Resident Evil: Village Critique | A Feral Fairytale

[@MontyZander]

I Made My Fiancée Play Resident Evil (and it went how you’d expect) kzbin.info/www/bejne/sITGn2l_a7yhnrc

[@somedorkydude6483]

I think eight shouldn't have taken its story seriously. Like I don't play re for the plot which is why the story problems didn't ruin the game to me because they weren't to abundant and didn't interrupt the game to long But the whole father's story is over and the whole fairy tail thing was that something I wasn't supposed to take seriously. It never struck the is it just context is it serious or is it being serious. Village I liked more than 7 controversial but sevens biggest strength was it's visual horror and atmosphere and how it plays on discust claustrophobia. Being out of your debth. But the block mechanic to me was a bit broken now from my experience on the steam deck the aim assist if there is any isn't great but I played most of 7 on pc and ammo conservation was scaled down carefully place heads hots and I killed about 90 percent of the enemies with enough to spare to kill the other 10 percent and to shoot another 30 percent so maybe it's pc privilege but idk. The block mechanic was a bit broken and ignored the carefully navigate enemies feeling it had. And the menus having a live menu isn't a flaw but it was a return to the survival horror but not to the resident evil survival horror. The mold monsters were to similar and variety wasn't great visually it felt strong mold jump mold and bees. Now it doesn't have to be like the og 3 but to me it didn't have to be a resident evil game. But as a game I would say it's a great game and I like it more than resident evil 2 on the ps1 but re2 remake and 1 remake tied for second and 4 in first and I still need to play re4r. 8 has solid shooting and it Felt a bit more solid then seven but it was a mix of re4 7 and 1. And it ultimately wasn't re4 it was a re 7 version of 4 so again it was re but not re. But over all the block felt more appropriate and the mechics felt more at home to me personally and I think the story should of been more campy to embrace that re silliness

[@user-td2cd8dd9y]

I don't necessarily think the revelation that Ethan was infected with the mold is a retcon, as it would explain how he could talk to Jack Baker through mold telepathy, why when going to stab Eveline he gets visions of her as a girl and the reason he's pushed back is because Eveline is trying to command us to stand down. I mean losing a limb and then reattaching through the means of healing herb water doesn't just happen in RE8, it happens in RE7 too. There's a chance that Jack corners you and stabs off your leg, then places a bottle of that magic herb liquid in front of your face telling you to come forward. Get that a magic liquid and Ethan pours it upon his severed leg put atop the stump and presto, a cripple no longer.

[@Vulgarth1]

You're right, it isn't a retcon. It is still extremely dumb, however, because Ethan should've reformed his hand and mutated far before the end of the game. Not playing by its own rules is the biggest and most valid problem people have with Resident Evil writing. It's fine to shoot for magical realism and be tongue-in-cheek, but RE is at the point of being like Birdemic 2 instead of Birdemic 1. As in, it's wilfully bad and lazy which makes it shit, instead of endearing and campy because its earnestness wins you over.

[@EvilActivitiesInside]

I actually died the first time when he got my leg xD could not figure out how to heal it 🤣

[@NeonSuperNovas]

It’s very stupid. How come Ethan didn’t have powers like everyone else besides healing with herbs? That’s another thing…how come he couldn’t heal on his own??…why does he need herbs to heal??

[@Hiihtopipa]

It's not a recon though?

[@Hiihtopipa]

@@NeonSuperNovas why does anyone in their universe need herbs to heal? Last time I tried "green herb" i ate a bucket of ice cream but my wounds didn't heal :(

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

Okay, regarding the "Ethan not turning on his flashlight is illogical" thing, I have to contradict that. Not turning on the flashlight in the dark is emminently logical in this game's opening. See, turning on a flashlight does not just let you see, it lets anyone looking for you see you. After the entire Baker Estate incident, Ethan is used to being hunted, so he doesn't have an instinct to turn on the lights, he has an instinct to keep himself hidden.

[@eastlynburkholder3559]

I agree. Light up yourself is not a good idea sometimes.

[@luichinplaystation610]

"""Military training"""

[@elizabethwatkins1365]

Ethan is probably one of the more relatable characters in Resident Evil. And it's the most heartbreaking for me. He's truly just a husband and father trying his best.

[@kirbeeez6131]

He just like me foreal (father and husband that’s kind of a dumbass but is doing his best)

[@luichinplaystation610]

Tell that to fallout fans

[@gontear3377]

I agree wholeheartedly about Chris. Sometime in the game one of his subordinates even bring it up, saying "boss, you dun goofed when you kept Ethan in the dark for no reason at all." and Chris basically admitted "Yeah you're absolutely right that was a fucked up thing for me to do." The writers are well aware and wanted to throw shade, but at that point the bad taste in our mouths was already festering.

[@ryanzhu546]

Honestly, one way to do it right is a flashback showing that Chris was going to explain to him about the whole Miranda situation before Ethan flies into a homicidal rage for (at the time) unknown reasions and forces Chris to shoot him in self-defence.

[@taragnor]

It was stupid that Chris said nothing. It'd be easy enough for him to just say "Ethan, that's not Mia!" instead of remaining silent and acting like he'd just executed Ethan's wife.

[@SuperNeos2]

Literally all Chris had to say was “I thought you might’ve been infected by Miranda. I couldn’t take the chance.”

[@jackjax7921]

@@SuperNeos2 You forgot that the mold has a hivemind. People cant read the subtleties of the story. Pretty much RE 4 fanboys who like shallow stories.

[@SuperNeos2]

@@jackjax7921 So why doesn’t Chris explain that to Ethan before he fights Heisenberg? There’s literally many ways the writers could’ve gone about this and they went the dumbest way by having Chris not explain himself. “Why didn’t you tell me right away!?” “Because I knew you would’ve wanted to be involved!” Okay? But by the time they met again in the Village, Ethan was already involved and killed half of the Lords. Why not explain to him the plan since at that point he’s clearly not under Miranda’s influence.

[@bluejay2509]

13:33 THANK YOU for getting this right- i saw another review mentioning how all ethan does is ask questions and how its super annoying but- my man LITERALLY has no answers, he asks questions because he genuinely DOESN’T know and no one tells him anything. People kinda seem to expect ethan to just know everything like past protags but- my Man was literally just a regular guy before 7 happened. And even at the beginning of 8, all we hear is how he had military training. He doesn’t have all the answers, so of course his first action in situations is gonna be asking questions, cause just like the player, he ALSO has no clue whats going on.

