years that Resident Evil 5 and 6, as well as both installments of Revelations, are no horror. Now we have one right out of the textbook
Despite the change in perspective, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a true return to the series’ roots. Rotten roots that have been hit by an infection in the ground and turned into something terrifying.
The name of the game was not chosen by accident. Resident Evil refers to evil taking up residence in a remote mansion, as it did in the first installment. Biohazard, as the series is called in Japan, refers to mutations linked to the leakage of a dangerous substance. Both of these are encountered in abundance in the seventh installment.

Welcome to the Baker Family

The story is set in the American South in Louisiana. The protagonist, Ethan Winters, arrives in the fictional town of Dulvey, where he hopes to find his wife, Mia. She disappeared three years ago and has been declared dead. But now Ethan has heard from her. So the desperate husband sets out on a journey to find answers about what happened to his wife and whether she is really still alive.
In the opening scene, the player finds themselves on their way to a remote mansion that, while it doesn’t look or feel like the one from the first Resident Evil, houses the same level of fear. Except that the dilapidated house, from whose surroundings strange disappearances have been reported, is not uninhabited. It’s inhabited by the oddball Baker family, who are no match for the cannibalistic Sawyer family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The game clearly takes inspiration from the latter. Know that the Bakers are true perverts who will give you the creeps. Jack is the head of the family, in charge of everything. He doesn’t like it when someone makes a circus out of his home, and he can take care of the order in his house. He’s not worried about losing his head. His wife Marguerite doesn’t have all five together either. Plus, she’s been infected with insects, so she harbors a nest full of annoying little friends. Their son Lucas is the family’s black sheep, which is saying something by her standards. He uses his wits to kill. He likes to play, so he sets his victims up with traps, pitfalls and puzzles that, if solved incorrectly, can end in death.

Monsters and Mayhem

As enemies go, the Bakers are great. Plus, they’re shrouded in mystery. It’s clear they’ve been infected with a virus, but why and how, you don’t know. And you want to find out at any cost. Know that you’ll have a lot of fun with the Bakers, who, for reasons as yet unknown, care so much about strong family values. I mean, horror… But it wouldn’t be Resident Evil if it didn’t have rank monsters grinding their teeth, claws or tentacles at you. Here, the Bakers act as adversaries that you must first avoid in sneaky passages before confronting them as bosses. Dale’s monsters, which will charge at you for execution, are called Molded here. In the Resident Evil series, we first had zombies, then ungodly creatures called Ganado controlled by Plague parasites, and other variations on bio-threats. Now we’ve got an infected family of madmen that aren’t so much to be scared of, but you’ll definitely still have your fun with them. You’ll face a basic version that will want to tear you apart and eat you at the same time. You’ll also have Molded at your throat with a giant spike on his hand, kind of like a baby Tyrant.
The slimy monsters moving on all fours are nimble, fast, dangerous, but they’ll quickly go back to hell after two bullets to the head. The heaviest of the heavies are the fatties, who are very slow, but again, damn tough and attack by vomiting. Not to mention the basement, where such atrocities will be lurking around every corner…

Survival Horror Reborn

The main character doesn’t have much room to express himself compared to the other characters. But he’s a civilian like everyone else. He is not a member of a special combat team or a police officer, as in the earlier episodes. He’s a scared guy in the middle of a nightmare. But he’s not defenseless.
He’s given an axe, a chainsaw, a pistol, a shotgun, a machine gun and a homemade flamethrower. But this is not doom. The Seventh Resident seriously returns to horror, and while it offers combat, the battles play more of a secondary role. The game is survival-based, a true survival horror with all the trimmings. You’ll collect old familiar green herbs and mix them with chemicals to get the cures. You’ll take pills that will grant you enhanced vision, allowing you to see hidden objects for a limited amount of time. There are traditional crates where you store unneeded items, only to find that you just need them and have to return. Storage is also stylish. Now you don’t need a typewriter, now you just need an old MC player. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard does an excellent job of showing off what we know from the earliest installments.

