Those that intend to start the series with the release of Resident Evil Village may be wondering if they have to play Resident Evil 7 first. Some who are entirely unfamiliar with the franchise may think they need to play every game before taking on the latest one. That’s not the case, but we’ll give our rundown on whether gamers must play Resident Evil 7 before RE Village or not.
Do I have to play RE7 before RE Village?
Since Resident Evil Village is a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7, playing RE7 first would be a good idea. However, the rest of the series is optional for those that just want to focus on RE Village for now. The Resident Evil series has been all over the place in the 25 years since its creation. Each (canon) game is set in the same universe, but the cast of protagonists and antagonists has grown to the point where the first Resident Evil has only a few things in common with RE Village.
Ethan Winters, the player character in Resident Evil Village, started his story in Resident Evil 7. RE Village will pick up a few years after the previous game and detail what happened to Ethan and Mia after the incident in Dulvey Parish, Louisiana.
However, if, for some reason, a player can’t find the time to play Resident Evil 7, there will likely be a refresher included in the new game in the form of a file or bonus video. However, as our review states, RE7 is an excellent game, and the cramped confines of the Baker house will make a great warm-up for Ethan’s journey into the madness that awaits him in the Village and Lady Dimitrescu’s castle.
Those planning to play RE7 first don’t have long to do so. Resident Evil Village releases on May 7 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia.
