Review Roundup For Resident Evil Village

Capcom's Resident Evil Village released today, May 7, and reviews are live, shining a light on what critics think of the new horror game. As it turns out, most are very impressed.

A lot of the chatter surrounding Village has been around Lady Dimitrescu, who you may known as the "tall vampire lady," but what's the game actually like? Here at GameSpot, reviewer Phil Hornshaw said in his 9/10 Resident Evil Village review that the game succeeds in capturing the spirit of what made Resident Evil 7 so great and evolved it to "become its own unique creature."

To help you get an idea about if Village is worth your time and money, we're collecting a roundup of review excerpts from a variety of publications, which you can see below. Though, if you're playing Resident Evil Village, be sure to check out our guides roundup, which includes our spoiler-free walkthrough, essential beginner's tips, treasure guide, and more. Otherwise, read up on why you should start the game on hardcore difficulty.

• Game: Resident Evil Village
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia
• Developer: Capcom
• Release Date: May 7
• Price: $70

GameSpot -- 9/10

"Resident Evil 7 was an excellent return to the horror underpinnings of the franchise, but cunningly altered with new ideas and a new perspective. Similarly, Village is an intelligent reintroduction of the best action elements of Resident Evil. Though it captures some of the same things that made RE7 such a breath of fresh air (or maybe rancid, stale, mold-filled air, but in a good way), Village evolves to become its own unique creature. It makes you wonder what beautifully twisted fiend Resident Evil might mutate into in the future." -- Phil Hornshaw [Full review]

Stevivor -- 6.5/10

"It's ultimately held back by a sloppy storyline, two-dimensional characters and bizarre design choices. The relationship between it and the player is broken from the get-go, resulting in loss of trust that can sit in the back of your mind and haunt you through your entire playthrough." -- Luke Lawrie [Full review]

Press Start -- 9/10

"While Resident Evil Village channels the best bits of several Resident Evil games, it stands on its own to be something never done before in the franchise. A macabre potpourri of European, gothic inspired styles of tension and horror, Resident Evil Village is a worthy follow-up to Resident Evil 7: biohazard and one that any self-respecting horror fan shouldn't miss." -- James Berich [Full review]

Shacknews -- 9/10

"Resident Evil Village walks a line of fear and action that reminds of a certain road we've been down before, but it's one worth traveling nonetheless." -- TJ Denzer [Full review]

IGN -- 8/10

"Roaming the streets of Resident Evil Village is like visiting a disturbing and deadly Disneyland, where every attraction is a house of horrors. I got just as big a thrill out of revelling in its frenzied violence as I did retracing my steps through the gradually revealed recesses of its sizable village setting to uncover the darkest story secrets of its monstrous main cast. Boss fights are a bit of a letdown but the great variety of enemies throughout keeps things tense, especially on Hardcore mode. The fact that it's very much a throwback to the fast-paced action of Resident Evil 4 also means it largely takes a step back from the slow-burn scares of Resident Evil 7's excellent opening hours, which may well disappoint those who prefer more psychological dread to blowing off heads. But if you have an itch for action-heavy survival-horror, then Resident Evil Village will scratch it like a fistfull of Lady Dimitrescu’s freakish fingernails." -- Tristan Ogilvie [Full review]

PC Gamer -- 85/100

"Village can occasionally feel like half a dozen different horror games jammed together. But the strength and variety of its ideas, the quality of the art direction, and its darkly evocative atmosphere more than make up for it. It's a bold and experimental horror game, but also one that leans into the series' past glories--particularly Resident Evil 4. There's a lot of Mikami's 2005 reinvention here, from the enigmatic merchant and weapon upgrades, to the rural setting and corrupted villagers. But ultimately, Village is its own game with its own identity, and the elements it borrows from earlier sequels never define it. This is a quality horror game in its own right, and proof Resident Evil still has the power to thrill, surprise, and scare 25 years on." -- Andy Kelly [Full review]

VentureBeat -- 4/5

Resident Evil: Village is going to make fans of the franchise happy, especially those who aren’t cowards like me. But even if you also find yourself shying away from horror, I’d encourage you to screw your courage to the sticking place and consider a look at Capcom’s latest survival horror stunner." -- Mike Minotti [Full review]

For more on Resident Evil Village, check out our Resident Evil Village walkthrough, beginner's guide, and a guide on finding those treasure chests on the map.