A New Perspective on Terror

This year, by the way, it’s slowly but surely 30 years since the first installment of the Resident Evil horror saga came out on PlayStation. The world of video games has changed because of it, and the franchise itself has changed over the years. The most obvious change with this installment is, as previously mentioned, the first-person camera view, which has undoubtedly had its consequences. The game is even more terrifying from the point of view of your own eyes. One looks around and waits for something to jump out at them again. And when you least expect it, it happens, and that’s when the shocks happen. The game is incredibly scary in its own right. It has an atmosphere thicker than the smog over Asian cities, and the jumpscares are absolutely heart-pounding. Playing the game at night is about health. Unfortunately for you, the atmosphere will get even thicker as you progress through the game, the tension and fear will take on extra dimensions by the end of the game. That’s where the seventh Resident Evil is going a little overboard. While the action in the mansion and adjacent houses is terrifying, once the game moves to the wrecked ship the game turns into your living nightmare, but I won’t reveal more.

Puzzles and VHS Tapes

The game takes a lot from the original episodes, thankfully it’s also about puzzles. You’ll actually be puzzling over those the entire time you’re playing. They are absolutely typical of the series. You’ll be piecing together relics, collecting keys, looking at them from all sides. Puzzles are an integral part of the entire game and you’ll come across them at every turn. And while they’re not too challenging and we didn’t encounter any hitches, they’ll still give you a hard time. That’s something everyone should appreciate. The change of perspective is not the only new gameplay element, by the way. The seventh Resident Evil brings a very original element in the form of videotapes. You can play the found VHS in any cassette player to unravel the mystery of the past. In an instant, you’ll find yourself in the shoes of another character who has encountered the Bakers or another horror. You’ll discover how to solve puzzles. In fact, you will eventually be confronted with the pitfalls of other undead yourself. So you’ll know how to deal with them. At the same time, you will witness what triggers which mechanism, so you can avoid traps or outright death. The VHS playback is a very original and imaginative element that draws you into the plot. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, by the way, stays caught up in terms of storytelling, revealing everything gradually until the very end and the big surprise. The game’s lifespan is not very long, but at the same time it doesn’t offend. I finished it in 8 to 9 hours on my first attempt, which is a decent time for the series.

Visual and Audio Experience

Now a little bit shorter on the visuals of the game, which in my opinion are a bit contradictory. The fact that the game looks relatively bad on PS VR which the game also came out on I understand. But why the textures are exaggerated and many objects are extremely jagged when played on a classic TV in a dark environment, I really don’t understand. The character models are good, but the environments don’t have much going for them. The graphics don’t offend, but they’re not very good either. We have to admit that, although I really like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard as a game.

The sounds, on the other hand, are properly dark and immersive. It’s a real return to the horror and the roots of the saga. I really appreciate Capcom for not standing still within the main series and bringing new and fresh ideas. At the same time, they’re not afraid to take risks, even though they know that a lot of fans will complain about the change in gameplay style. 7 years ago, he succeeded again. Resident Evil changed its face again and is as scary as it has been in a long time for the franchise which later took Resident Evil one step further: Village which you can also look forward to a review from us soon.

The Mobile Gaming Dilemma

Regarding the mobile gaming landscape, Resident Evil 7 presents an interesting case. While the franchise has had success with mobile ports and spin-offs in the past, bringing a full-fledged mainline entry to smartphones is a challenging endeavor. The game’s intense graphics, immersive atmosphere, and complex controls don’t naturally lend themselves to mobile play. Despite this, Capcom attempted to bring Resident Evil 7 to iOS devices. However, recent reports on RE7 suggest that this venture has not been successful, with sales figures reportedly falling well below expectations – fewer than 2,000 units sold. This underwhelming performance raises questions about the viability of porting such graphically intensive and mechanically complex games to mobile platforms, even for established franchises like Resident Evil. While mobile gaming continues to grow, it seems that some experiences are still best suited for consoles and PCs, where they can be enjoyed as originally intended.

Last Words on RE7

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard may seem at first glance to have little in common with the original installments, but the opposite is true. It’s all about the conceptual approach to horror and gameplay in general. However, you’ll also come across moments created specifically for fans. For example, you’ll discover an image referencing a well-known location, nostalgic sounds will be heard when entering the code to a door, and you’ll even be faced with an identical puzzle to the one you solved in the first Resident Evil. And maybe even a familiar character will appear. This is, in short, a game for fans of the franchise as it should be, though not for all of them. After the sixth installment of the main series and a pair of games with the subtitle Revelations, the seventh installment is a clear shot in the dark.

Where to Buy Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Steam (PC): Available for $19.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam.

Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S): Available for $19.99 (now on discount for $7.99). Check it out on the Xbox Store.

