Resident Evil Village first launched back in May 2021, but Capcom isn't done with supporting this Gothic adventure.
Over a year after announcing DLC was on its way, we're finally getting Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion, which adds new modes and ways to play through the game, while also expanding some existing features and even a piece of new story content.
What is Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion?
The Winters' Expansion for Resident Evil Village is an expansion pack that includes three distinct pieces of DLC. They're bundled into the expansion pack and are not available for purchase separately, so you can't just buy one — you'll have to get them all. Winters' Expansion is $20 and includes the following:
- Third-person mode for Resident Evil Village
- The Mercenaries Additional Orders
- Shadows of Rose
If you haven't bought Resident Evil Village yet, the Winters' Expansion is also bundled into Resident Evil Village Gold Edition, providing one of the best horror games and its DLC all in one neat package. Resident Evil Village Gold Edition is $50, and also bundles in the Trauma Pack DLC for the game that's currently available.
In case you haven't played Resident Evil Village yet, it's absolutely worth picking up. In our review of the base game, we noted that "Stunning visuals, truly bizarre creatures, a memorable parade of eccentric characters, and truly satisfying gameplay make Resident Evil Village soar, even if a few quirks in the plot delivery deflate the spectacle."
Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion — Mercenaries Additional Orders
Winters' Expansion includes The Mercenaries Additional Orders DLC, which revamps the Mercenaries experience with new playable characters and new maps, with additions to the latter consisting of the Bloody River and Bloody Village Stages.
The first character added is longtime Resident Evil hero and huge boulder-puncher, Chris Redfield. Chris gets powerful weapons and increased strength, using his Target Locator to blast away groups of foes while also building up his Onslaught Gauge. When this gauge is full, his movement speed, reload speed, and attack damage all shoot up, making him even deadlier.
The second new character is the smug Heisenberg, the metal-manipulating lord. With his massive hammer, he can charge electricity for powerful shockwaves or activate a Magnetic Field and toss enemies around. He can also summon a Soldat Jet for assistance on the battlefield, though they'll self-destruct if they run into a sturdy wall.
Finally, the third new character is the towering vampire that broke the internet, Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. She slashes and claws her way through enemies with her talons and the Lady's Lipstick item. As she slaughters, she'll build up her Thrill Gauge, which increases her damage and movement speed while unlocking new moves. When the gauge is full, she can summon one of her three daughters — Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela — to the battlefield.
Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion — Shadows of Rose
Shadows of Rose is a new story DLC for Resident Evil Village. Taking place 16 years after the events of the main game, Ethan's daughter Rose works to understand her strange powers and enters the Megamycete consciousness. Notably, while the main game first released as a first-person experience, this DLC can only be played in third-person mode.
Anyone that preorders Winters' Expansion or Resident Evil Village Gold Edition will get access to the Street Wolf Outfit for Rose Winters. This outfit includes the emblem of Chris Redfield's Houndwolf squad on the back of the jacket, providing a neat alternate look for Rose.
Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion — Third-person mode
The final piece of DLC coming to Resident Evil Village with the Winters' Expansion pack is third-person mode. While many Resident Evil games such as Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and the upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake are all third-person titles, a first-person viewpoint was introduced to the series in 2017 with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Resident Evil Village, which is a direct sequel to 7, also features a first-person view. With this DLC, players will now be able to go through Resident Evil Village in third-person.
Despite this simple viewpoint change, the gameplay will feel very different, as almost all of the cutscenes in Resident Evil Village also take place from a first-person perspective. If you've already played through the game, this is a great way to make everything feel fresh again.
Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion — Re:Verse
Resident Evil Re:Verse, a multiplayer title, was included as a bonus for anyone that purchased Resident Evil Village. Like many other games over the past couple of years, Resident Evil Re:Verse ended up being heavily delayed. It's now launching at the same time as the Winters' Expansion and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.
Anybody who already purchased Resident Evil Village will get access to Resident Evil Re:Verse, so it's not required that you purchase the Winters' Expansion to get it. If, however, you have not yet purchased Resident Evil Village, then Resident Evil Re:Verse will be included with the purchase of Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.
Resident Evil Village: Winters' Expansion — Release date
Winters' Expansion is slated to arrive on Oct. 28, 2022 alongside Resident Evil Village Gold Edition. This is almost a year and a half after the base game first launched. Both the Winters' Expansion and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition are currently available for preorder. Resident Evil Re:Verse will also go live on Oct. 28, 2022.