[@Vulgarth1]

Except this isn't the first RE game where playable characters read files and then react them to them aloud. Which would mean Ethan has ALL of the answers except what Chris is hiding and why, right at the start of the game.

[@aceash5.065]

The Act Man: Ethan Winters, I hate this man. Me: Bro I respect you but shut the fuck up. What else would you be saying in that situation that wasn’t a bloody question?!

[@isdrakon9802]

Things Ethan knows in RE8 How to shoot gun Where to shoot gun Am I in one piece, the answer is no Nothing makes sense

[@alexman378]

Honestly, being fat was the last thing that came to mind when considering Duke as a possible villain. I was skeptical because he knew too much, wasn’t afraid, wasn’t in danger and was pretty cool with everything around him. When everything is hostile around you, someone like that would probably be this way because he works with the hostiles. And I still don’t quite know how come he acts this way, knows this much, and doesn’t have to worry about himself.

[@eva1585]

Also that he could easily set up shop in any of the lords' domains with no resistance whatsoever

[@haydenlanning5674]

There are allusions to the Duke working with Lady Dimitrscu and Heisenberg

[@luichinplaystation610]

You made him rich, you're the true villain

[@alexman378]

@@luichinplaystation610 He was nice to me

[@ToonGrin]

Honestly it might seem strange but the Duke I felt held the role of fairy godmother in the context of a fairy tale.

[@MontyZander]

I like this a lot!

[@ToonGrin]

@@MontyZander Thanks, sorry fer taking so long to get back to you I really enjoy your content by the way. As for the Duke It sort of makes sense from fairy tale thematic given the role of the Duke is to assist Ethan and in fairy tales you will often get a role carried by say a fairy god mothers or talking animals to help the hero on their journey and they are often never really explained. The Duke can traverse anywhere, has boundless knowledge and readily assist Ethan much in the same manner as this archetype would be found in fairy tales.

[@theevilgood]

Gonna hard disagree on Ethan infection being a retcon. It was already present in 7. You cannot see young Eveline unless she's infected you by the time he entered the house. And early stage infection comes with extreme regenerative capabilities

[@rjharris1960]

I think Ethan's death in RE7 is the retcon.

[@WineRedEchos]

@@rjharris1960 well I would argue that the way the limb reattachment works in 7 alone proves it tbh, because they have to staple your arm back on when it's cut off while he's alive, but after the dinner jack can catch you, cut your leg off, and you reattach it with ONLY the healing goo. proving he has the regenerative abilities of someone affected by mold. whereas his arm carries those staples the whole game because it wasn't infected when cut.

[@RealBradMiller]

I just played through RE7 and there is a note that says that "During experiments we removed arms and legs from the test subjects and found they were able to coapt the amputated limbs in a matter of minutes." and no one suspected of Ethan being infected until RE8? Not even after he was sucked into the mold right in front of Mia during the ship sequence? I guess knowing how it all played out makes hindsight 20/20, but you'd think people would put that together.... after replacing a hand and possibly a leg back on with some medicinal liquids.

[@Ghkugbdghbmkgvbnh]

Speaking for myself, I assumed the reattaching limbs thing was a kind of inside joke about the green herbs in the series being able to heal any injury your character received, and/or maybe a nod to the science fiction aspect of this universe having advanced alongside these genetic experiments.

[@shadow200343]

@@Ghkugbdghbmkgvbnh The biggest indicator should have been when Ethan gets full function in his left hand after it was stapled on. I think there was also a note in RE7 that says that the mold becomes hyperactive after coming in contact with the healing juice

[@accidentalmadness1708]

I’m pretty sure Mia knew with the “you don’t know how special he is” line.

[@jeffbezos3200]

I’m not going to give you that one. As a fan of resident evil, I’m well aware of the existence of healing herbs in previous games, the games are absurd by their very nature. A magic juice that reattached limbs is not even the weirdest thing that happens in Resident Evil 7, let alone a top 20 for the franchise. I just thought it was a cute bit of goofy Resident Evil being Resident Evil

[@AxelaxiB]

I think Ethan dissolving into the mold is the biggest hint because up to then only molded could do that so I mean Margueritte does that at the end of her first boss fight.

[@alysoncardoso6684]

I don't really understand why you said that Ethan being molded is a retcon,they kinda throw that in your face during 7's final lore dump room by saying that during the first stages of molding,even before the molded stop looking like a person,they can reatach their limbs,and will get visions from Eveline,which Ethan also experiences,great video tho,loved it.

[@TheCyclicGamer]

They stated in RE7 that the Mold infection was a progression and that during the later stages is when the infected begin to experience hallucinations from Eveline, as it's her trying to take control of Ethan. RE8 contradicts this by having Eveline reveal that Ethan was fully molded the whole time in RE7, meaning that he was already a fully molded being. If that was the case, Eveline should've been able to take control of Ethan very easily from the start in RE7.

[@songbird6414]

@@TheCyclicGamer I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, but they really should have leaned on the possible biological factors. Everyone is internally different, so it makes sense that the mold infection would affect everyone differently. It’s even possible that the mind control just wasn’t as acute in certain people as it was in others(Mia and Zoey vs Jack and Marguerite). RE failed to explore this idea, however, making the whole thing feel like a retcon.

[@TheCyclicGamer]

@@songbird6414 Exactly.

[@justinebidulopoutchini9774]

@@songbird6414 i don’t think they made it feel like a retcon. Nobody talks about the end of the game, where Ethan still hallucinate young Evelyn and is still reacting to her reality (the sort of force field). It took him literally injecting her to stop hallucinating. She couldn’t have inflicted the damage her « force field » did th Ethan in the real life, being a frail old lady stuck in a wheelchair.

[@AxelaxiB]

​@TheCyclicGamer I think that's what's implied to be Ethan power Reconstitution but I also believe Ethan 's specific infection granted him the ability to deny Eveline's control even if it isn't on purpose at first.

[@Rassalcon]

You keep making content of this quality and you're gonna blow up at some point. hopefully sooner rather than later

[@MontyZander]

Appreciate it!

