Everything New Coming To Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition
"Resident Evil," much like the zombies that inhabit the long-running series, just keeps coming back for more. More fun, more scares, and more ridiculous monster-blasting action. The most recent entry in the franchise, "Resident Evil Village," was a focused attempt at combining all of those elements into a game that felt like a mix between the B-movie excitement of "Resident Evil 4" and the bone-chilling terror of "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard." Judging from the reactions of both critics and gamers, "Village" was a rousing success. Still, the fans wanted more.
Beware of spoilers ahead for "Resident Evil Village."
Following the heartbreaking and ambiguous ending of "Resident Evil Village," players wanted to know what was next for Ethan Winters' family. Was Ethan really dead? Could his daughter Rose be the next monster hunter to lead the franchise? Can this really be the last we've seen of everybody's favorite tall vampire, Lady Dimitrescu? Now that Capcom has announced the impending release of "Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition," we know that some of these questions will finally be answered.
"Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition" will launch October 28, 2022, and will include a number of DLC and expansions on the base game. Some of these DLC additions will also be purchasable separately from "Gold Edition," in a package called "Winters' Expansion," as long as you have a copy of the base game. Here is all the new stuff that players can expect when "Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition" shambles onto the scene.
Shadows of Rose
Perhaps the most exciting element of "Winters' Expansion" is the new DLC chapter "Shadows of Rose." Set several years after the ending of "Resident Evil Village," Ethan's teenage daughter, Rose Winters, will enter into a whole other dimension of fear as she works to understand her Megamycete-produced powers. Players have gotten a few glimpses of the terrors she'll face in this world, including a villainous take on the Duke, who seemed to be a pretty jolly guy in the original "Village," all things considered.
Rose also appears to be faced with a dark doppleganger of herself, as well as a new take on the Molded creatures encountered by her father in "Resident Evil 7." It remains to be seen how this odyssey into the Megamycete's collective memories will help Rose to control her abilities, but it looks to be a creepy trip down memory lane for longtime fans of the franchise. Adding to that nostalgic feel is the fact that the DLC chapter will be played strictly from a third-person perspective, unlike the first-person "Biohazard" and "Village." And speaking of which...
Third-Person Mode
One of the weirdest things about the two most recent "Resident Evil" games is their insistence on never showing Ethan Winters' face. Not only are both games played from a first-person perspective, but mirrors are typically impossible to see into and every cutscene manages to place Ethan's face in a perfect conglomeration of shadows. This has led to a great deal of fan speculation, to the point where mods have been utilized to try to get a better look at the character model for Ethan.
Now, players will be able to see most of Ethan, thanks to the Third-Person Mode being added in "Winters' Expansion." The preview of Third-Person Mode still plays a bit stingy with showing Ethan's facial features, but the gameplay seems to be fully refreshed by the change in perspective. Now players can battle their way through Mother Miranda's forces in the over-the-shoulder style of beloved entries such as "Resident Evil 4" and the "Resident Evil 2" remake. This might be a good chance for players to get a feel for how the upcoming "Resident Evil 4" remake will handle.
The Mercenaries: Additional Orders
After a conspicuous absence from "Resident Evil 7," "The Mercenaries" made its triumphant return to the franchise in "Village." This mode, which pits players against wave after wave of enemies in timed encounters, has been a fairly consistent part of the franchise since "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis." And while fans were happy to see "The Mercenaries" making a comeback, there's always a way to up the ante, right?
"The Mercenaries: Additional Orders" does just that. Part of "Winters' Expansion," "Additional Orders" gives players three more characters to choose from while they bring the pain to the monsters of the titular village: Chris Redfield, Karl Heisenberg, and Lady Dimitrescu.
Chris has been a long-running hero in the series, so he is an exciting but expected choice. However, the other two present some unique possibilities for "Mercenaries" gameplay. Heisenberg possesses incredible strength and power over the forces of magnetism, so players can look forward to swinging his ludicrously giant hammer around the field of play. Meanwhile, Lady Dimitrescu, aside from towering over her enemies and wielding terrifying finger blades, has quickly become a fan favorite character in the franchise. Be prepared to see plenty of clips online of fans tearing through enemies as the village's most seductive villain.
Resident Evil Re:Verse
Separate from "Winters' Expansion" — but no less exciting — is the fact that players will finally get a chance to dive into "Resident Evil Re:Verse." This multiplayer title was originally advertised as launching alongside the base version of "Village," but numerous delays have since kept the game from seeing the light of day. The six-player PVP experience will allow gamers to take on the role of various characters from throughout "Resident Evil" history in a battle for survival.
Hopefully the developers have ironed out the kinks that were present during last year's open beta test. At the time, issues with matchmaking and overall gameplay resulted in horrible reactions from fans and Capcom making the difficult decision to postpone the title's release.
Players will have a chance to see the final product for themselves when "Re:Verse" drops the same day as "Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition": October 28. You don't have to pick up "Gold Edition" to play "Re:Verse" — you can always fire up the base game, which was released with the promise that "Re:Verse" would be included. However, with all the other cool stuff packed in, it's kind of hard to deny the urge to double dip with "Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition."