The revitalization of theResident Evilfranchise has played a large part in Capcom’s recent rise to record success. WithResident Evil Villagehaving continued the legacy of its trademark RE Engine, the latest entry in the classic horror series remains prolific in the modern landscape of the genre.Resident Evil Villagefeatures the same intimate, first-person perspective of a character-driven narrative while staying true to the design of the very first games.
The focus on its now iconic characters has been a major component ofResident Evil Village’s continued success, as Capcom focused on bringing an almost entirely new cast to the forefront of protagonist Ethan Winters’ struggles. Between all ofVillage’s cast, however, some have become legendary while others have fallen a bit to the wayside.
RELATED:Resident Evil Has Made a New Trend Out of One Tense Gameplay Encounter
S Tier
Lady Dimitrescu -The undisputed face ofResident Evil Village,Alcina Dimitrescuhas risen far above her original purpose as a simple minor antagonist. Despite only appearing in the first part of the game, the vampiric giantess has cemented herself into pop culture.
Chris Redfield -A direct tie to the originalResident Evil, Chris Redfield has had the most development of any character in the entire series. In his most hardened, veteran form yet, Chris is a complicated and fascinating version of himself this time around.
A Tier
Miranda -The true final antagonist ofVillage,Mother Miranda’s design is both haunting and beautiful all at once. Her appearance in the original release of the game was a bit sparse, but her second encounter in theShadows of RoseDLC gave her some much-need extra screen time.
Rose Winters -The daughter ofResident Evil 7andVillageprotagonist Ethan Winters, Rose finally got the chance to come into the spotlight with her own story in Shadows of Rose. With her complicated existence and mysterious powers courtesy of the Mutamycete mold, she manages to be more interesting than her faceless father.
The Duke -A grotesque and arrogant answer toResident Evil 4’s merchant,The Dukehas become an icon ofResident Evil Villagethrough the unsettling feeling he elicits. With his cruel nature expanded upon in Shadows of Rose, he’s even more memorable than some of his supposed superiors.
B Tier
Donna Beneviento -An experimental form of horror for the franchise, Donna Beneviento uses her doll Angie to terrorize players on a psychological level. Her section of the game features the now iconicGiant Baby ofResident Evil Village, but her true human self is too mysterious to fully understand.
Mia Winters -Having recovered from her previous horrors, Mia is not nearly as striking as in her initialResident Evil 7appearance. While her character development and subversive plotline inVillagestill make her story fascinating, Mia has a much more low-key presence this time around.
Ethan Winters -The protagonist ofVillagereturning from the horrors ofResident Evil 7, Ethan Winters is a much more interesting and fleshed-out character compared to his initial iteration. While he is more developed this time around, he also remains faceless in a sometimes jarring fashion given the intimate nature of the storyline.
Karl Heisenberg -While he may have seemed to be a bigger part of the plot initially, Karl Heisenberg ends up disappointing in terms of impact. Offering a voice of dissent against his leader Miranda, Heisenberg’s potential face turn could have been more exciting than his boss encounter which focused on action over horror.
C Tier
The Dimitrescu Sisters -Early antagonists and the adopted daughters of Lady Dimitrescu, these three sisters offer an exciting start to the horrors ofVillage. With the ability to transform into swarms of flies, the sisters ease into the game’s tonal departure from the traditional tropes of the series.
Salvatore Moreau -Despite the interesting water-themed East Old Town level associated with him,Salvatore Moreauultimately flops as an engaging villain. A subservient minion to his master, Moreau’s simple characterization matches his cool, but admittedly short encounter as a fish monster.
Resident Evil Villageis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