[@gengarworld1118]

Wouldn't it be worrying if he blew up? How would his friends and family feel and he wouldn't be able to make videos anymore

[@Rassalcon]

@@gengarworld1118 I know a dude who blow up once. did him no end of good

[@caitlinbrewer4843]

There is actually a couple of files you can find in the gardener's house of Donna's area that explain more about how her abilities work. I also think the implication that Ethan was actually chasing down DONNA and stabbing her to death with those scissors was chillingly effective, even if it isn't lingered on too long

[@GlitchyHalo]

Also a nice addition is that when you leave and get your stuff back examine the family photo ans on the back Donna wrote "Take care of our little Rose" It could've been Mia but we were no longer hallucinating so it was Donna who wrote that somewhere you can find that Donna was gonna be a motherly figure to Rose and play and take care of her

[@shibitoobscura3348]

Also a very fitting element to this chase fight is that the song played on the background is "Promenons-nous dans les bois", the French children song that is sung when we French people play Hide and Seek, or play tag. That's very appropriate for a boss fight that is essentially a hide and seek game. My grandma used to sing this song to me when I was a kid and now I hear it in a horror game

[@luxluther436]

It’s even more chilling when the illusion disappears and it reveals you didn’t actually have scissors, you killed Donna with your bare hands. The scissors disappear and all that’s left is a dead Donna and blood on your hands.

[@ar6543]

Imagine how cool it would’ve been if instead of Ethan and the player learning Miranda was impersonating Mia near the end of the game by being told about it, we found it out at the beginning of the game by Ethan figuring it out himself. He confronts her or she figures out he knows, she runs off with Rose and the game goes on pretty much as normal, but now Ethan’s vendetta against Miranda is way more personal, especially for the player. There’s also a lot of horror potential in the idea of a shapeshifter impersonating a loved one, and potentially in a very folktale-ish way too, especially when baby stealing is involved.

[@CoastalSphinx]

I love this idea! I think it could also provide a better explanation for Chris's actions. Here's how I see it playing out: The conversation between Ethan and Miranda (posing as Mia) includes mention of an upcoming trip to a village, establishing that Ethan knows where it is. Later on, Miranda gets Mia's backstory wrong and Ethan becomes suspicious, but makes the mistake of not hiding his suspicion. Miranda immediately bashes him over the head and leaves him for dead, unaware that Ethan is much more durable than a normal person. When he wakes up, Miranda and Rose are gone, but Chris and his team are there. They don't comment on Ethan's unexpected survival because they don't know how hard Miranda hit him. Chris confirms that "Mia" was an impostor but refuses to disclose any other information, only promising to get Rose back. They only just figured out that Rose would be the impostor's real target and immediately deployed. They didn't warn Ethan because the impostor might realize their cover was blown. Still a questionable decision but easier to justify if it's been only a couple hours at most that they've left Ethan in the dark. Ethan wants to go with Chris to rescue Rose. Chris refuses, warning Ethan not to follow them. Ethan does not reveal that he already knows where they're going. They leave, and a short while later Ethan leaves. As Ethan approaches the village, the steep and winding mountain roads are barely passable at best. Suddenly there's a loud but indistinct noise, and the momentary distraction is enough for him to lose control of his vehicle, which skids and slides down the hillside. Ethan is uninjured but his vehicle is both damaged and stuck. Ethan proceeds on foot. This matches Ethan's situation to when he was walking away from the crashed truck in the actual game. Basically the only difference from then on is that the "impostor Mia" reveal doesn't take place. Ethan wouldn't even know to be suspicious of the old crone because he wouldn't know that Miranda was a shapeshifter - Chris didn't tell him the impostor was Miranda herself. However it does still make sense for Ethan to seek out Miranda because she's still obviously the mastermind behind the whole scheme.

[@friskdacatarchival]

Not gonna lie, Ethan is one of favorite Resident Evil protagonists. He's just a normal guy dealing with abnormal circumstances and handling it like a champ. That's freaking awesome in my opinion.

[@josedorsaith5261]

I loved the detail of his weapon handling being amateur in RE7. After receiving training from Chris, he is much more comfortable using small arms. You can see by how he uses retention reloads for pistols in RE8

[@aurorasdrawingcorner]

Imo Ethan isn't a good protagonist. Not due to him being a normal guy but he is simply super uninteresting. He has no real character development, his personality is 2D and boring, his reactions often enough unrealistic. And sometimes he's dumb as hell. Heisenberg literally wanting to help him, promising that he gets his daughter back and Miranda killed. And for some dumb reason, he doesn't accept. His motivations, while understandable, weren't interesting to me either, but that's simply my opinion. It's not like I hate him, I just don't like him either.

[@friskdacatarchival]

@@aurorasdrawingcorner He wouldnt accept because Heisenberg proposed using his daughter as a weapon to do so. Which would likely put her in harms way.

[@aurorasdrawingcorner]

@@friskdacatarchival rather as a bait then a real weapon. And even then dumb as hell not to accept

[@friskdacatarchival]

@@aurorasdrawingcorner That'd still require him to risk Rose's safety. Which is something Ethan would never allow.

[@retrorapture4079]

I find it odd that people are calling Ethan's mold infection a retcon. I had already assumed it to be the most logical explanation for why Ethan's hand was able to be reattached after it first got lopped off in RE7 and was surprised that it never got brought up in that game.

[@jani14jani]

It actually is kinda hinted already at RS7. If you read trough the files in the game it states that one of the symptoms are hallucinations. And just before you fight Evelyn, you see the hallucinations of Mia. You know that they are hallucinations because even she comes at you with the chainsaw she doesn't hurt you.

[@viroszelmire1391]

I feel Ethan being paranoid is completely justified seeing as he lives in the resident evil universe Also I really liked Ethan he’s much more relatable then other RE protagonists

[@bungiecrimes7247]

Actually no. Punching boulders is one thing and doing flips on the injected is another, but attaching your limbs?

[@josedorsaith5261]

@@bungiecrimes7247 Reattaching limbs doesn't seem as far-fetched, when you realise it's reattaching mold to mold. Have you seen mycelium cultures and how clever they are?

[@voyagersmarch8776]

​@@bungiecrimes7247 yeah try it. worked for me.

