Oftentimes Resident Evil games are very iterative between each entry, to varying degrees, but they're all unique enough to be distinct from one another. From Resident Evil, all the way to Resident Evil: Code Veronica, the series was continuing to build off of its established formula with a burgeoning and complex story. Then, in Resident Evil 4, the franchise took a more action-aligned approach that would inspire the next few entries. Resident Evil Village is in the unique position of fulfilling both sides of that coin: It's both very similar to its formative predecessor in Resident Evil 7, while also aligning itself both narratively and gameplay-wise with Resident Evil 4.

Putting aside all of the immediately identifiable differences, like werewolves/lycans and vampires, the unique characters, or gameplay differences, both games genuinely have a lot in common. Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village follow a similar scope and scenario with each game's main conflict and protagonist, evidently with many similar limiting factors and obstacles to presumably overcome. Gameplay mechanics run alongside one another, despite a significant amount of differences between both gameplay experiences. That's not to say Resident Evil Village couldn't be wholly different, but everything shown and played thus far suggests they're not so different.

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Narratively speaking, on a macrocosmic level, both Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village have almost identical story composition. The protagonist ends up in a remote village, the exact location of which is relatively unknown, in search of a missing daughter. Players end up biting off more than they can chew, at least in terms of the narrative context, and are forced to explore a mystifying, larger-than-life castle against an ever-evolving threat. The protagonist eventually faces off against a big bad, they realize that someone even bigger is orchestrating the player's conflict behind the curtain, all the while dealing with a former ally who is not to be trusted.

If this sounds familiar, then it's because players have gone through and beaten Resident Evil 4. Overarching beats between both Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4, or at least the general narrative structure, are basically two sides of the same coin.

Lady Dimitrescu is Village's version of Chief Mendez from Resident Evil 4, or even more ironically Saddler, just based on what's been shown of Dimitrescu's role in the story. The mysterious "Mother Miranda" is clearly the chief behind the whole operation in Resident Evil Village, as everyone seems to refer to her as some kind of grand protector. Even Chris Redfield, who's role in Resident Evil Village is certainly ambiguous, seems to be acting in the same manner that Ada Wong did in Resident Evil 4. Obviously the specific details in between are what make both games vastly different, but the overall narrative framework of Village is seemingly similar.

There are some pretty obvious nods to Resident Evil 4, gameplay-wise, in Resident Evil Village as well. Putting aside the most overt inspirations like the attache case-style inventory or the shopkeeper, the gameplay formula itself seems to follow the same progression as well. Players start in a relatively open-ended and remote village with branching pathways, and it's up to them to decide where to go next. As players clear buildings, traverse new terrain, and take down strong and unusual enemies, they eventually reach the castle named after Lady Dimitrescu. The stakes continue to raise as they're introduced to Alcina and her sisters, among other villains like Heisenberg.

As for what's beyond that, Resident Evil Village is almost certainly saving the rest for the full game, which could go any number of ways like in Resident Evil 4. Players already know about the three castles, or at least three families, that they'll encounter throughout Resident Evil Village: Dimitrecu, Heisenberg, and Beneviento. Whether that's the extent of the game's scope, or players will travel to another locale like the military island in Resident Evil 4, it's hard to tell right now. However, based on the clear inspirations of Resident Evil 4, as well as the precedent set by Resident Evil 7 (and, tangentially, every game prior), there will almost certainly be one more region.

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This is not to say Resident Evil Village is undoubtedly going to play out like Resident Evil 4 did. In fact, it could and likely will be quite the opposite. The general structure and setup of the game's narrative and gameplay experience have been clearly inspired by what Resident Evil 4 did previously, but melded into the new Resident Evil 7 format. The environments, the enemies, the atmosphere, all of these pivotal parts of a Resident Evil game are comparatively very different between Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4. That being said, there's been a clear influence on the general framework of Resident Evil Village, despite its own unique merits.

Even the developers behind Resident Evil Village have not shied away from comparisons to Resident Evil 4. Capcom producer Pete Fabiano explicitly stated that Resident Evil Village "took a lot of inspiration from Resident Evil 4," at least in relation to continuing Ethan Winters' story from Resident Evil 7. Fabiano also mentions that "players will find a balance of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving" throughout Resident Evil Village. Pair that with the Resident Evil Village demos and trailers shown thus far, and it's clear Resident Evil 4 has at least been formative in subtle and overarching ways. Resident Evil Village is still very much its own game, just familiar.

Resident Evil Village releases on May 7, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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