Resident Evil is one of two series that I credit for making me the gamer I am today. And now, we get a world of vampires and lycans and I just have to say: LET’S Go. During the Resident Evil Showcase yesterday, Capcom shared information including new pieces to Resident Evil Village, the latest in the iconic horror survival series. In addition to a new trailer with gameplay footage featuring new enemies and areas of the mysterious village, Capcom confirmed the popular “The Mercenaries” game mode returns with added features in Resident Evil Village. The studio and publisher also confirmed details for the limited time demo coming to all platforms on May 1, with PlayStation players getting early access starting April 17. Celebrations marking the Resident Evil 25th anniversary this year also continued with new ways to experience the franchise across several content partners.
The latest trailer (which you can watch above) for Resident Evil Village pulls fans deeper into the enigmatic locale with a peek at the diversity of environments and enemies players will encounter. New footage provided clues to an immense underground factory possibly mass producing humanoid creatures, and a vast man-made lake barely concealing what appears to be a colossal aquatic monster. The mysterious man from the January Resident Evil Showcase is revealed to be Heisenberg. Though his name is now known, his role remains unclear in protagonist Ethan Winters’ quest to find his daughter. Plus, series veteran Chris Redfield also makes an appearance with questionable motives, creating more mystery as to what his role is.
But most exiting, “The Mercenaries,” makes its much requested return with rich content and rewards, providing variety and replayability beyond the main gameplay in Resident Evil Village. In this mode, players must complete increasingly challenging objectives before the clock runs out in this additional game mode, which is unlocked by completing the main campaign. The Duke merchant from the main game appears in the mode, offering weapons and upgrades to help tackle the challenges. Additionally, players can acquire abilities that enhance their weapons or physical abilities. It will be up to each player to strategize which load out will be the most effective for each objective.
With all that said, here are main things excited players can put on their calendars.
April 17 & April 24: Early Access demo for PlayStation
In advance of the multiplatform demo, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 players will have two early access opportunities, where they will have an 8-hour window to play 30 minutes for each section. The first date will offer the village portion starting April 17 at 5 pm PT with a pre-load option starting today at 4 pm PT. A second date will offer the castle area starting on April 24 at 5 pm PT with a pre-load option also starting today at 4 pm PT.
May 1: Demo
Players are invited to get an early taste of the action-packed horror that awaits. Players can explore the village and castle areas of the game for up to 60 minutes in a limited time demo for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and Stadia. This multiplatform demo will be accessible for 24 hours starting May 1 at 5pm PT for North America, South America and Latin America residents, with a pre-load option starting April 29 at 5 pm PT.
May 7: Launch Day
Resident Evil Village will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and Stadia. The game will be eligible to upgrade for free from PlayStation 4 to the digital PlayStation 5 version and will support Smart Delivery for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. Those who purchase Resident Evil Village will also get access to the free multiplayer experience Resident Evil Re:Verse.
Looking to get your pre-order in? Well, pre-orders for Resident Evil Village are available now, with digital Standard and Deluxe Edition options for all platforms, plus physical Standard, Deluxe and Collector’s Edition for console players. The digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game and a digital add-on “Trauma Pack,” which consists of additional in-game content including a Samurai Edge weapon, Resident Evil 7 biohazard-inspired found footage screen filter, tape recorder save point option, immediate access to an especially challenging difficulty setting, and more.
If you missed the Resident Evil Showcase, you can watch it below:
