I have been a dedicated fan of the Resident Evil franchise ever since a few of my friends brought over their copy of Resident Evil 2 for the Nintendo 64. I started off not knowing how to operate the tank controls to eventually mastering it and making it past the very first area of the game and then eventually grew to beating the game multiple times and unlocking the special bonus weapons.
I would say I've played almost all the entries into the Resident Evil franchise save a few like RE:Survivor, Outbreak File 2 and the very VERY first RE game from the PS1 days.
What I've loved about the franchise is the slow burn of tension and horror along the very iconic set pieces and background music such as the 2nd half of the Dead Factory area in RE2 "The Marshaling Yard" perfectly encapsulating the industrial, futuristic mystery and horror of Umbrella's experiments and haunting atmosphere. Almost every game has something so unique about it that it can stand out in anyone's mind about what made this RE game so iconic or that RE game so iconic.
Some for good reasons and some for not good reasons...
Resident Evil 5 and 6 especially are possibly the most disliked in the franchise as Resident Evil 5 and 6 abandoned the haunting atmosphere and slow burn tension and horror instead for bigger and grander action set pieces and moments throughout the games like massive monster fights with mini-gun or rocket launcher turrets and combat more fitting something like Vanquish. Although as games they are fun, especially the cooperative play aspect to both RE5 and 6 and RE6 especially as a game offers so much content out of the box like several campaigns with different characters, puzzles and enemies as well as Mercenaries mode with different maps and different character load-outs, as games they are okay but as RE games they're not very good.
It wasn't until a few smaller releases like Resident Evil Revelations and Revelations 2 that we didn't see the absolutely incredible entry into the series like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Resident Evil 7 took the franchise to a more darker and more sinister aspect of the series and tapped into an aspect that had not been used in the franchise even going as far back as the first game. It was a step in a different direction as the game was in first person and instead of the usual zombies or Umbrella being behind the horror in one way shape or form instead their was a new unknown villain in the works and a new character to look to to lead us into this new era of the franchise with a new kind of bio-weapon to face with grittier, dirtier and a more horrifying kind of enemy to face.
Resident Evil 8 in some respects does the same but instead draws on elements from past RE games to create a new yet somewhat familiar experience that delivers on the mystery, tension and horror that past RE games had delivered in their own ways over the nearly twenty five years the franchise has been around.
The Things that go Bump in the Night
If Resident Evil 7 was the love child of Resident Evil & Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Last House on the Left and the Hills Have Eyes then Resident Evil 8 is Bram Stoker's Dracula meets Pan's Labyrinth meets Resident Evil 4.
The Village that Capcom has you exploring is haunting yet in a way charming as you see ruins of the Lycan outbreak taking over the village yet seeing signs of what seemed to be a quiet and simple village. Much like how the village in Resident Evil 4 looked like with farm houses and foot hills, RE8 showcases those but with more visual detail and idealistic homes on hillsides next to beautiful mountains and scenic rivers.
The monsters this time around, much like in RE7, stray away from mad scientist bio-weapons and zombies to a new kind of monster. These monsters are known as Lycans and yes they seem to be Werewolves come to life but in a more horrifying way. There also appears to be vampires, ghouls and other creatures you encounter along the way. I say "appear" because that is a mystery you'll have to figure out on your own if it appears to be that simple.
It's in the presentation of Resident Evil 8 that it feels more like a dark fairy tale come to life much akin to a gothic setting of Bram Stoker's Dracula mixed with the mysticism of Pan's Labyrinth
Exploring Exploration
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis sort of gave us the first open world Resident Evil game with there being an element of exploration of Raccoon City not only to find weapons and resources but also to solve puzzles and seeing Raccoon City up close in the midst of the T-Virus Outbreak. Resident Evil 4 sort of did the same but was set out in a more linear style.Resident Evil 8 expands on the exploration element that I personally have always wanted to see Resident Evil do. While there are many linear sections of the game there are still plenty of areas and moments where the game allows you to instead take a moment to yourself to explore the Village instead of proceeding to the next section of the game.