[@eriksulin627]

While this still remains headcannon, I believe we can infer enough from Beneviento even beyond her parents supposed suicide, even if it’s just an excuse to not show her much, Beneviento’s experiences with her scar as a child lead her to an isolationist lifestyle with her parents, this and when her parents died is when she adopted the mourning gown she still wears, not only showing how she hasn’t moved on from her parents death and how she’s ultimately just nervous and socially poor by herself, this is why Angie is her true voice than she can healthily channel through, literally hiding behind her whenever we see her. Angie’s more childish personality and her inability to move on tells us that Beneviento is still a child at heart, she surrounds herself with dolls, literally plays hide and seek with you, the Duke calls her visitors “playmates”, and most importantly, wants a parental figure because she’s unable to move on from her tragedy I mean, we literally hear that Angie thinks she would make a better daughter for Ethan, and just like the weaver, she crafts a situation that plays on Ethan’s fears towards Rose to make him give up on her daughter and be the father figure in Beneviento’s own twisted way, I mean, she already has a Mother in the form of Miranda, all she needs is a father to play with again P.S. This is also headcanon, but Heisenberg probably made Ethan go through the stronghold because he wanted him to kill Urias, manly because outside of his mutated form, no one in his army probably could kill him

[@MontyZander]

I like the head canon of Urias. Good call!

[@debashisprasadjena5075]

Heisenberg could have killed Urias in his human form too.

[@Daelyah]

Someone did a cosplay of Donna with a sad cover of "Masquerade" from Phantom of the Opera playing, and I'm an easily emotional person who was choking on tears from that. It was too fitting for the poor girl: "Masquerade, painted faces on parade...masquerade, hide your face so the world can never find you..."

[@GlitchyHalo]

From what we got from Shadows of Rose it was interesting how Angie and Eveline were similar in a way they were both jealous of Rose and wanted to be Ethan and Mias daughter Angie was a doll and Eveline was the doll with black hair in the doll diorama part in the dlc and she just watches in the campfire diorama like how Angie can be spotted in a corner of a room in village just watching you Both also have the same va

[@Chubbasaurus]

To me Angie is an embodiment of depression, specifically the kind that manifests as the hateful little voice in the back of your mind that does nothing but pull you down and make you believe everyone hates you. In a way, I almost think Angie controls Donna, and Donna could potentially be more of a victim than anything else.

[@shibitoobscura3348]

Also, let's not forget that Village, unlike RE4, was dubbed in many languages besides English, just like most of the previous titles after RE5. I play the game in French, and it has many other versions (here in France, all the RE games past RE5 were dubbed, instead of relying on subtitles). On the case of RE8, that reinforces this idea of fairy tale and fear of the familiar, even when you're not English or American. The game is set in Europe and can be played with voices of most European countries, therefore you can hear most of the Lords (except Alcina, since there's no Romanian dub) speak their home languages if you want to: Italian for Donna, French for Moreau, German for Heisenberg, Spanish for Miranda... It also has, like the remakes of RE2 and RE3, as well of RE7, many big names of the voice acting industry, who usually voice Hollywood stars. For instance, the French voice for Alcina Dimitrescu is our voice actress for Angelina Jolie, Daniela is voiced by our Margot Robbie, Heisenberg has Matt Damon's voice actor, for Chris it's Ben Affleck, etc

[@cambria9933]

Actually super into the umbrella funded university idea as a setting. So much potential really

[@LizardsLore]

Just wanted to add… it’s a common custom in parts of Eastern Europe to cover mirrors during a storm or in times of death…which when you know that makes hiding Ethan’s face make more sense. My Baba always covered mirrors when I was a child lest the other side peer in

[@MontyZander]

LOVE this. Thank you!

[@LizardsLore]

@@MontyZander I’m glad I found your channel! I like your take on RE Village! I like the game but there were parts that left me feeling hollow… and you verbalized this really well!

[@josedorsaith5261]

Especially during periods of mourning. Turning the mirror to the wall or covering it was to stop the dead from becoming trapped in it

[@MiniKunoichi]

The most annoying thing is that the issue with Chris could easily be solved. Instead of him refusing to say anything, any time he starts to explain, something happens that interrupts and causes him to be split from Ethan.

[@0ctopusComp1etely]

I typically hate that trope, but my word it would have been better than the current version ha ha

[@MakooWallinen]

Yeah, everything from phone calls, Walkie Talkie, reports, falling debries, wolf howls, crashing cars, gun shots, crows, insects. The list of in game and even canon defended excuses for interrupt reasons make it even harder to justify the lack of it.

[@isdrakon9802]

I'd say he does tell Ethan shortly at the start and then instead of the crash we actually get sent to the meeting of the Lord's. Miranda having kidnapped us along with Rose

[@OneFreemanC17]

The whole Chris being an asshole mystery could have been rectified with one simple line “I didn’t know if you were the real Ethan. I needed to secure Rose”. It would paint Chris not as a difficult chode but a man paranoid of all the variables and trying to protect a child.

[@lewislewis3531]

I actually like Ethan Winters. He's probably the closest we'll ever get to having a zen, Keanu Reeves type character in Resident Evil. He's not as cool as Leon or a badass warrior like Chris, but I find him endearing, sort of like a small dog barking at wolves.

[@frozenstaz]

How did I miss this video? This is by far the most well thought out video essay on RE Village I've seen so far and it is wonderfully paced. Lol on the "We probably won't play as Rose" Fantastic work! Subscribed

[@PinkWytchBytch]

Me and my husband played this game near launch, passing the controller back and forth as one of us would die and restart, and in the beginning where you walk out and see the Lycan creatures perched on the rooftops, watching and following you when you move, both of us paused, looked at each other freaked out from the tension and just asked “what the hell do they want?” That’s one of my fave memories because we realized we were talking about them as if they were actual sentient predators instead of the next section of the startup level

[@lordgoogoo69]

I must be the softest person ever but I thought it was terrifying. I couldn't play the Baby basement part without watching a playthrough over and over and I considered quitting a few times but I'm glad I didn't. Top 3 game ever

[@maverickay5807]

Almost 2 hours long? I love long winded game critiques!

[@ICEESAreFuckinGood]

Agreed. It means the reviewer put time and effort into the game.

