FIRST PLAY RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC

Village of the damned impressive

Creepy mansions, claustrophobic corridors, a cramped train carriage – quite often it’s the oppressive setting that really gives Resident Evil its fear factor. But while the new instalment switches things up by giving you a village to explore in daylight, it still knows it’s at its best when you’re kept in the dark.

Exploration in Resident Evil Village still requires finding the right keys or tools to access different areas. The returning first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7 (as well as its protagonist Ethan Winters, this time on the search for his newborn daughter) immerses you in fear, not knowing what’s around the corner as you’re lured into dark spaces while the eerie audio design has you nervously on guard.

New threats include Lycans, a zombie/werewolf hybrid capable of clambering around environments at a dangerous pace. Fortunately, Ethan feels well equipped to fight – and if you defeat them they’ll even drop money, which can be spent in random pop-up shops set up by an oddball merchant calling himself The Duke, one of many callbacks to Resident Evil 4.

But the horror elements have not been diluted, especially as you find yourself pursued by some frighteningly invincible foes – including vampire giantess Lady Dimitrescu. Most terrifying are her three daughters, who can’t wait to feast on Ethan’s fresh man-blood.

Oh, and they can transform into a swarm of insects, flitting in and out of form and making a mockery of your bullets. If that whets your appetite, look out for the full review next issue.