Castlevania Season 4 Review

By: Justin Hopkins

**SPOILER WARNING**

Well, I am certainly not ready to say goodbye. As much as I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Supernatural last year. It is even more so now. It doesn’t feel like we have had enough time to have this show. Feels like not that long ago, when it clawed its way into my heart in blood soaked monsters and excellent character work. So, much more I want to see. Adventures I want to see them go on, but time to stop putting it off. With a heavy heart, lets talk about the final season.

Synopsis

Normally, I would break down the start of the show and trail off, but with so many parts, we will stick to what everyone is doing throughout and it makes all the sense in the world to start with Belmont and Sypha. Who kicks things off with a time lapse of the past six weeks. Showing them having constant fights with monsters, some of which are trying to resurrect Dracula or appease Death itself to bring him back. Worn out and taking its toil on them. Their trail leading them back to where it all began, Targoviste. A place where survivors are struggling to survive, a Royal Guard named Zamfir, who claims that the Royal Family is still alive, in an underground stronghold, but won’t take them back till she trusts them. Leaving them to wonder what is going on and why the monsters are still gathering in the ruined village. Who are being lead by Varney and Ratko. Varney, a loud mouth, who was an original member of Dracula’s Court, who will not let you forget about how important he is. Wanting to bring back Dracula, and is working with several others, such as Saint Germain. Who returned six weeks prior, after failing to find his love in the Infinite Corridor. Due to not being able to control the flow. Running into an Alchemist. Who tells him what to do. He needs to make something called a Rebis. Something that requires him to combine two souls into one, which requires sacrifice, and he chooses that to be the people of Danesti A town that has reached out to Alucard for help tp fend off the monsters. Who has been busy adding bodies to his collection in his front yard. Who agrees after a speech from the headwoman, Greta. Agreeing it would be safer to defend them at his castle, after a suggestion from Saint Germain. Being told he needed the exact spot he died, from his other partner, Hector. Who is still ensnared by Lenore, but can’t build them a night creature army, till he crafts a new hammer which he is stalling on. Which builds up tension between Carmilla who sees through this, but Lenore believes in her spell, but also, is becoming disillusioned by this plan. Seeing her rule as a Diplomat being wiped out by where this all leads, and it isn’t just her, but Morana and Striga, who are out in the battlefield, are feeling it too. Especially after a group of villagers tried in vain to fight back. Striga deals with it, but sees it first hand. That this will never be over. She would be constantly fighting and never see Morana. Little did they know, Carmilla has been working on a plan far greater than they thought. She is making plans to take the world. Then, there is Isaac. Who is starting to go through a change. Still wanting to lead the charge against Carmilla, but thinking about what kind of world he will leave behind. Having his night creatures rebuilding the village and burying the deceased he can’t reanimate as he thinks it over and that is where I will leave it for now.

Review

I am going to miss how well they treat characters. From how good they are at building up new characters like, Zamfir, who you feel so much for. That she couldn’t handle the pain of what happened. Scarred by what she saw that day and couldn’t face the fact that the Royals were gone and was grasping at whatever straws she had and was sad to see her die. Varney was built perfectly. Loudmouth that you wanted to see get their comeuppance. Hiding the twist perfectly. Had characters like Morana and Striga getting fulfilling story, along with an awesome fight scene with Striga sporting Day Armor. Had characters like Isaac, whop had a compelling story of him growing as an individual. Letting go of his rage and finding purpose in his life. Alucard finding a place in his world, and even the villagers are doing stuff in the background. Fighting back, being more than just cannon fodder. Warren Elis and all the writers did a fantastic job on the show, and the final season was no exception.

Titus Welliver did wonderful as the menacing, powerhouse Ratko. Toks Olagundoye breathed so much life into Zamfir. Marsha Thomason and Christine Adams were spot on as Greta and The Alchemist, and of course Malcom McDowell as both Varney and Death. Who did them both justice. Made Varney the despicable worm that you wanted to see smashed and the gravity and boss level threat Death is. It goes without saying that they likes of Richard Armitage. Alejandra Reynoso, and James Callis killed it as the voice acting for Belmont, Sypha and Alucard. Adetokumboh M’Cormack id great as Isaac. Along with the likes of Bill Nighy, Jessica Brown Findlay, Yasmine Al Massri, Ivana Milicevic and Jaime Murray all returning as Saint Germain, Lenore, Morana, Striga and Carmilla who knocked it out of the park and so many more who made this show awesome.

The art style and animation all looked great. From beautiful shots of scenery and backdrops, to the bloody and gore. The fights scenes were tremendous and well done. Especially, toward the end. When the fighting started and the gradual intensity of all of all of the fights, until the gorgeous fight between the fight between Belmont and Death.

