HomeReviewsResident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion Review

Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion Review

Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox Series X (Reviewed), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

As the credits rolled on Resident Evil Village it always seemed like there was more to the Winters family’s journey and that Capcom would simply bring out some DLC to bring their story to a close. Well, after more than a year wondering just what that DLC would entail the company revealed that not only would it continue to follow the Winters family but would also add in a bit of extra content to the base game in the form of a third person camera and some powerful new characters in the Mercenaries mode. So, now that Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion has arrived, was it worth the wait?

Story

Now it is worth noting that the main focus of this expansion happens to be the Shadows of Rose storyline, meaning that those who have yet to play the original Resident Evil Village until completion will want to do so before playing it or continuing to read further as this expansion takes place explicitly after the events of the base game. 

That being said, Shadows of Rose begins many years after the events of the game where players learn that while Rose has managed to grow up, it wasn’t without hardship as her special powers have been more of a curse than a blessing. As such, when she learns that there may potentially be a way to completely cure herself of these abilities Rose is ready to take the risk even if it means having to delve into the consciousness of what might be the last surviving piece of the Megamycete. The very same piece responsible for her own abilities, her family’s hardships, and the vessel for every memory of those that have come in contact with it. Despite the unknown dangers that may await, Rose accepts the challenge only to find that the mindscape of the Megamycete is more twisted than anything she could have expected.

Initially dealing with a familiar face turned foe before facing down a harrowing encounter with an old enemy and more, Shadows of Rose brings the player through three levels of consciousness all of which take place in hauntingly familiar but twisted locations from the base game. Rose’s journey through these areas is a fairly interesting one with numerous reveals about her past as she struggled to grow up with her powers and interactions with the manifestations within the Megamycete. 

It is a bit unfortunate however that not only does Rose’s journey feel a bit on the short side clocking in at a little under three hours with there easily being plenty of untapped potential from her past and other areas from the core game but her powers are also fairly uninspired for most of the playthrough. While players do learn more about Rose’s abilities as the story unfolds, they are kept mostly tame until the finale which feels like a missed opportunity despite the fact that the ending does feel emotionally satisfying and fills in some gaps from what players have already learned.

Gameplay

The most notable difference in Shadows of Rose is that it can only be played with the third person camera angle that has been introduced in this expansion. Not only does this allow players to get a small taste of the camera angle outside of the original story mode but also allows for some of the new gameplay mechanics to come into play. Now Rose will obtain the usual rundown of weapons including a pistol, shotgun, and pipe bombs to take down the enemies that she encounters within the Megamycete but she will also be able to use her powers for a variety of things. Initially Rose will use her abilities to eliminate sources of corruption blocking her path but can eventually use them to stun enemies, freezing them in place. Frozen enemies will begin to move after a short time but players can use this advantage to either escape or put down a creature should they wish. This same ability can be used to immediately throw an enemy off of Rose should they grab a hold of her but players will need to be careful, any offensive use of Rose’s abilities will drain her until she can recover using a new recovery item.

Besides shooting and dodging a new type of enemy that will appear vaguely familiar to fans of the latest games, players will also need to solve a few small puzzles throughout their time in Shadows of Rose though these are fairly simple as well as take part in a number of stealth sections. These stealth sections actually work incredibly well here and serve as some of the best source of scares that players can experience, especially with how certain sequences play out. Alas, as mentioned before, the Shadows of Rose mode is fairly short and will leave players wanting more especially since, outside of the final battle, the last area is incredibly simplistic.

Outside of the Shadows of Rose mode players will also be able to experience the third person camera through the main campaign. This camera angle does spice things up a bit for those looking to see the world of Resident Evil Village in a new light, especially since the camera angle does wonders for some boss encounters. That being said, while the camera angle can be changed on the fly through the options, having it shift between third and first person view whenever a cutscene plays out is a bit of an odd feeling.

Finally the third major addition in the Winters’ Expansion comes with the improved Mercenaries mode. Players will find that Mercenaries will now automatically have Chris Redfield unlocked for use on all stages with Chris playing as a physical powerhouse that can utilize powerful punches and far stronger orbital lasers to take down the hordes of enemies that attack in a far more aggressive manner than in the base mode. In a rather odd decision, especially since they are part of paid DLC, both Heisenberg and Lady Dimitriscu are actually locked away from players unless they have already accomplished certain goals. 

Heisenberg can only be unlocked once players beat all stages with at least an A rating and while this may not be too difficult, it is a strange obstacle to put in the way of a DLC character. Once unlocked Heisenberg serves as an even stronger powerhouse capable of meleeing foes using his makeshift hammer, using metal as projectiles, and even summoning a lycan to fight by his side. In similar fashion, Lady Dimitriscu can only be unlocked once players get an S rating on the newly added Blood River stage which is a rather odd requirement especially since she is by far the most enjoyable of the three as her powerful claws, ability to summon her daughters, and more make her a force to be reckoned with. All three of these characters certainly help spice up what was a lackluster mode though the strange way that the two best characters remain locked behind challenges is strange especially since the core aspects of the Mercenaries mode remain the same as before.

Visuals & Audio

As mentioned before, players will be playing through the Shadows of Rose mode entirely in third person which provides a great sampling of what the angle can offer throughout the main campaign. The areas in Shadows of Rose are a scary twist of familiar areas corrupted by the Megamycete with the first two areas really standing out as a great use of assets, even if they simply are reused areas. It is worth noting that the new enemy types are a bit on the bland looking side and while their attack animations and Rose’s death animations are handled well, the way each enemy dies the exact same way is rather noticeable.

As for the soundtrack the title makes great use of the familiar music as well as some new tracks used as subtle background noise while the English voice cast have handled their characters well, especially with the Mercenaries mode allowing players to hear a bit more of two fan favorite characters as they tear through enemies.

Overall

With Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion bringing a number of enhancements to the table, players will find that it is mostly a great addition to an already amazing game. The Shadows of Rose mode offers an emotional and occasionally scary story with new gameplay elements that ends a bit too soon for its own good while the third person camera gives the main game some extra flair for those looking to dive back into it. As for Mercenaries mode, the new characters are a blast to play especially since enemies are more aggressive; though locking most of them behind challenges is a strange move.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Summary

Great
8
The additions found within Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion tell a satisfying, albeit short, new story while also spicing up Mercenaries mode and giving the core game a fresh look.
Travis Bruno
Travis Bruno
After playing games since a young age and getting into anime a bit later on its been time to write about a little bit of everything.
The additions found within <i>Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion </i>tell a satisfying, albeit short, new story while also spicing up Mercenaries mode and giving the core game a fresh look.Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion Review