Top 10 Things We Know About Resident Evil 8

Debuting in 2017's "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard," the RE Engine has been a hit for Capcom and will be used for the next main entry in the horror series. Since its debut, the RE Engine has proven itself to be a powerful and versatile gaming engine, as shown through the photorealistic visuals and fantastic lighting in the "Resident Evil 2" and "3" remakes. The RE Engine was also used for "Devil May Cry 5," demonstrating that it can handle more dynamic and action-oriented gameplay. With the RE Engine, "Resident Evil Village's" environments should look amazing and, hopefully, unsettling.

In the lead up to Capcom's reveal trailer, rumors circulated that the 8th "Resident Evil" game could feature a couple of monsters that deviate from the franchise's trademark zombies, and that seems to be the case. Capcom's trailer highlights a couple of unique creatures, including a beast that appears to be a werewolf. Very little is known about the nature of these monsters, but werewolves would present a welcome change from "Resident Evil's" established formula. There is precedent for this type of beast in the "Resident Evil" universe, as a werewolf was featured in 1998's "Wolf Hunt" comic story.

Following the Raccoon City-centric remakes and the more restrictive seventh entry, "Resident Evil Village" will change things up with a snow-covered environment set in what seems to be the mountains. Similar to "Resident Evil 4," Capcom's upcoming game looks to teleport players to a more unfamiliar setting, one that feels almost like it should exist in the 1800s rather than the present day. An isolated location featuring rustic cabins, oil lamps, and monsters that appear to have a mythical edge, "Resident Evil Village’s" setting looks promising and could very well prove to be among the best in the franchise.

After the success of "Resident Evil 7," Capcom has understandably decided to retain certain elements that worked to that game's favor. The news that "Resident Evil" would adopt a first-person perspective was initially polarizing, but it did prove to be a great choice for 2017's game. "Resident Evil Village" will maintain the same angle as its predecessor and its two DLC campaigns, as it seeks to provide a similarly intimate horror experience. At the moment, it seems like Capcom will be using the first-person camera for new games while leaving third-person for spin-offs and remakes.

While a specific country has yet to be announced, "Resident Evil Village's" trailer indicates a European setting. Amidst the mountains and towering over the decrepit village, there is a massive castle that will presumably serve as one of the game's central locations. The castle has a slightly gothic aesthetic to it, something that is only enhanced by the fact it is shrouded in fog in the trailer. Through its European-esque setting, the antiquated village, and the castle, Capcom's upcoming title gives off strong "Resident Evil 4" vibes. Naturally, that is a good thing.

This is a case of; It isn’t “Resident Evil 8” ... but it is … if that makes sense. While the majority of the previous entries just slapped on a number and called it a day, the eight entry was announced as "Resident Evil Village." Not “Resident Evil 8: Village” Subtitles are not unheard of for the franchise, and producer Tsuyoshi Kanda stated that the game is still being treated as if it were the 8th mainline entry in the series, just not in name. Going by the title, the village should be the main setting of the game rather than just one stop in a long journey.

A recurring character in the franchise, Chris Redfield will play a part in "Resident Evil Village," although the trailer suggests a different side of the heroic agent will be highlighted. Chris showed up at the end of "Resident Evil 7" and was the main protagonist of the "Not A Hero" DLC, which saw the BSAA agent assisting Blue Umbrella to investigate the Baker home. "Village's" trailer shows an older, larger, and colder Redfield, one who shoots Mia without showing an inkling of hesitation. The scene's context will reveal whether Redfield has taken a villainous turn.

As werewolves and zombies are too easy, "Resident Evil Village" might also include witches. Capcom's trailer prominently features a trio of female characters who seem to have a taste for blood and shapeshifting, although it is difficult to tell exactly what these beings are meant to be. A leak that came out the game's reveal speculated that a witch capable of transforming into insects would be included, and Capcom's trailer suggests that might be the case. While "Village" seems soaked in mysticism, the witches and werewolves are liable to have an in-universe scientific explanation similar to the mold that allowed "Resident Evil 7's" Marguerite to control insects.

After barely surviving the Baker family and the Molded in "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard," Ethan flew off into the sunset with Mia, hoping to never see another monster again. Unfortunately for Ethan, "Resident Evil" and one-time protagonists do not generally mix, so the franchise's most average hero will be a playable character in the next entry in the series. Except for Chris Redfield in the fifth and sixth games, "Resident Evil's" numbered entries rarely use the same protagonist in back to back titles; as such, Ethan is quite a unique character.

As Capcom announced "Resident Evil Village" during Sony's PlayStation 5 reveal event, it was hardly a surprise that the survival horror game was confirmed as a next-generation title. It is rumored that excessive pop-in and long load times led to "Village" being announced only for the PS5, Microsoft's Xbox Series X, and Windows. At the moment, "Village" is expected to drop sometime in 2021, which will be within the first year of the next console generation's lifespan. All things considered, the 8th console generation was great for Capcom's flagship property, and hopefully, "Resident Evil Village" will keep that momentum going into the next era.