Now, lets talk about the ending and what a wild ending it was. It was a twist when Varney revealed himself as the Alchemist and mind blowing when they revealed to be Death all this time. Just throwing everything about what I thought was happening up in the air and I loved it. Played to perfection and came out of nowhere. Just perfect. I didn’t mind the fact they kept Belmont alive. Wanted to see a happy ending for them, and if they weren’t killing Hector, they can’t take Belmont. Having the scene outside the castle, where they were going to build a new village felt like the right end. Where people can rebuild and move on from here.

A bit of a mixed one, is that I think we could have got a bit more with Carmilla. I liked the story they got, but feel they could have had a bit more love to it. Even just a scene of two with Carmilla, Lenore, and Hector to help build the tension between them.

One negative, the last few minutes should not have been with the resurrected Dracula and Lisa. First, they really didn’t need to be brought back and really didn’t do anything for me that they were. They should have cut to black with the main group outside of the castle.

And that brings us to the end of the review. Still not ready to say goodbye. Season 4, the final season, delivered an amazing finale for a show that I love. They gave each character a fitting ending, from major to minor, and had some great animations, performances. Carnage candy and fun fight scenes. Everything one would think when going into a show called Castlevania. Final Grade – S

As always, I hope you enjoyed and….

Thank You For Reading.

Saturday Sequel Presents Wrath of the Titans

By Paul Anthony

As always everyone knows how much I love Greek mythology and every time I come across a film that involves that I must watch it and see how close it is to the source material. However often these films go so far away from the material, the only thing that is left is basically the names. Enter 2010 we see the release of a film called Clash of the titans starring Sam Worthington who at this point was just beginning to reach the peak of his career. In 2009 he was a lead in the fourth Terminator movie and the lead in Avatar. The Clash of the Titans added to his resume with being in blockbusters. the film was produced on 125 million dollar budget and grossed 493 million making the movie a success despite being poorly reviewed. However money talks and just 2 years later we got a sequel titled Wrath of the Titans. The film brought back most of the main cast so the film starred Sam Worthington as Perseus, Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades. Once again this film had slightly reviews but still negative much like the first film. This film cost more to make which it had a budget of 150 million and grossed just 302 million which was nearly 200 million then the first film. though it made money a third film was planned called Revenge of the Titans though that idea was cancelled. Now it =s our time to see how bad or good this film was and like always we are looking into the plot first.

This film takes place ten years after the events of the first film, Perseus now resides as a fisherman again with his son Helius, we learn that Lo passed away sometime before the film. One night Zeus visits Perseus and warns him that the mortals are no longer praying to the gods as a result the gods themselves are turning into mortals and with them losing the their powers, they can’t maintain the walls of Tartarus which if they crumble Kronos will be free from his prison and wreck havoc on the earth. Perseus reminds Zeus that he is a fisherman now just wants to enjoy time with his son. Some days later Zeus meets up with his brothers Hades and Poseidon and his son Aries to form a plan to fix the issue but Hades and Aries have other plans and defeat Zeus and barely killing Poseidon who escapes from them. Poseidon comes across Perseus and tells him what is going on, which now forces him to join the fight. But this fight will require him to team with his cousin to gather all three weapons of the head gods to defeat Kronos and save Zeus but Zeus’s time is coming to an end because his powers are nearly drained and Kronos is now free but after a hard fought battle Perseus saves the day but Zeus dies from his wounds. Hades who is now mortal leaves the scene in defeat and sadden that he lost his brother. Perseus reunited son Helius and even scores a kiss with Andromeda. Helius tells his father that he wants to go home and be a fisherman and Perseus tells him they can’t and he must be proud of who they are for Helius is the son of Perseus and the Grandson of Zeus.

Like many action films the story isn’t really there nor does it make sense. Zeus created the mortals so he doesn’t get his power from them. Next they could have made Zeus more of a badass and considering the actor they had for the role this was a big time hit. Next Perseus telling his son in the end they can’t go home to be fisherman doesn’t make sense because Perseus did that once already and of course the death of Lo who lived hundreds of years before Perseus was even born. The action was average at best so was the affects they used. But I know why the third film was cancelled because the series was trending downwards big time. In the end I am giving it a C or 70 percent for a rating this film in the end was nothing more then a film that will get lost in film history.

