Even though was a soft reboot of sorts that saw th꧋e franchise embracing a smaller scope comparable to the🔯 original, is a love letter to the entire franchise up to this point. From the story, to the gunplay, to the gameplay, is designed to give longtime fans nothing but love.
Newcomers are guaranteed to get their fill of survival horror out of🍸 Village, but is a fundamentally different experience for those who have played previous entries. The series has ꧃always had strong continuity, but Village takes things to another level entirely with its sheer volume of callbacks.
10 Ethan’s Mr. Everywhere Bobblehead
Modern Resident Evil games have made a habit of featuring destructible collectibles for players to hunt down. Resident Evil Village has Goats of Warding, Resident Evil 2 had My. Raccoon toys, Resident Evil 3 🃏had Charlie Dolls, and Resident Evil 7 had Mr. Everywhere bobbleheads. Funny enough, Ethan actually kept a Mr. Everywhere from the Baker House. When putting Rose to sleep, go by the crates near the guest bedroom and you’ll be able to interact with a Mr. Everywhere.
9 Chris Redfield, Smoker
The original Resident Evil for ♛PlayStation featured several odd quirks that were ironed out for the remake, one of which being Chris’ particular fondness of cigarettes. For one sole scene, Chris can be seen lighting a cigarette at the start of the game. Subsequent games ignored this detail, but it’s since been brought back for Resident Evil Village.
Afte🐭r swapping control from Ethan to Chris, players are treated to a scene where Chris smokes a cigarette while recapping the events of the game. While meant to show off what the RE Engine is capable of in terms♐ of realistic lighting, this is also a nod to the very first Resident Evil and a since lost part of Chris’ character.
8 The Architecture Of George Trevor
George Trevor is an important figure in Resident Evil’s history, having been responsible for the creation of the Spencer Mansion. In life, George Trevor was renowned for his eclectic and almost labyrinthine approach toward🅰s architecture, imbuing his designs with puzzle elements that only the homeowner could truly understand.
A book on architecture by George Trevor ca😼n be found in Ethan’s home at the start of the game, jus♛tifying the level design throughout the Village. More importantly, George Trevor’s presence is an early nod to the hidden connection between Umbrella and Mother Miranda.
7 The Duke’s Friend
The Duke is arguably the most mysterious character in Resident Evil Village, but he’s at least friendly. The Duke functions as the game’s Merchant, a role that hasn’t been filled by a character since Resident Evil 4. Not just that, the Duke supposedly knows the Merchant from 🍌RE4. When buying items at the store, the Duke will randomly say, “What are ya buying?” – a direct quote from the Merchant. He’ll then outright acknowledge that this is something a friend of his used to say.
6 The Spencer Of It All
Oswell E. Spencer is one of Umbrella’s founders and an incredibly important antagonist in the greater scope of Resident Evil. That said, modern fans won’t be too familiar with him♈, especially those who have only played Resident Evil 7 before Village. Previously thought to be the origin point of the entire franchise, Village reveals that Spencer actually lifted an extensive amount of his work from Mother Miranda. It’s a twist that reframes Spencer as a character while retroactively fitting Miranda into the series’ backstory.
5 Chris Redfield, Boulder Obliterator
Resident E﷽vil 5 notoriously features Chris punching through a boulder with his bare hands. It’s a ridiculous moment even for Resident Evil, but it fits with the type of character Chris had become by that point in the series – a trend the modern games continue. Chris Redfield has a legendary status that precedes himself.
During the boss fight with Heisenberg, Chris will blow out the Factory in the background, prompting Heisenberg to call him a, “boulder punching a** ****.” Con꧂sidering only two people were there to see Chris punch the boulder, this means Sheva must have shared this with the rest of the BSAA. From there, Chris’ exploits spread.
4 Mother Miranda And The Queen Leech Connection
Introduced in Resident Evil 0, the Queen Leech was a T-Virus based experiment which ultimately assumed the form of James Marcus – a colleague of Oswell E. Spencer and fellow founder of Umbrella. The Queen Leech notably sets a precedent for Mother Miranda’s transformative abilities. Both are able to 𝐆assume the forms of others, b☂ut Mother Miranda’s access to the Megamycete (and sentience) gives her a greater hold on these abilities than the Queen Leach.
3 The Antique Coin
Antique Coins are an important collectible in Resident Evil 7 and the only way Ethan will be ꧅getting a Magnum. Exactly one Antique Coin returns in Resident Evil Village, tucked away in a hidden area that you need to get to by boat. After defeating Moreau, head back to the Drawbridge between the Altar and Ceremony Site.
Use the♛ Crank, hop on the Boat, and sail south to find a little area with fish and a cave. Enter the cave, squeeze through the cracks, and you’ll find the Antique Coin next to a computer up ahead. Be quick on your way out since enemies will spawn.
2 The Classic Item Box
The Item Box is a staple of Resident Evil, but the inclusion of the Attache Case in Resident Evil Village means that it𓆏 has no functional purpose. That doesn’t mean Item Boxes don’t appear, however. An Item Box can be found in the same cave where the Antique Coin is hidden, but another one appears right before the final battle with Mother Miranda. Right across from the Duke will be an Item Box with ammo for you to pick up.
1 Ethan’s Role Reversal
The average Resident Evil game stars a human protagonist with just enough com🎀bat training to get by fighting the undead. Resident Evil 7 and Village Star an un༺dead man with next to no training suffering at every turn. Ethan Winters is antherical to every main character in the series and he is all the better for it.
The fact Ethanꦫ is undead explains all the torture he goes through while putting a fun spin on franchise expectations. His more grounded personality also helps in keeping him relatable, and his motivations come from an intimate place (rescuing his wife/daughter) compared to the “save the world” ambitions of someone like Chris Redfield.