The originalResident Evilgames were defined by fixed camera angles, tank controls, and third-person gameplay. As the franchise evolved throughResident Evil 4and slowly lost its defining features, the third-person perspective stuck – untilResident Evil 7. A genuine return to form, the only thingResident Evil 7doesn’t inherit from its predecessors is its first-person camera.
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Resident Evil Villagekeeps players in first-person but adds a layer of depth to the combat. Action isn’t as sparse as it was inResident Evil 7and players will need to adjust to Village’s unique mechanics fast if they want to survive.Resident Evil Village’s combat might seem overwhelming at first glance, but there are a number of ways to get an advantage and keep it.
10Keep That Guard Up
Since dodging wouldn’t work withResident Evil’s new first-person perspective,RE7gives players a Guard mechanic so Ethan can negate damage in situations where he realistically can’t get away.
This mechanic returns inResident Evil Village, but is arguably even more important given how much stronger enemies are. Guarding often means the difference between being near-death and barely losing any health.
9Push Enemies Away
One major tweakResident Evil Villagemakes to Guarding is the inclusion of Pushing. After Guarding any attack, Ethan will be able to push enemies away by tapping the Guard button right away.
Pushing requires quick reflexes and functions like a pseudo-parry mechanic. Learning how to Guard and Push helps create easy openings for headshots. Pushing isn’t viable against every enemy in the game, but it’s a luxury for most encounters.
8Learn To Quick-Turn
Quick-Turn has been an essentialResident Evilmechanic since theRE3: Nemesison the PlayStation. By holding back and pressing Circle/B, Ethan will immediately turn around. Since enemies are frantic and faster than usual inVillage, learning how to Quick-Turn early pays off. The mechanic even feels necessary for most boss fights.
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The fact of the matter is that strafing just won’t move Ethan quick enough or give him an opportunity to get behind most enemies (especially in the latter half of the game). Just knowing how to back away on a dime and turn back to fight back makes combat so much easier.
7Build Blockades
Heavily inspired byResident Evil 4, it should come as no surprise to franchise fans thatResident Evil Villagereincorporates blockade building. There are several set pieces where Ethan will walk into a house only to be ambushed by Lycans.
In these scenarios, players are free to board up the doors with dressers to create a barricade. Enemies will eventually fight their way in, but this should buy you enough time to prep and keep Lycans in an easy to kill location.
Every gun inResident Evil Villagehas its own reload speed, which adds to the in-game tension during combat. It goes without saying, but the strongest weapons are often the slowest to reload. Trying to fight off enemies with just a single weapon and reloading when necessary is honestly just making things harder on yourself.
In the heat of combat, swap to one of your other weapons in your shortcut. Instead of risking an enemy attack mid-reload, just blast them in the face with another gun and guarantee safety.
5Listen Carefully
Resident Evil Villageis a showcase of next-generation hardware at its core, right down to how its visual presentation and advanced sound direction influence the game design. Capcom has outdone itself in creating a world that demands observation.
Growling in the distance means an enemy is nearby, distorted music means you’re in a combat situation, and several side-puzzles require you to spot visual details in the architecture unprompted. Bags of flour also appear scattered throughout the Village, blinding enemies if damaged near them. It pays to pay attention at all times.
4Master Using The Sniper Rifle ASAP
The F2 Sniper Rifle will be found inside of Castle Dimistrecu as part of the story and is very hard to miss. While the Sniper Rifle sways considerably while aiming, the Cheek Rest attachment makes shooting down the scope much smoother.
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So much so that it pays to train with the Sniper Rifle and master it right away. The Sniper Rifle isn’t as strong as the Magnum, but it’s jarringly close for how early it’s obtained. Sniper Rifle ammo is also easy to craft where you can reliably use the F2 for every encounter. Most normal enemies will drop with one shot.
3Aim For Weapons
Several enemies carry weapons inResident Evil Village, whether they be swords or farm tools. Almost all of these weapons can actually be shot down if you just aim carefully enough.
This is obviously easier said than done since enemies are so manic in their behavior, but a little focus goes a long way. Dropping an enemy’s weapon buys more than enough time to drop them for good. If nothing else, it buys you time to escape.
2Upgrade & Sell
Resident Evil Villagebrings back the weapon upgrade system, allowing players to customize their guns over the course of the story. Unlike inResident Evil 4or5where there was an element of choice with no real “best” when it came to picking which weapons to upgrade, Village keeps things rather linear.
Your next Handgun will always be better than the last, which applies to the Shotgun and Magnum as well. Since weapon value scales with upgrades, you’re able to sell a fully upgraded LEMI to buy the new M1911 and repeat the pattern for the V61 with virtually no downside.
1Be Patient
Above all else, be patient. Enemy movements are sporadic across the board, but this doesn’t mean they won’t slow down or create openings. Don’t just fire aimlessly or in a hurry. Take a breath, aim carefully, and pay attention to staggers. Don’t rush into a horde – pop some heads with your Handgun and then finish the job with another weapon.
Let enemies come to you, but don’t just stay put. Fight back slowly and by the time they arrive, they’ll be on their last legs. There are several stretches of gameplay where you can get by enemies unscathed if you just keep a distance and exercise patience.