PlayStation Store (PS4, PS5): Available for $19.99(now on discount for $7.99). You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Nintendo Shop (Switch Cloud Version): Available for $39.99.purchase it from the Nintendo Shop.

App Store (iOS, Mac): Available for free with in-app purchases. Download it from the App Store.

Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Resident Evil Subreddit.

The post Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – A Terrifying Return to Survival Horror Roots appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

For horror fans, 2024 has headlined many disappointing and worrying industry developments, such as claims of the Dead Space franchise being shuttered again or the closure of The Evil Within studio Tango Gameworks by Microsoft.

News of this kind does not portray an optimistic outlook for big-budget efforts in the genre but rather suggests a steady decline in publisher confidence for horror games to be profitable.

This is in stark contrast to only a year prior, as 2023 saw the release of games like Resident Evil 4 (2023), Dead Space (2023) and Alan Wake II, along with new entries in the Alone in the Dark and Silent Hill franchises looming on the horizon. What happened?

Reflecting on over a decade of horror

It appeared as though horror games were undergoing a renaissance not that long ago. The genre suffered from a long stagnation during the early-to-mid 2010s, during which point franchises like Silent Hill and Fatal Frame were almost entirely absent. Meanwhile, attempts at new IPs like The Evil Within stumbled, and even the genre-defining Resident Evil suffered an action-horror identity crisis.

It wasn't all bad, though. The indie scene is filled with break-out hits like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Outlast, Slender: The Eight Pages, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. For a time, it seemed that the future of this genre would be entrusted to these smaller, more humble endeavors.

In the late 2010s, the financial and critical success of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil 2 (2019) reignited the belief that big-budget horror was commerically viable. Each sold over 13 million copies, becoming Capcom’s 3rd and 4th best selling games to date. This spurred many publishers to try and revive their own horror properties, such as Dead Space (2023), Alone in the Dark (2024), and Silent Hill 2 (2024). 

This was cause for celebration among fans of these long-dormant franchises. The unfortunate caveat to all this was the publisher’s high expectations that these IPs would produce a golden goose, which ultimately served as the undoing for at least a few of these properties.

Bright prospects cast a long shadow

Publisher Krafton Inc. and developer Striking Distance Studios invested $200 billion won ($162 million USD) into 2022's The Callisto Protocol, aiming to capitalize on the void left by Dead Space. Ironically, neither its game nor the Dead Space remake would recapture that market, and both games would sell under expectations. The Callisto Protocol's failure to meet sales targets led to layoffs and the departure of CEO Glen Schofield at Striking Distance Studios.

A similar fate was met by Alone in the Dark (2024), after suffering “softer-than-expected performance” in sales. Developer Pieces Interactive faced layoffs before ultimately seeing publisher Embracer Group pull the plug on the entire studio and plunging the future of Alone in the Dark into uncertainty.

The problem is that modern video games are just incredibly expensive to make. They demand hundreds of man-hours to craft intricate and detailed worlds for players to explore. Horror, in particular, requires an immersive atmosphere that has become paramount to the experience.

The catch is that a strongly performing game does not translate to immediate profit. Alan Wake II is an unmitigated triumph for Remedy Entertainment, receiving widespread acclaim and multiple awards for its achievements in story and presentation, all made possible by a budget that ballooned alongside its ambitions. Though Alan Wake II is Remedy’s fastest-selling title to date, the game has yet to break even on production expenses. If not for being 100 percent funded under the Epic Games Publishing label, it's unclear whether the game would have seen the light of day.

Aspirations now met with trepidation 

It’s little wonder why publishers are so careful in choosing which projects to greenlight from their studios. Capcom is leading the pack in horror with Resident Evil, having seemingly found the winning formula: legacy status as a decades-old franchise, multimedia saturation with Hollywood films, investing in internally crafted technology to streamline production, and intelligent planning for development pipelines, which includes very deliberate consideration for which projects are most worthwhile to undertake. 

Unsurprisingly, the popular safe choice is now to remake previously well-received titles from the publisher's catalog. This lets them leverage the original’s success and marketability, as well as cut down on pre-production planning by using an existing framework.

Still, it's not a guaranteed plan. EA tried this approach with Dead Space (2023), producing a faithful remake with a familiar blueprint as a low-risk, high-yield investment. Despite critical acclaim and strong initial sales, Dead Space (2023) allegedly sold below EA’s expectations.