[@غاضب-ك4س]

@@ICEESAreFuckinGood i 9 Ķ.pj. .i Nķ Jiv

[@غاضب-ك4س]

I jv9ķi l jkķ9 Ķ.m9.p j8

[@غاضب-ك4س]

Hl j l0

[@غاضب-ك4س]

.ķo.i9 Ķ.nl8ķo ķ bmpi Okl n v7 M9ìl 8 P ip. invp

[@edhero4515]

A brief thought on Salvatore Moreau: In contrast to his map, he gained immensely in importance for me on the second play-through. As a fish, he himself formulates the emotional rollercoaster ride he takes me on: "Up and down" he flutes to himself and, for a moment, gleefully, as he swims freely and happily through the reservoir, while the rest of his existence seems so torturous. After encountering hateful and sadistic characters so far, I witness his grief his fear and his suffering. He also does not hold back from sincerely admitting this to me. He begs me not to take the flask because otherwise the others will laugh at him. I found this first moment of absolute honesty deeply touching. The contradictory aspects of his immature personality unfold, which seem to be intensified rather than caused by his mutation. In his laboratory, he commits acts of cruelty like a naïve child playing scientist, while all his actions are the expression of his only desire: to win his mother's pride and love. In between are moments of megalomania and sheer hatred, which are all too understandable as mutations of his deeply pitiful mental state. While I fight him, he presents me with his disgusting abilities and seems proud of them. "Don't run away! Look at me!" he calls after me, as if, in his infinite need for recognition, he is trying to please even me, his enemy. When he finally falls, his last cry is for his mother. I am on the verge of tears, while Ethan gives another testimony to his simple-mindedness: "In death, as in life, disgusting" is his pathetic one-liner, which interestingly joins the tradition of such, of the whole series. I find precisely at this point a moment of unadorned humanity. Ethan's statement is quite understandable in this situation. Looking back on Moreau's life, I can't even disagree. But the intensity with which I want to yell at Ethan about how heartless that line is at that moment becomes the consummate weight of Salvatore Moreau's character.

[@songbird6414]

Dude, I just wanna say, you put a lot of effort and well thought opinion to this essay. This is a god tier analysis, coming from someone who likes to do analysis in her free time and is THIS close to posting to KZbin. You deserve so much more attention than you’re currently getting. Best of luck, and I’ll be supporting your journey all the way.

[@MontyZander]

Hey thank you! Just glad you're here

[@SaturnaliaRhys]

I think the "follow the yellow" storywise is placed in the game for Heisenberg, as he wants to team up with Eathen against the other lords, so he leaves him boxes with supplies and other clues. There aren't many of them in the castle Dimistrescu as Alcina doesn't want Karl there and Heisenberg doesn't like to hang around there either? The same goes for the Lycan hunt after the cutscene? Not saying it excuses these features, just that they may make sense in the story.

[@loganmitchell9254]

The Village puppet show is the best thing to ever happen to society, if you disagree then you are wrong.

[@joshuar3632]

I love the puppets. Angie's scream is adorable! What do they say at the ending

[@justagirlwearingglasses]

@@joshuar3632 Bye-bio~!

[@hugomarianodossantos4032]

Man... Your videos have a incredible level of quality! You got a new fan (from Brazil, btw)

[@MontyZander]

Thanks man! Appreciate it!

[@justagirlwearingglasses]

17:08 Fitting that this guy was complaining about the lack of foreboding atmosphere before he even got to House Beneviento.

[@ethanwinters9660]

The biggest missed opportunity of this game is: There should have been hallucinations of the Bakers in the doll house. Jack should've broken through that wall. I was expecting it to happen on the first playthrough, and very disappointed when it didn't happen.

[@OSW]

Great analysis! Besides the great fairytale comparison, I like how u suggested improvements esp. in the Moreau section. Refuting popular YT'er opinions to explain yours is great hook. The sfx jolted me a little if I wasn't looking at the screen!

[@bake-danuki661]

Wait wasn't ethan being infected by the mold basically implied in 7 when u find a note later in the story that says the mold allows people to stitch limbs back on like lucas did implying that's why ethan heals so easily because hes infected too. It was never outright said, but it's not bad writing because it was 100% hinted at in 7 I even remember markiplier playing through 7 coming across that same info and idea. Other than that I mostly agree with ur review...usually I have a lot of issues with what u say about games, but i must say u always make great in depth videos so keep up the good work u seem to continually be getting better.

[@alysoncardoso6684]

Also he sees ilusions created by Eveline,another sign of him being molded that's hinted at in that lore dump room.

[@Jwallworth]

I think it’s clear you get infected but why does it not make you an evil killer like it does everyone else? I think it’s what makes you believe he gets cured straight away when they get out

[@caitlinbrewer4843]

@@Jwallworth my theory is that, because Ethan kills Eveline before the infection is finished and he is still in the stage where, though he can see and hear her, she cannot control him, Eveline's corruption of his mind remains incomplete. It's implied that the reason the Bakers (aside from maybe Lucas) and general mold are so aggressive is because of Eveline's influence.

[@plaguedoctorjamespainshe6009]

Is it good that i never felt fear of games/movies in my life ? Because i can judge a horror media without ever being biased about the "It scared me or not" thing Seriously I know a horror media will not scare me or keep me awake at night so for me atmosphere, themes and protagonists are always the most important thing for me

[@MontyZander]

Curious on your thoughts about Village if horror stuff normally doesn't affect you! Like it?

[@ariswish]

I don't find it a bad reveal that Ethan has transformed into something non-human. It almost feels like a logical step in the escalation of the whole series. The characters have always been fighting the bioweapons, and the bioweapons themselves have always been shown to be mindless and dangerous. But Ethan's reveal puts a twist in that, it challenges what we've known so far about something that we thought was unquestionable

[@graydentucci1463]

I get the idea of Chris not doing it at the very beginning, him worried that Ethan would have been controlled by Miranda. But by the time he took care of the Lady, Chris definitely should have reached out to Ethan. The point of a mysterious plot is that it shouldn’t drag too long out, this did

[@Stalene100]

Honestly feel like the Duke felt like a villain at first because of how much he knows/how he speaks to Ethan. It has nothing to do with his size,it’s about his characterization and the fact your not supposed to feel safe with anyone in this game; y’know?

[@geofosgaminghellhole5440]

i feel like i have very little in common with you when it comes to taste in games. however, i LOVE your longform critiques, especially on games that haven't been given their due attention elsewhere (Alan Wake being my fav. btw).

[@MontyZander]

Thanks man! Yeah the Alan Wake one is probably the only video I've made which I'll stay proud of for a long time.

[@neyouno]

One of the highest quality analysis i have watched on youtube and i have a huge playlist filled with these. Amazing work! AMAZING.

[@MontyZander]

Hey thanks so much! That's made my night.

