When Capcom posted the first trailer for a sequel to “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” on the RE website earlier this year, fans of the survival game franchise were excited to learn that the previous installments’ protagonist Ethan Winters would return for another game.

The game was released last month on May 7 and is available to play on a variety of consoles, including Xbox, PlayStation and digital video game service Steam.

A New Resident Evil

The franchise’s website describes what players can expect from the game’s central storyline: “Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7 biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again. When BSAA captain Chris Redfield attacks their home, Ethan must once again head into hell to get his kidnapped daughter.”

But Resident Evil 8 is something of a departure from the full-on horror elements that were present in RE7. There are still monsters — but they take the form of more fantastical creatures such as vampires, werewolves, possessed dolls and strange fish.

Each of the game’s four lords — Lady Dimitrescu, Karl Heisenberg, Donna Beneviento and Salvatore Moreau — exhibit and embody these fairytale-turned-nightmare elements within their character development and aesthetics perfectly. Their unique storylines and quests alone make the game worth a play-through — or two, especially if you miss out on some of the lore and background information the first time around. 

The mysterious character of Mother Miranda intrigued many players, because of her strange crow-like character design and the small glimpses that players were given of her in later trailers. 

It’s safe to say that the developers attracted attention with some of the four lords’ character designs as well. The internet was in a frenzy when it was announced that Lady Dimitrescu is 9’6 — and gamers were quick to do height comparisons and create memes featuring the character. 

Armed with all this in addition to the puzzles and first-person immersion that featured in the previous installment, RE8 has a lot to be proud of. 

RE in Review

I can’t claim to be a hardcore or even avid gamer, given that I mostly dabble in simulator and role-playing games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but RE8’s great mechanics and killer storyline kept me engaged all the way through. 

As someone who enjoyed RE7, I did find myself missing the more gritty horror aspects of the game and feeling a little conflicted about the departure from full-on horror to more adventure and fantasy. But RE8 provided dynamic and interesting characters just as RE7 did, and the game never had a dull moment.

I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to try a game in the franchise but isn’t too sure about the survival horror genre or those who, like me, enjoy a good storyline and some engaging character development. 

I give “Resident Evil 8: Village” 4.5/5 stars.

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