Urban Legend Movie Review

By: Justin Hopkins

**SPOILER WARNING**

I saw a post the other day. Where they were celebrating the 25th anniversary of Urban Legend. Which isn’t exactly true. It dropped in 98 but the anniversary is in September, but the seed was planted and got myself excited to watch this forgotten gem from the 90’s. That kind of gets lost in the void due to having followed the likes of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. A slasher whose kills were all based around that of Urban Legends. That I haven’t watched myself in probably over a decade. I remember loving it was a kid, but how well does it hold up to the test of time. Let’s dive in and discuss shall we.

Synopsis

The movie gets started with a woman driving through a rain storm. Stopping off to get gas and while the gas was being pumped. The Attendee came back out. Saying the Credit Card Company was on the phone and they need to talk to her. Hesitantly, she goes in, but when she finds no one on the line and that he locked the door; she attacks. Spraying him in the face with mace, and breaking his window to escape. Hitting him with her car on her way, but little did she know, he was actually trying to warn her that there was someone in the backseat, who cuts off her head with an ax. Jumping to the College Campus, where we start to meet the characters. Natalie, Brenda and Parker are talking about the Legend of the Stanley Hall. Which is made fun of by Paul, the school reporter. On Natalie and Brenda’s way home, we meet Damon, who scares them when they are saying Bloody Mary at the Stanley Hall. Natalie finally does get home and inadvertently walks in on her roommate having intercourse, and has to awkwardly, try to sleep through that, while listening to music. The next day, we join them in Folklore Class. Where Brenda and Professor Wexler butt heads on how real some of the Urban Legends are. Till she is embarrassed by Damon with his joke after downing Pop Rocks and Soda. After they learn the news of the women’s death, which hits Natalie hard, and Damon seeing a chance to score. Takes her for a drive to talk. After getting shot down, gets out to take a leak before her back. Only to be attacked by a hooded figure. Natalie gets out to look for him, but is chased back into the car, and by the time she gets the car started and tries to drive off. Is not only restricted by a rope tied from the car to the bumper, but inadvertently hoists Damon up higher, who has a noose around his neck. Who falls through the windshield when she reverses and she runs off for help. Bringing Campus Guard Reese back, but their is no car or body to be found. Her friends don’t believe her either, because he has a mannequin that looks like him and plays these stunts to scare pledges. Believing this to be a joke and he is off at the Ski Lodge. Which she tried but couldn’t confirm that he was there. Taking a trip to the library to find out more about that Urban Legend and finds that Damon was the last person to rent out the book. Defeat she return to her Dorm, and can hear Tosh making sounds. So, she makes sure to not turn on the light, which proves to be a mistake because Tosh is being attacked. When Natalie wakes up, finds Tosh dead and the words, Aren’t you glad you didn’t turn on the lights, written on the wall in her blood. With the Dean and Reese written it up to a Suicide. Natalie and Paul set out to get to the bottom of it and if it has anything to do with Stanley Hall and that is where I will leave it for now.

Review

The opening was fantastic. Creating an atmosphere and tense setting to where she would be on edge and ready to fight the Gas Station Attendee. While at the same time, giving him a stutter so he couldn’t simply come out with it. She didn’t give him a chance and the harder he tried the more she fought back and the reveal as she was driving away set the stage for things to come. That nothing was as it seems. It was a hot way to get things going and they only capitalized from there.

Massive credit goes to the writers and Directors who made this Legends come off so smooth. Giving Natalie good reason to not open the door. The dog in the microwave. Mixing up the killer in the backseat to getting your ankles sliced by them under the car. Scaring Natalie to drive the car to hang Damon. Even having a reason for Brenda wanting revenge because of a so called “Legend” being what took her loves life and that fueled her anger and her motivation. And there hard work making all of them flow so well, it made Brenda feel like a smarter, more aggressive killer. Because she wasn’t dumb. Brenda had everything to the last detail planned out. From renting the book under Damon’s name and sewing the seeds that it was around Wexler and Stanley Hall. While at the same time, torturing Natalie till it was time to strike. Making Brenda kind of an underrated Killer in the scheme of things.

And the gore and death scenes were on par throughout. Tosh’s death was probably the best, with how it all played out with it going over the head of Natalie. They knew when to go gruesome, like with the dog in the microwave wave and Pop Rocks and Drain-O death. To know when to pull back and let your imagination paint the picture in the case of Sasha’s demise.

You have huge in horror such as Robert Englund, Danielle Harris, Brad Dourif, Tara Reid. Names like Loretta Devine and Julian Richings were great as Reese and the Janitor. Jared Leto was great as Paul, but Rebecca Gayheart stole the show as Brenda. Most specifically, during her speech at the end, when it was discovered to be the killer. Way she handled herself and delivered her Impassioned speech, and had a comeback for everything. Even when she was told she needed help, and had already tried. Alicia Witt was perfect, not only playing off her, but playing Natalie in general. She wasn’t the cleanest good person. She had done bad things and felt guilty over it she pulled it off nicely.