[@neyouno]

@@MontyZander Really glad it has. If it makes it better i will be continuing to watch a lot of your stuff and have already shared this video a few times. Thanks for the amazing work! (Currently watching the Avengers video)

[@neyouno]

Funnily enough i randomly rewatched the video a few days ago and genuinely felt the need to comment this exact same thing again only to find my own comment. Even now 2 years later and this is still one of the greatest analysis videos i've ever seen. Kudos!

[@arbiter-]

so I've watched your videos on the bioshock series, now this one and I gotta say i'm impressed with the topics you choose to discuss. very fresh format for a long-form video essay, well done

[@darthrevan926]

I am really glad I discovered you're channel. You deserve as much attention as most other video essay creators. Very nice to listen to

[@MontyZander]

Thanks so much! That's dead kind ❤️

[@erebus_odora]

This is the first time I've actually seen Propp quoted this well, respect, subscribed ❤

[@hanonondricek411]

I really think they missed a trick in the DLC. It's so obvious the gold words are Ethan. The twist in my opinion should have been that was actually _Mia_ trying to lead Rose back to Ethan. That would have given her a bit of redemption as part of the family unit and would make sense that she's been in the mold longer and can only manifest as words instead of in physical form.

[@Mr-Geist-Bong]

One thing I haven't seen many people mention when it comes to all the moments Ethan re-attaches a body part. He always uses the crafted chem fluid. Green Herbs are a key component of this. In the lore of the green herbs they are native to the Arklay Mountains, possess unique healing properties and I guess a nice taste since in RE 2 we see them used in ice cream. While It doesn't really make sense why these herbs are all over the place, they could grow in areas outside of the mountains or anywhere viruses are present. The green herbs are what we use in most RE games to heal all the damage we take. My point is that while Ethan's mold body might make the effects of the herbs stronger, allowing him to re-attach limbs, I don't think he would be able to heal on his own. It's the herb mixture he's using that is doing most of the work. The only exception to this being when he lost his heart and still survived but he was visibly much weaker afterwards. As for the clothing though well you could say the goo is repairing the very fibres of it. Or the more reasonable explanation is that Capcom just isn't Naughty Dog when it comes to attention to detail.

[@erinlewis6901]

The turn of phrase you're trying to get at at around 14:19 about Chris Redfield being the mystery box the developers didn't want to give up so easily etc etc is called "Being too coy" in writing circles. It's one of the most useful phrases I've picked up in my BFA program.

[@MontyZander]

Was I too harsh? Too easy? Also to make sure this isn't missed! MonoMemory's music is what plays beneath the majority of this video. They're incredible (not a sponsor I just really love their work!) kzbin.info/door/3eepNqgaa8DrOAf8MVQvjQ

[@sewerpeople346]

The ONLY quarrel I had with this game in the vein of "this doesn't feel like rezident evil" is the vampire and werewolf thing but they rectified that with the bugs in the jars so we are fine :)

[@MontyZander]

@Rickon Grayson Not too late - I read every comment! It's an interesting theory, and I quite like it!

[@RealBradMiller]

@@MontyZander Wish Rickon would've kept their comment so I could read their theory!

[@adamt4553]

@monty Zander bang on with the analysis with fat shaming and the Duke. He was a big boy. But him being boing but helpful, but with cryptic dialogue; to think that makes a villain? That brutal. Keep it up. Love the content. Have gone back to your first video on Cuphead and can’t believe you haven’t had more of a break in 2 years. Keep going, your takes are Grade A.

[@joelnyberg4190]

this video actually really changed my perception of the game. While I already enjoyed it, I didn't consider it particularily scary at all. But now that you've not only established what horror could be, but also explained this game's horror compared to other games it made me appreciate it more. I also really liked your structuring and clarity when explaining and analysing things. I'm very new to horror in general and only came here from your bloodborne video (with your gf), but now I have a proper interest in the resident evil series. Although I know you're aware of it, the sound mixing combined with watching this at 2 am was not great. Overall, great job. I will definitively check out your other content. PS, I quite like your voice and your mic quality for such a small channel is a big reason I wasn't deterred from watching such a long video. I do not know how this is useful for you to know, but I felt it neccesary to say anyway. I'm looking forward to your coming content

[@MontyZander]

This is an extremely useful comment. Thank you! I was worried I'd gathered a subscriber base of two-camps, people who just want the Noobus Humanus stuff and people who want the critiques. It's lovely that there's an overlap! And yes, good point on the audio-mixing. I personally like watching/listening to longform analysis while I wind down in the evenings, so it's the biggest thing I want to fix right now. Until I can get a proper PC and some proper editing software, I might err on the side of caution - better clips used are too quiet than too loud!

[@joelnyberg4190]

@@MontyZander I definitely agree with too low being better than too loud. I usually watch long videos while playing games or before going to bed, which can sometimes lead to videos being too low (when I play games) but your sound quality is good enough that that’s not a problem. Of course it’s just my opinion. But I don’t like getting my ears blasted by a suddenly mega loud part of video

[@thehamster0520]

Great video! I was very excited about this game when I found out it was taking place in my home country of Romania and honestly, there are surprisingly many references to our culture. I especialy like how the lords names could be references. Dimitrescu is very simmilar to "Dumitrescu", a very common last name here. Morreau being a french name could be a reference to the wave of french culture that stormed Romania in the 19th century, with people basicly speaking 50% French and 50% Romanian. Heisenberg being a german I asociate with our first king, Carol of Hohenzoler, who was a german lord that was asked by the people to become king of Romania, which he accepted; seems familiar? A german lord in Romania, that's Heisenberg. Beneviento I can't find a strong tie to but I guess the italian name could represent the Romanization of our ancestors after the war in 106, so I think it is tied to our latin origin in Rome

[@claudia-7917]

'Bottles upon Bottles of Wine in the dining area' Aye thats not supernatural thats a regular eastern european household

[@Chubbasaurus]

I always wondered if the "Heisenburg Gauntlet" was designed to be escapable by Heisenburg to test potential allies.

[@KaterinaSaburova]

HI I think this was my absolute favourite critique of RE 8 I've ever heard and the final predictions about the DLC make me think about all that we could have had with Shadow of Rose.. would love to hear you talk about it anyway tho!! The retrospectives about the games you cover are absolutely fantastic love your channel!

