In case you somehow haven’t already heard, Resident Evil 8 is officially happening.
Capcom’s long-rumored sequel made its debut yesterday as part of Sony’s pre-recorded PlayStation 5 showcase, confirming a ton of leaks in the process. Ethan Winters, the unwitting hero of 2017’s Resident Evil 7, will indeed find himself embroiled in another nightmare in next year’s installment, which will also star fan favourite Chris Redfield, though not as you know him. The only brief glimpse we caught of the former S.T.A.R.S. member depicted him killing what appears to be an unarmed civilian in cold blood in front of Ethan, though we believe it likely that the situation is far more complex than the trailer is letting on.
We’ll no doubt be privy to more story teasers in August when Capcom previews more of the series’ eighth mainline entry, but the developer doesn’t expect you to go empty-handed until then. Several screenshots of the game have since been released over on the company’s Unity blog that shows some of the quite literally chilling locations you’ll be visiting as Ethan (and likely multiple other playable characters) upon release.
Nothing too spoilery here, then, though one image of particular interest shows a close-up shot of what looks like a plinth adorned with the Umbrella logo.
At this point in the series’ continuity, of course, the pharmaceutical company has long since been dissolved by the US government, with its presence here perhaps suggesting that some remnants of the organization exist in secret. Another image depicting one of Resident Evil 8‘s grotesque creatures is undoubtedly the werewolf-type monster referenced in leaks, though if you ask me, it looks eerily similar to that of Resident Evil 4‘s El Gigante enemy, just with added hair. Implications of a connection to the Las Plagas parasite, maybe? We’ll have to wait and see.
Resident Evil 8 is scheduled to release in 2021 for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC.
