Resident Evil Villageis finally out in the wild, giving survival-horror fans the chance to experience Ethan Winters' latest blood-soaked adventure. WhileResident Evil 7was generally light on references to pastResident Evilgames,Resident Evil Villageis full of nods to other games in the series, and is actually an incredibly important title in terms of the overarching storyline that started with the first game back in 1996.
Some ofResident Evil Village’s nods to past games in the series are cute little easter eggs or throwaway lines, but others have huge ramifications for the franchise as a whole. Please note that in order to discussResident Evil Village’s connections to otherResident Evilgames, it’s necessary to delve deep intoSPOILERterritory. So anyone that doesn’t wantResident Evil Villagespoilers should turn back now.
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Here are all the ways thatResident Evil Villageconnects to previousResident Evilgames that we’ve discovered so far.
Resident Evil
Resident Evil Villageconnects to the originalResident Evilgame in a number of ways.Besides including Chris Redfield, one of the protagonists of the originalResident Evilgames,Villagealso makes direct reference to Oswell E. Spencer, the founder of Umbrella who built the mansion from that game. Spencer later appeared inResident Evil 5DLC, where he was murdered by Albert Wesker. Despite playing such an important role in the franchise’s story, fans don’t really spend much time with Spencer in the games, but they learn more about him through a file inResident Evil Village.
Near the end ofResident Evil Village, players take on the role of Chris Redfield. Chris finds files detailing the origins of all ofMother Miranda’s Lords, along with a note from none other than Oswell E. Spencer. As it turns out, Spencer learned under Mother Miranda, and even modeled the Umbrella logo and name from a symbol that the two of them found in a cave. Spencer talks to Mother Miranda in the note about finding a virus in Africa, which is what would eventually lead to the creation of the T-Virus and kickoff the events of theResident Evilseries.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil Villagedoesn’t make many nods toResident Evil 2, unless one wants to countLady Dimitrescu behaving like Mr. Xas one. However, the beginning of the game does make a direct reference to a character fromResident Evil 2, the gun shop owner Robert Kendo. While walking around Ethan’s house at the beginning of the game, players can check out his bookshelf, where they can find a book written by Kendo. It seems that this was part of Ethan’s training between the events ofResident Evil 7andVillage, and helps to explain how he is now much more proficient with firearms in the new game.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil Villageis inspired byResident Evil 4, and so as one might imagine, there are a ton of references to the game. The general aesthetic ofResident Evil Villageis similar toResident Evil 4, as both games are set in gloomy, rural European areas. The games both have giant fish monsters that players have to fight, and they both feature castles. They also both let players kill animals for meat. The list goes on. But a more direct reference comes fromResident Evil Village’s The Duke character, who plays the role of the merchant in the new game.
The Duke inResident Evil Villagequotes the Merchant fromResident Evil 4at certain points in the game, and even goes as far as to refer to him as an old friend. Their relationship isn’t explored beyond that line, but perhaps that is something thatResident Evilfans will learn more about in future games in the series.
Resident Evil 5
Spencer’s trip to Africa is a big focus ofResident Evil 5, as that game takes place entirely in Africa and is about exploring the origins of the various viruses that have plagued humanity since the firstResident Evilgame. However, there is another reference toResident Evil 5inResident Evil Villagebeyond the Spencer note, and it comes in the form of a joke said by one of Mother Miranda’s Lords.
WhileResident Evil Villageplayers are fighting Heisenberg, he talks about Chris Redfield, referencing Redfield’s infamous “boulder punching” moment. As some may recall, the end ofResident Evil 5saw Redfield literally punching boulders during theboss fight with Albert Wesker, which is one of the moments that have been mocked endlessly by fans of the franchise.
Resident Evil 7
WithResident Evil Villagebeing a direct sequel toResident Evil 7, it’s no surprise that the game is full of references to its immediate predecessor. The events ofResident Evil 7are referenced numerous times inResident Evil Village, and they play a direct role in the game’s story. This includes everything fromEthan’s encounters with Jack Bakerto the black mold.
It’s possible that there are even more references to pastResident Evilgames hidden inResident Evil Village, but this is what’s been discovered so far.
Resident Evil Villageis out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