[@thomastrinkle2294]

Seriously though, why wouldn’t Chris have just answered Ethan’s question in the opening sequence? “That wasn’t your wife. It was a BOW. I’ll explain more later.”

[@rizzident_evil]

This is the second time I watch this video and it's as good as I remembered. This is ACTUALLY a game analysis and not just telling the story and giving your opinion. Great work.

[@UnluckySuperstition]

Honestly instead of Chris being involved at all during the story he should have only been put in at the end so that the story wouldn't be impeded by his withholding of information. Keep the car accident in but instead of it being Chris and CO taking away Ethan and Rose, have it just be Ethan taking Rose out somewhere in a car- like to go to the market- after Miranda reads the Story book, and have the accident still occur. (maybe this time it could be one of the lord's intervening I.E.- Moroue because he's pretty dull and kidnapping Rose to bring her to the village until Miranda returns and he can bring Rose to her directly [because he wouldn't understand Miranda was pretending to be Mia] would be right up his ally, and tie into his characterization later on in the story) This time Rose is gone and Ethans still car crashed out on the path to the Villages forest but this time it was Moroue who left a trail to follow and lure Ethan in. You'd still get all the pertinent information about the shadow village and the lord's, Miranda would have a reason to instantly return to the village and drop the Mia act, Chris and Co would need to move in and look around because 'Mia', Ethan and Rose all disappeared. This time though Miranda's plan would have been sabotaged by her own 'childrens' incompetence but the mystery and lack of insight on Ethan's part would still prevail, but it wouldn't feel self sabotaging and stupid because of Chris withholding information intentionally, it would instead force situational limitations on what Ethan can realistically learn from him when they meet up again, like at the Moroue section. This would also add realistic and justified denialism that Ethan would certainly hold onto until the very end of the game until he stumbled into Miranda's lab and finds the real Mia.

[@RyansFiles]

Brilliant. I was expecting a “First 10 minutes” and instead I got a (most likely) amazing long form analysis. Brilliant.

[@MontyZander]

Had to finish "Resident Evil month" with a bang!

[@JEREMCEE]

Amazing video man!!! I’m loving your channel

[@magksim3969]

found you today and I will watch all of your critiques by end of the week, love your humor :D

[@MontyZander]

Thanks my dude!

[@dynamight98]

Bro keep this up. Such great quality content and your mic sound isn't shit for being such a small channel. Great video I'll be watching more of them. If you've ever played metal gear solid bro I feel you could do some great videos on that.

[@MontyZander]

I've wanted to have SOMETHING about Metal Gear on the channel but I'm wary that I'd have nothing new to add that SuperBunnyHop hasn't smashed already! Thanks for the kind words my dude!

[@mattbauman55]

1:42:51 is he totally forgetting wesker straight up being able to teleport for 2 games lol

[@sunilpermaul7876]

I originally thought the Duke might have been bad/sinister, but only because he was so calm in this environment

[@AG-oi6xt]

Omg, man! This is the best essay I saw in months. Great work, you deserve so much more views! :0

[@MontyZander]

Thank you! 😃

[@mint5438]

I agree with the "What makes a game scary" argument. And one game I always point to is dead space 2. The environment isnt necessarily scary itself, but it what it does with those that really gets to you. I still feel dread when I reach chapter 7, and the cross my heart part always makes me anxious despite knowing exactly how to beat the minigame.

[@connerslone1450]

Love the video! Also, honestly have been hating all of the Ethan hate since this games release. I honestly found his performance very natural and easily to empathize with. Game does have its flaws, but overall loved it

[@josedorsaith5261]

It's nice to have a good dad character. Maybe the people hating didn't have a good relationship with their father

[@mynameisNeo369]

Roughest game of parents of young children is right. My son was almost two when i got this on launch and was right beside me when the beneveinto baby showed up and made noise. He found it funny, i was traumatized and had to stop and give him a hug. Ethan Winters is the kinda father i aiming for, anything for my family no matter the horrors that await Edit: great retrospective, one of the best!

[@lloydau3610]

I'd say Mia was definitely a product of Game Design and Thematic neccessity. She wouldn't be half as weird or annoyingly mysterious if Re 7 was actually focused on making endearing characters to care about.

[@julialincolnmollickloverid272]

Well and truly the "yellow" has been a part of RE games for some years now. I doubt they will ever remove it.

[@MontyZander]

I've found it to at least feel more organic in other titles. It's a perfectly valid piece of level design, it's just grown dull after repeat uses!

[@AdaTheWatcher]

@@MontyZander imagine if they used flashy pink, that would be funny

[@theredbutterfly-]

I don't agree with everything but... This was a brilliant review ! ❤️ Really really good work there. There's so many things we can miss even after several runs. Thank you !

[@thakatspajamaz]

Welp - post-DLC how we feeling about those final 5 minutes? lol

[@NickCHEMIN]

Such good writing! I'm not into resident evil games, but I find the lore very interesting and your content is amazing at giving a passionate and comprehensive depiction of the events that took place in this last game. This video sounds like a dissertation piece in the best of ways. And your voice is great. Quality content.

[@MontyZander]

Hey thanks!

[@AniMana21]

I think it's woefully naive to believe that the truth behind the vampires would make them seem less sexy to the people who were into them.

[@solofox9426]

Anyone else here after playing thru in VR? It was Amazing. And i'm 100% in for VR if we get more games like this!

[@MontyZander]

Ahh that explains why this video popped off recently!

[@pdpMASTERP]

Prost looks EXACTLY like ive imagined Monty Zader to look IRL 😂🎉🎉

[@pappa_pizzaria-9448]

I'm not a person who usually watches horror not even horror game reviews, but I saw your vid and I'm loving resident evil now.

[@MontyZander]

Thanks so much! That's dead kind

[@Alexander-uo3ct]

This analysis was def above average and hammered home very particular points of gameplay. One that I absolutely felt was how the game generates paranoia by randomizing how durable general enemies are. Also the highlighting of how the piece employs chiaroscuro, and the critique of its critiques were great. There needs to be more of the latter especially in general analysis. Great video, I genuinely enjoyed this, and got a deeper insight of this work as a result, thanks ~

[@pdpMASTERP]

Well you got 1 of the DLC correct, but the last one was Rose as a teen. Wish youd do these videos once all DLC is released because i think they are so important to the games storyline

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

Okay, I'd argue that the citadel does serve a purpose beyond "testing" Ethan. See, the Soldat are Heisenberg's army, while the Lycans are Miranda's army and won't follow him when he goes rogue. As we see when we escape the Citadel, that army numbers in the hundreds. What Ethan fought was just a fraction, and more are shown crawling up into the Citadel from the depths. Heisenberg wanted Ethan to see what he'd be up against going alone to make the offer to team up look better.