Dead Space is not a small IP either, spanning multiple games, animated movies, and comics at the height of its popularity. If EA truly has no current plans to continue with the series at this time, that bodes ill for the industry perception of a successful horror franchise in general. 

Microsoft’s shuttering of Tango Gameworks reinforces this notion. Tango held a strongly established survival horror IP in their repertoire with The Evil Within but evidently showed no interest in capitalizing on the property.

The dark age of horror? Not quite.

Does this leave us in a dismal future where only Resident Evil reigns supreme? There may be another stretch of time with very little competition in the big-budget horror space while publishers seek out new strategies for reproducing Resident Evil's success.

Instead, the future of horror appears to again be smaller publishers and developers. Newcomers Blumhouse Games - a games publishing branch of Blumhouse Productions formed in 2023 - took to the stage at 2024’s Summer Game Fest to unveil a lineup of six independent horror titles now being funded under their label.

Meanwhile, Supermassive Games has crafted numerous narrative choice-driven horror games with multiple different publishing partners, ranging from bigger budget efforts like Until Dawn and The Quarry, to their collection of shorter productions with The Dark Pictures Anthology. They've also inherited the Little Nightmares series after original creators Tarsier Studios ceased working on the property.

Even Fatal Frame has been sustaining itself with remastered ports of previous entries and has a new feature film on the way.

Most interesting of all is Konami’s reinvigorated approach with Silent Hill. The publisher hosted a Silent Hill Transmission video broadcast in 2022 that manifested multiple new games and a feature film after a decade-long inactivity.

Konami has cast a wide net in an attempt to recapture the market, aiming to make a splash in the high-budget horror space with their remake of Silent Hill 2 (2024) and an original title with Silent Hill: ƒ. It's also testing smaller markets with experimental projects like Silent Hill: Townfall and Silent Hill: Ascension, as well as the free downloadable title Silent Hill: The Short Message that was released in early 2024.

If there exists any frontrunner with a chance to compete for commercial viability in the AAA horror space, it would likely be Silent Hill. A lot is at stake for the franchise this fall with the release of Silent Hill 2 (2024) in October and a new film, Return to Silent Hill, the stage is now set to see if Konami’s fan-favorite horror series can secure a sustainable future.

As publishers struggle, players still profit

In reality, the main takeaway here is that regardless of whether publishers can financially endure the big-budget horror space, the creatives behind these projects will continue to find ways to bring their ideas to life. There is a swath of talent within the indie horror market crafting innovative and evocative new ways to terrify and enrapture players. 

Amnesia: The Bunker is arguably among the best horror games of 2023, while Crow Country swiftly became a breakout hit in early 2024. The rest of the year is primed to impress with up-and-comers like Hollowbody, Post Trauma, and Fear the Spotlight, among others.

It's also worth reiterating that Resident Evil is not going anywhere anytime soon, either, providing players with a near-annual fix for big-budget horror. So long as trailblazers exist to set the benchmark, it is only a matter of time before we see developers take another crack at producing intricate, large-scale horror games.

The post Is the future of AAA horror bound for another recession? appeared first on Destructoid.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, the incredible new release from developer Simogo, is not a horror game. It’s a cerebral puzzle game that tests your in-game and real-world knowledge as you progress through a series of complex challenges. It is, however, full of eerie vibes that could convince you something is waiting to…

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Title: Resident Evil 4 Remake
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: March 24, 2023 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Article Reading Time: 10 minutes

Introduction: The Legacy of Resident Evil 4 

Resident Evil 4 has long been one of the most popular installments in the franchise, alongside the second game. When the original game came out in 2005, there was a lot to praise. This action-horror adventure impressed with its approach to storytelling, revolutionary third-person view with over-the-shoulder aiming, the evolution of the game’s universe with a significant change of setting, boss fights, and overall styling and atmosphere. 

But what was once revolutionary is now, at best, a complete staple or, at worst, an outdated element. This was a hugely important and, more importantly, ambitious project for the developers at Capcom. With something so beloved, all it takes is one misstep, and it can all come crashing down like a house of cards. Most importantly, though, that script version only happens here.

