Ever since it was first revealed, Resident Evil Village seemed like a spiritual successor to the iconic Resident Evil 4. While other Resident Evil games have tried to capture that essence, it's Resident Evil Village that comes the closest in recapturing what made Resident Evil 4 so iconic in the first place.
Although a direct sequel to 2017's Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village has the heart and soul of Resident Evil 4, something that it acknowledges time after time. As such, it's no surprise that there are plenty of callbacks to Resident Evil 4 in Resident Evil Village. Here's all of them.
The Lycans Ambush
At the start of Resident Evil Village, Ethan gets entangled in an ambush by hordes of Lycans and their leader Urias. All players can do at this moment is hold back in many of the village's houses until the Lycans retreat. This is parallel to the opening of Resident Evil 4 where Leon is ambushed by the villagers infected by the Plaga parasite. In both cases, players have to hold out until a set amount of time has passed.
The Villagers
Soon after encountering the Lycans, Ethan meets up with the remaining villagers at Luiza's house. It's immediately noticeable that the attires of most of these villagers, including that of Leonardo and Elena, are highly reminiscent of that of the villagers found in Resident Evil 4. While such similarity is also possible because both games take place in Europe, it's no doubt that this would remind players of the creepy villagers of Resident Evil 4.
The Typewriter
Typewriters have been used as save points in all of the early Resident Evil games. Unfortunately, they were discontinued after Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 7 did bring back the feature, though instead it used cassette tapes. However, Resident Evil Village went all the way back to Resident Evil 4 and brought back the much-beloved Typewriter as save points, for which the game also provides the context.
The Dimitrescue Castle
Resident Evil Village's breakout star Lady Dimitrescu, and her three daughters, are blood-thirsty vampires. Despite being a series' first, though they also have much in common with Resident Evil 4. Both the games feature a Gothic Castle having a ruler with a conspicuous height. Lady Dimitrescu is gigantic at seven feet tall, whereas Ramon Salazar is totally the opposite.
The Duke
The Duke isn't just the most mysterious character in Resident Evil Village, he's also the most prominent one. He's also the only friendly face Ethan encounters throughout the game, that not just provides him with the upgrades and materials, but also pushes the narrative forward with exposition dump at every story junction.
The Duke's presence in Resident Evil Village is a callback to Resident Evil 4's Merchant inherently. However, the game takes it a bit further by letting him reiterate the iconic quote, "What're ya buyin'?" The Duke even goes on to acknowledge that this was something his "old friend" used to say, further solidifying his connections to the good old Merchant.
The Iron Insignia Key
In Dimitrescu's castle, players will come across an Iron Insignia Key, which is the handiest key of them all in Resident Evil Village. The Iron Insignia Key unlocks the most prominently locked door in the game, and Resident Evil 4 fans may experience a déjà vu the first time they see it. That's because there is an Insignia Key in Resident Evil 4 as well.
The Boat and the Fish Monster
In the second half of Resident Evil Village, Ethan ventures into Moreau's territory via a boat. It's soon evident that a giant fish monster is lurking in the lake, something that veteran Resident Evil fans would immediately notice the similarities with Resident Evil 4's Del Lago. In Resident Evil 4, Leon encounters the grotesque fish-like monster, Del Lago, while crossing the lake. While both battles play out differently, the similarities are indeed noteworthy.
Resident Evil Village is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
