Summary
Resident Evil 7marked another bold shift in the franchise with itsTexas Chain Saw Massacre-inspired atmosphere and horror at its center once again, butResident Evil Villagearguably blew it out of the Louisiana bog regarding expectations being upended.Resident Evil Villagepivoted abruptly and successfully into fantasy horror by relocating to a European village overrun by lycans and vampires—far fromResident Evil’s humble roots at an Umbrella laboratory beneath the Spencer mansion. Plus, whileResident Evil’s always given rise to star characters,Villageexceeded that quota.
Protagonist Ethan Winters still wasn’t a largely beloved newcomer compared to the likes of deuteragonist Chris Redfield, but even he was he never would have stood a chance of maintaining the limelight if it wasn’t for a truly emotional third act that twisted the knife and created an outstanding resolution for him. Otherwise, the four key villains players tackle inVillagebefore Ethan is abruptly confronted by Mother Miranda take that cake. However, whileDonna Beneviento, Salvatore Moreau, and Karl Heisenbergall have their quirks, it’sLady Alcina Dimitrescuwho stole the whole show.
Lady Dimitrescu was a huge part ofVillage’s marketingeven though she only turned out to be the boss at the end of the first region, Castle Dimitrescu. To say she was undercut would be an understatement, not only because of how players would eventually respond to her as an immediately iconic and fascinating character but also how little of the game she actually appears in.
The marketing alone made it seem like the giantess would have a much larger role than she did, and for many who adored her that would’ve surely cut the wind out ofVillage’s sails for the duration of the game that remained afterward. To be fair, it may have been a bit much to have Lady Dimitrescu in the entire game, and only relegating her to one region meant that section could be action-packed with memorable sequences of her.
It was alsolargely explorable inVillage’s early demo, which didn’t help the fact that most players would’ve already seen quite a bit of it by the time they reached the castle at launch. Either way, Lady Dimitrescu and her three daughters are phenomenal villains and deserve the attention they garnered.
Resident Evil Village’s Lady Dimitrescu Teaches a Lesson Resident Evil 9 Can’t Squander
If Capcom’s learned anything from Lady Dimitrescu, it should be that an antagonist with a ton of star power should be allowed to thrive throughout the game they appear in and not simply punctuate it for marketing purposes. Perhaps Capcom truly didn’t comprehend how much Lady Dimitrescu would be appreciated, but making herVillage’s centerpiece seems to suggest otherwise.
It’ll be difficult forResident Evil 9to succeed any ofVillage’s villains, let alone Lady Dimitrescu, but if it has a prominent and unique character on its hands it needs to put all of its eggs in that basket. Mainline installments have the challenge of crafting brand-new antagonists to progress the series, especially since bringing back old, established villains may feel like an inauthentic regurgitation at this point.
Lady Dimitrescu was unfortunately a rare antagonist who was emboldened by impassioned acting and a terrific design, even when she mutates into a terrifying white dragon monstrosity, and recapturing what made her special inResident Evil’s catalog of peculiar bossescould be an impossible task moving forward.
Indeed, above all else,Resident Evilmust find a way to eclipse Lady Dimitrescu with whomever it introduces inResident Evil 9to not make that same mistake or fail to seize an opportunity it lobbed up to itself. Reviving Albert Wesker would certainly be one way to achieve that, though doing so carelessly and indifferently to the lore or story would be egregious.
Resident Evil Village
WHERE TO PLAY
Ethan Winters finds himself in an entirely new nightmare in Capcom’s latest installment of the acclaimed Resident Evil franchise. Whether you’re defending against Lycans in the grim dwellings of the village or exploring the lavish Castle Dimitrescu, the meticulously designed environments immerse you in this eerie world, powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine. Run from, hide or face off against a diverse cast of terrifying village inhabitants in dream-like - no, nightmarish - situations and fight your instincts to push through classic horror-based sequences. Also, be sure to check out “The Mercenaries” that unlocks once you’ve finished the campaign, a fast-paced and arcade-like game mode which challenges players to blast away enemies against the clock.