Reimagining a Classic: Balancing Old and New

Now that I’ve said the word script, it’s appropriate to start with it because you can already see the direction the remake takes. As we may have become accustomed to from the remakes of the second and third installments, Capcom doesn’t try to copy every event or dialogue. And the same is true this time around. Half and half. The central story points, with some exceptions, happen in the same order; you’ll be walking around the same, albeit often modified, locations and fighting the same enemies. Therefore, the original game’s core has been retained in this respect. However, it has also been improved, even expanded in some cases, or the order of events has been changed. But the core remains the same – you and Leon are sent to find the president’s missing daughter, Ashley, somewhere in a Spanish village. Of course, it will take a lot of work… But I don’t need to say more. The new player will see for himself.

A More Serious Tone: Enhancing Character Depth and Relationships

The original’s unique yet slightly far-fetched style is now more in the background and has been replaced by a more severe presentation. On the one hand, this may be a mistake for some, but the reality is that this is something established and, more importantly, consistent with the previous remakes and new installments. And something that fits the modern form of the franchise perfectly. Leon jokes a little less, performs fewer athletic feats, and takes everything more seriously. At the same time, Ashley finally comes across as at least somewhat of an intelligent person and not a hell-raiser like in the original…

Most importantly, a lot of moments are set in more believable situations. You can see that beautifully in chapter eight, for example. The reason Leon and Ashley are separated this time is not because she suddenly runs away from him in a panic attack and, like a complete fool, walks into an obvious trap that, moreover, seems random and somewhat artificial. The reason for the split now has a lot more depth, which results in the expansion of both Ashley and Leon’s characters and their relationship for the rest of the play. And it doesn’t just apply to them. Even though some cutscenes have been shortened, all of the characters are given more space, depth, and meaning. Story-wise, the remake of Resident Evil 4 is thus a surprising experience, which has matured much more in relation to the original, and its original frequent ailments have been removed. I also have a favorable view of the gameplay. As with the original release of the individual episodes, it goes more and more towards an action shooter. The enclosed corridors of the police station or the action-packed streets of Raccoon City are replaced by the setting of a Spanish village and its immediate surroundings, including a giant castle. Stupid zombies are replaced by villagers with interest in the occult. Here, the core of the original remains, and more importantly, it proves, among other things, how timeless the original game was. 

Gameplay Evolution: Adapting to Modern Standards 

Still, some changes had to be made as the original game was, after all, 18 years old at the time of the release of its remakes. The main one is the whole movement and combat system. Leon is a bit more experienced in the remake, so he can now shoot and walk simultaneously, which was impossible in the second remake. The developers were fearless in experimenting with new things that stuck to the idea of the original setup and, at the same time, things they only worked with in the latest installments. There are even some mechanics that are entirely new to the series. Overall, it makes for something that veterans will recognize and fall in love with anew, but also something that will offer them the chance to look at the game in a new way. 

Stealth and Resource Management: New Mechanics, New Challenges

To be more specific, there is now stealth. With Leon, you can duck and sneak at any time. Larger locations full of villagers can only partially silently traversed. Still, it allows you to get a feel for the area and, more importantly, quietly take out a few before it comes to open combat. There’s also a new weapon that allows you to fire arrows with the ability to take out enemies silently at a slightly greater distance. Yes, combined with stealth, even this may seem like a form of simplification. But some buts balance it out again. Your knife, which can be destroyed this time. Any use of it, whether it’s just silently killing enemies, finishing them off on the ground, or simply using it usually, will slowly start to destroy it, and you can only repair it at the merchant. The ability to parry goes hand in hand with this as well. You can block axe throws from enemies or melee attacks with your knife. Since they are more aggressive and at least in feel, this is an ability I recommend you get as soon as possible. It will save your progress in the game from the last typewriter. But it is something you have to be able to use with the right timing and paying attention to what your opponents are doing. Which, of course can be challenging. So, even in combination with this novelty, the knife works more like a resource that you can waste in a certain way. Therefore, you have to use it with care and discretion, just like in the original, because here, too, every attack and every weapon has its specific use. Combining them and using them correctly in the game still allows a specific form of slow and tactical play to be maintained. This is despite the generally faster and more aggressive gameplay. It’s a fascinating combination that is hard to describe but works.

Minor Additions, Major Impact: Requests, Cases, and Pendants

There are more novelties, but mostly, it’s more of the minor things you’ll come across on your own over time. Whether we’re talking about requests, which are little “side quests” for the merchant, different types of cases and pendants that aren’t just cosmetic as they may seem at first glance.