[@Nostradankus]

Really great video! I like the way you structured the review around the fairy tale concept too, great way to tie everything together. There is a minor point I think is worth raising though: I think your refutation of the reviewer complaining about the magical elements of RE8 somewhat misses the mark, though I will admit that the point wasn't very well made in the first place. RE has never been concerned with any kind of scientific realism, no doubt. But it has always cloaked its mystical elements in a veneer of science and in my opinion that's why people found the more overt "magical" elements off-putting. Just like how Midichlorians explaining the mysticism of the force was a bad idea not because "Science doesn't belong in Star Wars", but because the Force really is just magic and that's how people like it. It's purely aesthetic, yes, but the set dressing matters.

[@MontyZander]

That’s a fair point!

[@Mira-yo4sh]

i do have to say, as someone who played RE Village (and most other RE games I've played) on Assisted/the easiest difficulty: the weapon upgrade system destroys everything. with a sniper rifle upgraded to the max i could one shot Heisenberg's jet engine soldier guys. so every time i ran into one of those guys, i could essentially just dodge till i got a clear view of a weak spot and hit a singular shot. it was an area i was very afraid of, bcs i believed it to be difficult, but my looting and upgrading accidentally gave me power fantasy that wasn't supposed to happen till Chris' section

[@randomsandwichian]

The thing about the yellow markers in games that makes them so jarring is the devs didn't bother to make the design lore adapted. What about the use of yellow as a warning, which in lore could be inserted as the viruses and mutation have a hard time with things in that particular color (say because it has similar connotations with fire?)? Come on devs, put your backs into it.

[@backyardforbeginners1522]

So much work for not enough views! Really great work loved it

[@MontyZander]

Thanks so much!

[@chasecondon6052]

Only part I'd disagree with you on is Hisenburg's factory being the most labrynthian part. To me, that goes easily to Dimitrescu's castle. The factory is a straight line on account of you doing a single loop on each floor that starts and ends at the elevator. The only backtracking is to the forge room once you've foud that floors mold, but even that's less than a minute walk away from the elevator so doesn't feel like much of a true backtrack. Dimistrescu's castle on the other hand you're constantly finding doors and passages and elevators etc that you need to keep in mind until you're able to find the item to unlock it later on. It feels like you're constantly running back and forth throughout the castle while avoiding the sisters and Lady D trying to find the next unlock to progress further. Will die on the hill of wishing that Castle D was the final stage of the game.

[@Gruntvc]

The Castle is extremely linear. It's deceptively linear. Under the mayo nailed it in his critic of that level. The factory is the one time the game actually opens a bit up and feels like classic RE.

[@antviper135]

Lady D's castle litterally locked every door except 1 for door after each progression point. Not giving you the option to choose which order you want to get the statue heads. Re1 remake did this perfectly.

[@Tstorm731]

The analysis in this video is fantastic but I can’t see much in most of the footage. It’s too dark. I like playing these games with similar brightness settings but I think I enjoy being able to see more when I’m watching a post-play through analysis. Either way, thanks for the content. I subbed.

[@colmduggan8230]

The mirrors being smudged to cover ethans face makes no sense though since we see his face in Resi 7 when playing as Mia

[@GlitchyHalo]

From what we got from Shadows of Rose it was interesting how Angie and Eveline were similar in a way they were both jealous of Rose and wanted to be Ethan and Mias daughter Angie was a doll and Eveline was the doll with black hair in the doll diorama part in the dlc and she just watches in the campfire diorama like how Angie can be spotted in a corner of a room in village just watching you Both also have the same va

[@alexblackmore7744]

Ah, I've been looking forward to this. Cheers Monty!

[@permeus2nd]

1:46:11 RE games have always had magic it was just explained with science, just because scientists have found a way to understand magic and given it new names dosnt change the fact that it’s braking the natural laws.

[@SwatBeatsOfficial]

I like how all 4 "siblings" had different vibes and pacing. This is probably my favorite RE game now.

[@MrUniverse]

24:13 Riding Hood's grandma is in the basement with half of the village people. 😂 Which half? The cowboy, the Indian and the biker? Haha

[@definitelyhooman7939]

This was the perfect video to wind down with at the end of a long day. I just found your channel, and I'm intruiged! I loved the flow of this video, everything you said was clear and interesting, while still keep a presentory charm. Hope you're doing well and have a nice evening!

[@joshuaknox2724]

only capcom can create such amazing unique characters that we probably will never see again.

[@MakNCheese88]

Thank you for this. Too many critiques of RE8 simply compare it to 7 or 4, which is like comparing your current partner to your ex. It's not trying to be those games, so if course it's going to fail at that metric. I hope you're able to continue to create thoughtful videos, cheers

[@viin825]

Honestly I clicked this video randomly and actually sat through the whole thing in one go and when I went to subscribe I was definitely shocked by the amount of subs you have because the quality of the video and everything is well deserving of a lot more. Love the great work!

[@mikefisher4051]

Has Monty ever talked about his thoughts on the DLC where you do play as Rose then? Didn't see a vid on it in his backlog of content. Side note, apparently there were 665 comments before I typed this. This is the comment of the beast now.

[@Thewolfartist24]

I kinda like the idea of Resident Evil Village being essentially a twisted fairy tale, with Miranda and her children representing different fairy tale villains. Like Countess Dimitresque being a kind of evil stepmother, Donna being a Geppetto like character and Marrou being a monstrous sea monster. Finally, Miranda being the classic witch. It is also worth noting that all the lords and Miranda have unique fairy tale like powers, so they could be essentially a coven of witches in a fairy tale sense. It feels different and unique from the series.

[@skybluenerd219]

1:42:14 is one of my favorite counters for when people call RE's writing

[@chrisalexander13]

Hey bub, I came across your channel a few days ago, your videos are great. I'm not even a Resident Evil fan but I enjoy your content so much I had to check out this one out too. Thank you for all your time and effort that go into these videos and I wish you the best.

[@MontyZander]

Thanks for watching man!