Resident Evil 8: Village Is a Gamble Capcom Desperately Needs to Win

• Resident Evil: Village is rumored to be the working title for the upcoming main installment in the series.
• New details from a fresh “leak” include a nemesis-like enemy, as well as a redesigned Chris Redfield.
• These rumored changes are a big risk, so Capcom desperately needs them to pay off.

The Resident Evil rumors continue to pour out of the spigot, providing us with tantalizing details about the “big departure” Capcom plans to take in the franchise’s next title. New information includes the game’s alleged working title, which Biohazard Declassified reports will be Resident Evil 8: Village .

The title isn’t the only interesting rumor we’ve learned. And while the Resi series always seems to thrive in the face of adversity, some of the new rumors are concerning, especially the “new” elements that will reportedly feature in the game.

So far, all we know for sure is that Resident Evil 8 has a lot riding on it.

Resident Evil 8 Has a Lot Riding on It

Assuming the Biohazard Declassified rumors are true, Resident Evil 8: Village will feature a Nemesis-like witch who haunts the player with insects .

This rumor harkens back to the successful Resi 2 and 3 remakes. While this certainly sounds like a winning formula, it doesn’t necessarily feel like trying something “new” to borrow an element from older games in the series.

There is also some fresh speculation about a new UI design. Capcom is allegedly testing out both a Resi 7 style and something closer to Resi 4. If the latter is used, it could point towards a heavier action focus.

Combine that with the first-person camera, and we’re dangerously close to another Resident Evil FPS. Which worked so well last time.

It’s Still Too Early to Know Much of Anything

One final point of concern is the character of Chris Redfield, a staple of the series since the first game. He is earmarked to make an appearance in Resident Evil 8: Village – but “with a twist.”  That twist appears to be that he is a bad guy this time… maybe.

Again, this is all rumor and speculation for the time being. But from what we’ve discovered, it seems like Chris attacks the main character. Unless Capcom scripts that sequence masterfully, this plotline could go horribly awry. If there doesn’t seem to be justification for the attack other than shock value, then I cannot imagine many series fans being all that happy with the change.

Until we have some confirmation from Capcom, we just have to go off the slithers of information the rumor mill continues to churn out. But from what we do know, it seems like the risks being taken are some pretty big ones.

They might pay off spectacularly. But if they don’t, they could present us with the most disappointing entry in franchise history.

About the Author

William Worrall

William Worrall is a professional writer based out of the UK who has been writing about video and tabletop games for over a decade and has covered industry events such as EGX and UKGE. Contact him at [email protected], see his LinkedIn profile here.

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