Room for Improvement: Companion AI, Evasion, and Stealth 

The remake of Resident Evil 4 does an excellent job of being fearless to take away where it doesn’t matter and add where it adds more depth and context. Both in terms of story and gameplay. Still, of course, there are a few things I’d still like to see done a little better. Ashley may be a bit more sensible, but accompanying her in dangerous parts still causes pain at times because she can’t defend herself. Thankfully, you don’t have to address her health directly anymore. The lack of a better evasive maneuver can be frustrating at times when enemies pile up on you from all sides. And the stealth, while it works, could have been more interesting after all, especially when you never know if the enemy can see you or not. Sometimes, he looks at you and pretends nothing; other times, someone starts shouting at you from afar, and most of the time, you don’t even know why. Similarly, the developers could have done with aggressive and nonsensical scripting, where you clear a location, pick up a story item, and suddenly the area is a whole of enemies again. Or someone runs at you from a building you’ve entirely cleared before. 

Audiovisual Overhaul: Reimagining Iconic Designs

Also, of course, the most significant change was the audiovisual aspect of the game. From the original release, the developers tried to leave mainly the design of characters, enemies, and some key and iconic locations or places. The rest, however, has undergone a more or less complete change. You’ll know which way you’re walking most of the time if you’re a player of the original, but at the same time, you will need more time to take the blueprint completely and point to the exact same places. But everything is more settled, more realistic. Combined with the lifelike graphics and another shift in the RE Engine, this creates a unique atmosphere. The excellent presentation is also complemented by great dubbing. Compared to the original, the overall quality and direction are good. Perhaps the only thing that bothered it was Ashley gasping for breath. I don’t know if it was some fault, but the fact that she was constantly huffing behind my neck and acting like she had asthma even when we were standing still was sometimes quite a sacrifice.

Otherwise, the sounds also work great, especially in the larger locations where you can distinguish beautifully where someone is coming from and the music, which is more in the background and only plays at appropriate times. Admittedly, this means that the game lacks any outright soundtrack that will remain in your memory after you’ve finished playing.

The Final Act: An Over-the-Top Spectacle

The biggest issue with Remake Four is the final section. It feels like the developers went overboard with the action, resulting in excessive violence and chaos. At times, it reminded me of the over-the-top nature of Resident Evil 6. You’ll understand what I mean when you experience it for yourself.

Last Rites: A Respectable Homage to a Legendary Game

Capcom has taken their legendary game, removed the flaws where they were, and given the game the gorgeous audiovisual treatment that such a game properly deserves. The gameplay has remained the same at the core but has been reskinned and enhanced with several minor elements, making this game a slightly different but somewhat more fresh experience. The music may not be prominent, but it plays when it really needs to. What, however, was the most damaging aspect of the remake compared to the prequel, which I only mentioned in passing and saved more for the very end, is the sometimes absurd and unnecessary slide into a very action-packed concept, especially in the final third of the game, which was often overdone even by the standards of the third remake. By the end, while I was excited about the story’s climax, I was not so enthusiastic about the gameplay. Still, this is an overall respectable work that pays homage to its predecessor. For fans of the series and the previous remakes, it’s a must-play!

..And VR lovers as well as CAPCOM prepared this extenstion for PSVR2 free for owners and is terrific as we hear , but we did not yet try ourselves.

Purchase Resident Evil 4 Remake is available on multiple platforms:

• Buy RE4 Remake via Official Capcom’s Website
• Resident Evil 4 Remake on Steam – Experience the survival horror classic reborn for a new generation.
• Resident Evil 4 Remake for PS4/PS5 on PlayStation Store – Revisit Leon’s harrowing mission with stunning visuals and enhanced gameplay.
• Resident Evil 4 Remake for Xbox Series X/S on Microsoft Store – Survive the horrors of the Spanish village in this reimagined masterpiece.

The post Resident Evil 4 Remake: Another Great Revival of a Horror Icon appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

Title: Resident Evil 3 Remake
Developer: Capcom, M-Two
Publisher: Capcom
Released: April 3, 2020
Platforms: PC Game, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Article Reading Time: 10 minutes

Another Great Remake of Racoon City Evil

At the beginning of 2019, Capcom brought a remake of Resident Evil 2, a game they’ve been working on for years and have been incredibly passionate about. It showed that it was a great action survival adventure game that kept the spirit of the original, but at the same time, we got some excellent visuals and modified modern gameplay. It’s no wonder that Capcom took home several awards for the game and often got maximum marks in reviews. Resident Evil 2 was a straight-up remake that made the dream of many fans of the series come true, and they couldn’t be happier. They subsequently began calling for a remake of the third installment as well. However, it was clear that Capcom was already working on it, and its announcement was only a matter of time.

