Resident Evil 8 Village Review: 8 Ups & 2 Downs

7. Gameplay & Combat Is A MAJOR Step Up

The faceless protagonist is back and this time Ethan’s here to fight. In Resident Evil Village, players will be engaging in a lot more combat than in the previous seventh entry. But don’t worry, this isn’t an RE6 situation. Combined with the DualSense, this is the most fluid a Resident Evil game has ever felt.

Sony’s newest controller has been realised to full effect here, and really makes Village feel like a next-gen title. Every weapon feels unique and gives them a purpose. Firing the shotgun, for example, has a real punch, and every attack has real weight, completing the experience.

This game has some of the best use of haptics to date. It is just present enough to be noticed, but without getting in the way.

Sniper headshots are also surprisingly achievable to pull off, even in the heat of battle, making this more of a weapon swap-fest than before. Village really rewards those for experimenting against enemies and even makes use of mines - a weapon that in previous games, was all but useless.

It has to be said though, after a few hours the knife does feel pointless. Those going for knife-only runs will have a rough time, though there is so much to choose from in Village, and certainly a weapon for everyone.