A Touch of RE4 here with a sprinkle of RE7 there....and a pinch of crazy
Much like the title of the review suggests, RE8 in many ways is a greatest hits anthology of past elements from past RE games being mixed in to deliver a game that feels and plays like a Resident Evil game. The biggest inspiration to RE Village is RE4 and it is very difficult to not see those elements as the inventory system is a throwback to the Attache Case system of RE4 and the more up close and personal thrills and terrors that Resident Evil 7 created and as earlier mentioned there are elements that not just RE4 touched on but also the original RE3 Nemesis where in game events would reflect on the environment surrounding the player.
Then there is a touch of the more classic RE games where finding keys to previously locked doors would continue to open up the world around you and allow you to collect key items you would need to finish your trial through the infected mansion or in this case village.
Then there is the added bonus mode of The Mercenaries returning from the past few RE games like 3, 4, 5 and 6 and Raid Mode from RE Revelations.
However, I feel that this game particularly borrows too much from Resident Evil 4. The biggest influence of Resident Evil 8 is Resident Evil 4 and for me I am a little disappointed in that. Resident Evil 4 is not a bad game and in fact is probably one of the best entries in the series but Resident Evil 8 takes too many ques from Resident Evil 4 with things like treasures, the Duke and the opening sequence which I won't say too much on but anyone who has played Resident Evil 4 and plays Resident Evil 8 will know what I am talking about.
With there being a Resident Evil 4 remake on the way I sort of feel that there is almost no need for it because Resident Evil 8 in many regards is almost a spiritual remake of RE4. It borrows too many elements from Resident Evil 4 for my taste and while it doesn't detract from the experience I feel still that there are so many beats from RE4 that it almost makes the RE4 remake seem like it will be the third time Capcom is making Resident Evil 4.
Another thing I would criticize RE8 for is the far out and far fetched ideas it tackles with the origination of the Mold players first experience back in Resident Evil 7 and the idea of what the mold is, what it can do and the ancient civilization element thrown into the story.
Once again, Resident Evil 4 touched on the idea of an ancient parasitic organism that was sealed away by an ancient order of knights and here once again there is this element of an ancient order of people either praising or keeping the mold a secret from the rest of the world.
For me, the appeal of Resident Evil has been the sci-fi horror element mixed with the traditional tale of humanity playing god and it tragically backfiring on the m but when it begins to dwell into ancient organisms, parasites and not evil corporations and monsters being created by mad scientists even I start to go "Alright....you lost me."
Alas the tale must come to a close
But despite all of my personal criticisms I still think that Capcom has found their spark for making good Resident Evil games again.
Resident Evil 5 and 6 failed to deliver what Resident Evil was best known for and what many fans of the series loved Resident Evil for and instead focused too much on the action elements of the Resident Evil series and dialed them up to the point where it didn't feel like you were playing a Resident Evil game anymore but were instead playing a third person action shooter with zombies in it. Resident Evil 7 was a return to the series' roots and since then Capcom has been honing in on those elements to deliver some of the best that the franchise has seen in these last few years. It was shortly after Resident Evil 7 we saw the much anticipated and much adored Resident Evil 2 Remake as well as the Resident Evil 3 remake that delivered on those same gameplay elements that fans such as myself had fell in love with back in the old days of Resident Evil while updating it with new elements that made the games feel the same but fresh and new as well.
Resident Evil 8 Village in some aspects does that as well while including elements that were touched upon in past games while including new elements that Resident Evil 7 introduced as well as bringing in elements from classic RE titles. RE8's greatest influence here is Resident Evil 4 and although personally I feel there is too much of it's influence here, there was no better RE game to be influenced by than quite possibly the best the franchise ever saw.
Whether you are a veteran of the old games or a new blood that has recently joined the Resident Evil fandom this is a great Resident Evil game through and through as well as being a great game in general. Do not miss out on this title, do yourself a favor and get this game now.
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