Capcom had already counted on a remake of the third Resident Evil installment during the development of the remake of the second installment and entrusted its development to a new studio, M-Two, led by former Platinum Games studio head Tatsuya Minami. It’s no wonder, as both games take place virtually simultaneously, each giving a slightly different perspective on events and complementing each other perfectly. Moreover, both are about a pandemic sweeping the world far faster than any other disease in modern history. Those are the first words of the play, which, given the current situation, certainly doesn’t give one much reason to be happy. However, it’s great that the remake of Resident Evil 3 has been given as much care as the second installment. The developers didn’t just want to remake the original game in a new visual coat; they decided to keep the characters, iconic locations, story skeleton, and foremost enemy and make a modern version. 

The Nightmare Begins

Resident Evil 3 mainly follows the story of a S.T.A.R.S. unit member, Jill Valentine, who survived an incident at the Arklay mansion in the original Resident Evil, located in the Arklay Mountains above Racoon City. She is now trying to escape Raccoon City at any cost, where zombies are swarming, and the apocalypse is imminent… It’s a challenging task, as she and the members of her unit are being hunted by a giant monster called Nemesis, which I’ll get to later in my review. While it may not seem like it from the previous text, Resident Evil 3 has an exciting and well-written story (one that no film adaptation would be ashamed of) that has been adapted in many parts. This makes the game a new and fresh experience, plus the developers have not forgiven themselves for a few surprises for fans of the original. But the biggest boast is the main character, Jill Valentine, who is well-written and has many intense moments, which can also be said about her colleague Carlos or other characters you meet while playing. All the characters are completely redesigned and have a new design (Jill is now portrayed by Russian model Sasha Zotova). This helps make them more believable and makes it possible to relate to them. 

I mentioned that Resident Evil 3 takes place simultaneously with Resident Evil 2 and gives a different perspective on the events. That’s true, but the gameplay is different for both games. While Leon and Claire’s adventure was the true survival horror adventure where you had to count every bullet, Jill Valentine’s journey is much more straightforward and action-packed. And the way the game wants to scare players has changed, too. Whereas in Resident Evil 2, the fear was built on not knowing what would jump out at you, whereas in Resident Evil 3, you fear a clearly defined and, again, as is usually the case, almost immortal arch-enemy that is constantly after you. 

Escaping Raccoon City

I don’t think the more action-packed poisoning is a bad thing; in fact, it’s a change I quite welcomed, although I’m also aware that if you haven’t played the original and are expecting the same experience as the remake of Resident Evil 2, you might be a little surprised and disappointed. I, however, am happy with the remake of Resident Evil 3, as I got exactly what Capcom promised before release… A more significant, more action-packed expansion for the second installment. That may be why I enjoyed that return to Raccoon City from the first minute to the last, thanks to perfect modern gameplay that stands up to many contemporary titles. Resident Evil 3 is one big linear action game that will lock you in your chair after just a few seconds and won’t let up until the end. Few games can do this these days, and Resident Evil 3 is one of them. 

When you accept that you’re looking at a much more linear and action-packed Resident Evil, with no room for tricky puzzles, decision-making like the original, or vital survival elements, you’ll have no problem with it. The game has very well-written characters, dialogue, and action, during which Jill Valentine and her colleague Carlos, who were given much more space in the remake, dispatch dozens of zombies and other mutated monsters whose design is terrifying.

Despite the absence of several enemy types, there are plenty of adversaries to go around, and you’ll be able to use various weapons against them, be it a pistol, submachine gun, shotgun, or grenade launcher. There’s no shortage of grenades, either. There are more bullets compared to the second installment, and you don’t have to think as much about each shot, but you still have to save on medium difficulty and you can’t mindlessly shoot every zombie with hundreds of bullets.

DOOM has yet to become Resident Evil 3, although it’s not as strict on bullet economy, first aid kits, etc. The action system has mostly stayed the same from the second installment, with the only significant new feature being the ability to dodge zombie and boss attacks, which brings a nice boost that you get used to right away.

