Setting has always been a critical part of building atmosphere in the Resident Evil franchise. Though many of the games have isolated players inside claustrophobic places, Resident Evil Village chooses a more open form of atmospheric horror. Players will spend plenty of time indoors, but the titular village feels more open to exploration than previous settings.
The ramshackle homes and farms are filled with secrets and treasures for Ethan to use. The surrounding mountains also hold history that isn't front and center in the game's storytelling. The village looks like a sleepy religious community tucked away in nondescript snowcapped mountains, but there's more to it than meets the eye.
10 The Village Is Probably Located In Romania
Romania has long-standing associations with vampiric legend. This is partly thanks to Bram Stoker's classic Dracula, but legends surrounding Vlad the Impaler and his brutal keep in Transylvania made the region ripe for vampire myths. Capcom clearly drew inspiration from classic vampire lore with the blood-drinking Lady Dimitrescu and her castle.
To add to the theory, the in-game currency Ethan uses is called "lei", which is the plural variation of the Romanian currency leu. Finally, the setting's snowy mountain range could possibly be in Romania. The country is home to the Carpathian Mountains, which just so happen to be the setting of Dracula's castle in the now-famous novel.
9 The Sheer Isolation Of The Village
Though both the players and Ethan himself recognize that they're in the middle of nowhere, some details show how isolated the village really is. Villagers mention not knowing anything that goes on outside the mountain community, and some villagers even try to sneak foreign newspapers in. Mother Miranda keeps a strong grip on the villagers in an attempt to keep them controlled.
The village is so obscure that no one knew where it was until Miranda got involved with the outside world. Despite the village being home to "The Mold", Chris Redfield never knew about it until Miranda began working with The Connections. The village was the perfect place for Miranda to conduct experiments with the Mold, due to its isolation and multitude of test subjects that were already devoted to her.
8 How The Village Inspired Ozwell E. Spencer
Near the end of Resident Evil Village, players take control of Chris Redfield and discover Miranda's personal laboratory, where they find grotesque drawings and diagrams. There are also some important files tucked away on a corner desk, including some old pictures of a man in cold-weather climbing gear. It turns out this young, happy-looking climber was the infamous Ozwell E. Spencer, the creator of Umbrella.
Spencer visited the village as a youth and got stuck in the cold mountains after sustaining injuries. Mother Miranda eventually saved him, and the two discovered a shared interest in virology and immortality. Once she felt comfortable, Miranda showed Spencer her labs and the caves holding the Mold. Along these caves were drawings of the Megamycete, the core of the mold. Remembering these drawings years later, Spencer modeled his company's logo after the shape of this drawing.
7 The Village's Roots May Be Norse
The Viking Age took place over several hundred years, starting in the early 790s and ending in 1066 A.D. Over these centuries, Scandinavian warriors invaded the countries around them and colonized much of Europe and even parts of North America.
Some treasures in Resident Evil Village show that the village may be as old as the Vikings. One treasure seems to confirm the Vikings' presence in the village at one point. Players can find a steel eagle statue called the Steel Hræsvelgr, which they can sell for a high price to the Duke. The description states that the statue's image is based on the legendary Norse eagle.
6 The History Of The Labyrinth Puzzles
Through the game, players will discover intricate recreations of the areas around them. These small models act as puzzles where players must direct a ball through the model, avoiding obstacles along the way until the ball reaches the hole. Once complete, the puzzles open and reveal crystallized remains. Players can sell these to the Duke.
It turns out that a runaway craftsman named Norshteyn designed these puzzles. Norshteyn was branded a heretic in his homeland and sought refuge in the village, where Miranda was happy to welcome another test subject. Norshteyn then designed the four labyrinth puzzles before ending his own life. Each puzzle is home to one of Norshteyn's four wives. His reasons for making the labyrinths or taking his own life is unknown.
5 The Source Of All The Graves
As they explore the village, players will discover an area called the Graveyard. This isn't unusual for either a regular village or a Resident Evil game. As players explore the village, though, they won't stop finding tombstones and graves.
Players eventually find out that Miranda lost her only child to the Spanish Flu. The deadly virus swept through the village and killed many people. The graveyards were overtaxed with bodies and eventually, graves had to be dug all around the village. Players will find these tombs all across the village, even near Donna Beneviento's house on the outskirts.
4 Wesker's Possible Presence
Longtime fans of Resident Evil grow attached to old characters. While Village won over a lot of people by bringing fan-favorite Chris Redfield back, many fans wanted hints at another more sinister character. Though Albert Wesker died during Resident Evil 5, many fans want to believe he'll return. Others just want to know more about the enigmatic villain.
Players can find a diary in the village hinting at Wesker's possible presence there at one point. The diary's writer refers to a strange man that showed up and has been staying in the village. The villager wonders if this strange man has anything to do with the symbols found in the caves across town. Though this file is probably talking about Ozwell E. Spencer, many fans want to believe that it's talking about Albert Wesker, and possibly explains where Wesker met Jake Muller's mother.
3 The Mold's Age & History
Resident Evil has traditionally revolved around manufactured viruses and biological threats. The fourth installment introduced the idea of a naturally existing parasite that was fossilized and later rediscovered, leading to the events of the game. Resident Evil Village plays off this idea, with the village acting as the host to an ancient underground organism.
The Mold is seemingly as old as the area around it, and is abundant underneath the village. It seems to be a natural, albeit macabre, part of the environment. Miranda eventually abuses the Mold's power to weaponize it. Beforehand, though, it seems that the villagers lived alongside the Mold, either unaware of it or unaffected by it.
2 Miranda's Total Control Over The Village
The village was already isolated before Miranda's rise to power. Many didn't even know of its existence. Mother Miranda used this to her advantage. She created a cult with herself as the holy matriarch, and influenced the villagers to believe that outsiders were dangerous and she would protect her people.
Miranda used the guise as a powerful holy figure to gain the trust of the villagers. Using her control over the Mold and the influence it had on infected villagers, she created a new religion. With these pieces in place, she began experimenting on villagers while they actively worshipped her.
1 The Infection Of The Villagers
When Ethan stumbles into the village, nearly all the people have become lycans. However, the Mold doesn't cause this transformation directly. Nearly all of the villagers are infected with the Mold before Ethan arrives, and most never knew they were infected. The infection on its own doesn't seem to kill or transform villagers. It cures their ailments and makes them susceptible to control, but they retain their humanity.
Miranda's invention of the cadou is what really began the lycan infestation. This parasitic organism works in Mold-infected individuals, and has a chance to give them special powers via the infection. Unfortunately, very few hosts accept the cadou, and most become vicious lycans. These animalistic, werewolf-like monsters eventually outnumber the humans, leading to the village's total destruction.