Ever since it was first revealed,Resident Evil Villageseemed like a spiritual successor to the iconicResident Evil 4. While otherResident Evilgames have tried to capture that essence, it’sResident Evil Villagethat comes the closest in recapturing what madeResident Evil 4so iconic in the first place.
Although a direct sequel to 2017’sResident Evil 7,ResidentEvil Villagehas the heart and soul ofResident Evil 4, something that it acknowledges time after time. As such, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of callbacks toResident Evil 4inResident Evil Village. Here’s all of them.
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The Lycans Ambush
At the start ofResident Evil Village, Ethan gets entangled in an ambush byhordes of Lycansand their leader Urias. All players can do at this moment is hold back in many of the village’s houses until the Lycans retreat. This is parallel to the opening ofResident Evil 4where Leon is ambushed by the villagers infected by the Plaga parasite. In both cases, players have to hold out until a set amount of time has passed.
The Villagers
Soon after encountering the Lycans, Ethan meets up with the remaining villagers at Luiza’s house. It’s immediately noticeable that the attires of most of these villagers, including that of Leonardo and Elena, are highly reminiscent of that of the villagers found inResident Evil 4. While such similarity is also possible because both games take place in Europe, it’s no doubt that this would remind players of the creepy villagers ofResident Evil 4.
The Typewriter
Typewriters have been used as save points in all of the earlyResident Evilgames. Unfortunately, they were discontinued afterResident Evil 4.Resident Evil 7did bring back the feature, though instead it used cassette tapes. However,Resident Evil Villagewent all the way back toResident Evil 4and brought back the much-beloved Typewriter as save points, for which the game also provides the context.
The Dimitrescue Castle
Resident Evil Village’sbreakout starLady Dimitrescu, and her three daughters, are blood-thirsty vampires. Despite being a series' first, though they also have much in common withResident Evil 4. Both the games feature a Gothic Castle having a ruler with a conspicuous height. Lady Dimitrescu is gigantic at seven feet tall, whereas Ramon Salazar is totally the opposite.
The Duke
The Duke isn’t just the most mysterious character inResident Evil Village, he’s also the most prominent one. He’s also the only friendly face Ethan encounters throughout the game, that not just provides him with the upgrades and materials, but also pushes the narrative forward with exposition dump at every story junction.
The Duke’s presence inResident Evil Villageis a callback toResident Evil 4’sMerchant inherently. However, the game takes it a bit further by letting him reiterate the iconic quote, “What’re ya buyin'?“The Dukeeven goes on to acknowledge that this was something his “old friend” used to say, further solidifying his connections to the good old Merchant.
The Iron Insignia Key
In Dimitrescu’s castle, players will come across an Iron Insignia Key, which is the handiest key of them all inResident Evil Village. The Iron Insignia Key unlocks the most prominently locked door in the game, andResident Evil 4fans may experience a déjà vu the first time they see it. That’s because there is an Insignia Key inResident Evil 4as well.
The Boat and the Fish Monster
In the second half ofResident Evil Village, Ethan ventures intoMoreau’s territoryvia a boat. It’s soon evident that a giant fish monster is lurking in the lake, something that veteranResident Evilfans would immediately notice the similarities withResident Evil 4’sDel Lago. InResident Evil 4, Leon encounters the grotesque fish-like monster, Del Lago, while crossing the lake. While both battles play out differently, the similarities are indeed noteworthy.
Resident Evil Villageis now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