Mr. X: The Relentless Pursuer

While in the second part you were chased by Mr. X, in Resident Evil 3 you’ll be taken care of by an even worse monster, which even today gives many fans the creeps and makes them scream STTTTAAAAARRRRRSSSS all the time. That monster is, of course, Nemesis, which is why many fans even wanted a remake of the third installment. Even considering my conversations with the developers, I hoped that Nemesis would be a standalone unit that would hunt down Raccoon City and show up when I wasn’t expecting it. But since Resident Evil 3 is linear and practically constantly drives you down one ready-made path, having Nemesis move freely wouldn’t make sense. His sequences are so scripted, which didn’t matter the first time I played it because every time he appeared a little unexpectedly, I got adequately freaked out and went on the run. The scenes with him are great, I had a lot of respect for Nemesis every time because I knew I was facing a huge colossus that had the upper hand, and if I made a mistake, a loading screen would follow. With Nemesis, you can have some great fights while playing, which is alright. They don’t offend, but on the other hand, I imagine them being even better. 

The game takes place in Raccoon City, taking you to several diverse locations, including streets, various shops, hospitals, or labs with more than one secret. Fans of the original will marvel at how familiar locations have come to life in the new visual representation or what changes have been made. Some have been heavily reworked and made smaller to make the action go faster so you don’t wander too much. However, you might be disappointed about the ancestry of several locations from the original, some of which should have been included in the remake. Again, this brings me to the fact that the new Resident Evil 3 is more of a modern take on the old work rather than a 1:1 and should be approached accordingly.

Anyway, it’s still possible to search for hidden rooms and other bonuses, but you no longer find yourself in a massive maze with many locked doors and various branching and secret passages to get lost in. What’s left are unique safe rooms to save your game at your typewriter or toss items from your inventory into a crate. You can gradually increase your inventory, but it’s nice to put found items away somewhere so you don’t lose them. I would only criticize you for not combining items in the crate. They must always be in the inventory to be combined. This makes handling them harder with a smaller inventory capacity.

Intense but Short

Resident Evil 3 is a relatively short game. If, like me, you play on medium difficulty for the first time, you’ll finish the story campaign in something like six or seven hours, and more experienced players can do it even faster. And it’s also because the difficulty could be higher on medium difficulty. In fact, I even had trouble dying unless you count the opponents who can take Jill down for a blow. But I wasn’t. Who knows how enthusiastic about this attempt by the developers to increase the difficulty at any cost, and it’s not the right solution. After finishing, you can replay everything with greater difficulty or try to collect everything but don’t expect a second campaign with a different character than the one you did in Resident Evil 2. Also missing is the decision-making from the original, which could have easily influenced the ending. This, in turn, contributes to the game’s lack of replayability, as it fails to surprise on the second playthrough, which Capcom probably counted on a bit, so they added a multiplayer game, Resident Evil: Resistance, to the game, which, while not offensive at all, was not enough as total compensation. 

For the remake of Resident Evil 3, Capcom reused its modern RE Engine, which was used not only in the remake of Resident Evil 2 but also in Resident Evil 7 and Devil May Cry 5. It does a fantastic job here as well. Especially regarding character and enemy models, they are incredibly detailed with awesome animations. Apart from the characters, the environments are also thorough, and the effects are also significant, so when it comes to the visual aspect, your eyes are in for a real treat, and you won’t be disappointed. Especially since the game is well-optimized and even runs at 60 fps on PlayStation 4 and PS5 as part of an update that came later. The soundtrack is also fantastic in Resident Evil 3. The dubbing is also worthy of praise, which only emphasizes the high production values of this remake. Capcom left nothing to chance. 

Resident Conlusion

Resident Evil 3 is a superb remake of a beloved classic video game that effectively holds your attention from start to finish. The game prioritizes high-quality action, which complements Jill Valentine’s adventure and the more cinematic approach. Additionally, it features impressive design, well-developed characters, and exceptional audiovisual presentation. However, some players might find the shorter duration to be a downside.

Purchase Resident Evil 3 Remake

Resident Evil 3 Remake on Steam – Face the horror of Raccoon City with stunning visuals and intense action.
Buy Resident Evil 3 Remake for PS4 on PlayStation Store – Survive the nightmare as Jill Valentine in this thrilling remake.
Get Resident Evil 3 Remake for Xbox X/S and Xbox One on Microsoft Store – Escape the city, evade Nemesis, and uncover the truth behind the outbreak.
Play Resident Evil 3 Remake on you Nintendo. Buy at Nintendo Switch Store the cloud version of the game

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