The Resident Evil Village Mercenaries mode will combine fast-pace gunplay with the franchise’s classic survival horror roots. Today, IGN unveiled the first look at gameplay alongside early details of how the mode will work.
Mercenaries is a multiplayer mode that first appeared in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Like in other series releases, players can unlock it in Village by finishing the main story mode. From there, they’ll be able to jump into matches that focus on gunplay and wave-based combat. Each wave is set in a certain area – IGN’s preview focuses on the eponymous Village — with a quota of enemies to kill. Once this figure is met, players can proceed to the next area, or stay behind and kill more enemies to increase their score.
Similar to Call of Duty’s Zombies mode, rounds in Mercenaries get progressively more difficult as the game continues. At first, enemies are lumbering and weak. As the match continues, they can run, jump, and climb, while also appearing on rooftops. In addition, players can bolster their arsenal by purchasing goods from the Duke, including new guns, upgrades, and health packs.
As the gameplay shows, players have to kill 30 enemies in the Village area, within the time limit, to proceed. Each dead enemy drops an orb that extends the timer, allowing players to rummage around the map. However, there are also several types of orbs to find. Yellow orbs add 30 seconds to the timer, while blue orbs give players special abilities. These range from increased melee damage to bolstered armor, leaving players to decide which attribute best fits their play style.
Capcom has very secretively limited the preview to just the first Village section, shrouding the rest of the areas in mystery. The enemies present are scythe-wielding hooded figures — no doubt tied to the Village’s Lady Dimitrescu. So many other areas are present in the game, from a factory to a reservoir, meaning the variety of enemies is sure to challenge players.
Resident Evil Village launches May 7 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC. With the new demo available on all platforms for three days after the game’s release, there’s no reason not to give it a try.