I am a bit mixed on the ending. I liked the idea of this all being a story being told by another group of college kids. Telling the story like it was just another Urban Legend being told at another College Campus, but the thing I didn’t care for was the jump scare attack when they were driving away. I get that is just cliché horror, but didn’t feel this story needed that. Could have just gone from Stanley Hall to them telling the story.

With my only negatives being small nitpicky things, lets wrap this up. Urban Legend is definitely dusting off and giving it another watch, or a first time viewing if you haven’t seen it. It is a fun watch, with a solid cast and some good gore to boot. Final Grade – A

As always, I hope you enjoyed and….

Thank You For Reading.

Without Remorse Review

By Paul Anthony

He Means Business

This week I decided to jump on the band wagon of reviewing this film and of course the film I am talking about is Without Remorse starring Michael B. Jordan. Now this movie is based on the Tom Clancy’s book of the same name. The book came out in 1993 and Hollywood wanted to do a movie as soon as possible but never got off the ground and sat in development Hell, even though they had a script and actors picked out. At one point Keanu reeves was cast as the lead role but nothing happened so than they moved onto Tom hardy once again nothing happened. it wasn’t until 2018 when this film started to pick up steam when new writers were hired to rewrite the film and Michael B Jordan was cast as the lead in the film. You had Jordan star as John Kelly but his supporting cast included Jamie Bell as Robert Ritter, Jodie Turner-Smith as Lieutenant Commander Karen Greer, Guy Pearce as Secretary of Defense Thomas Clay and Lucy Russell as Sarah Dillard, CIA Director. Like many films during the pandemic this film was supposed to be released in the theaters but that didn’t happen and that’s when Amazon acquired the film and had released on April 30th 2021. Now Let me make this clear, I have not read the book so with that being said I can give it negative or positive points for sticking or drifting away from the plot of the book.

The film starts in Aleppo where we meet a team of Navy SEALS which includes John Kelly (Jordan), after they do one mission they are tasked with another and that mission is to rescue a captive C.I.A agent but they aren’t fully informed of situation and worse they were given the wrong information about who took this agent and they learned that they killed Russians. Nevertheless they complete the mission and return home but than three months later, Kelly’s team gets picked off one by one and they come after Kelly next, he kills his attackers but not before they kill his pregnant wife but Kelly himself took near fatal shots. Over the next few months Kelly works to get his life back together but also find out who did this and why and kill them. Kelly sets out to find the guy who gave the passports to the Russians and gathers information from him before he kills him but this sends Kelly to Jail but seems like this was a part of his plan anyway. In the end Kelly Makes a deal with Thomas Clay who is the secretary of defense to find the Russians who did this and kill them. Of course nothing goes as planned and Kelly has to save his team and fake his own death but in this mayhem he learns the truth and the truth was Clay was behind everything which Kelly tricks him into admitting before he kills him. The main reason behind this was to boost the American economy by starting a new cold war. The plan doesn’t work of course. The film ends with Kelly getting a new name John Clark and wanted to start a new task force called RAINBOW.

I have to say the best part of this film was Jordan as Kelly his performance made it so much more believable. However outside of that I think it goes down hill from here. The film could have used a more action, to show us how badass Kelly really is and next the whole idea of started a cold war didn’t work for me. At the very least they could have thicken the plot but giving us a cliffhanger and leave us wanting for more but decided not. Like I said before I never read the book so this might have been the best they could do. The rest of the acting was on par, I don’t think anyone really stood out more than Jordan. In the end I am giving this film a B rating or about 80 percent!!

Wrestlemania Backlash 2021 Predictions

By: Justin Hopkins

The name of this PPV makes me not want to watch. I like to try and find the pros and not really like to dwell on negative, but this is pretty much a one match card. The wrestling should be good, because these wrestlers are some of the best that has ever been in the company, but the booking has just been dreadful and that is the sad part. This could all be so much better if they put forth the slightest of effort and not been pumping out some of the worst episodes of Raw. Enough wallowing, lets jump in and try to Predict to the best of my ability.

Damian Priest vs The Miz Lumberjack Match

We kick things off with the rivalry that just won’t die. Hopefully this will be the end, with what I expect will also be the end of the team of The Miz and John Morrison. Priest can get the win and move on to something better.

Winner – Damian Priest

Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match – Dominik and Rey Mysterio vs The Dirty Dogs (Champions)

Now, I have enjoyed The Dirty Dogs as Tag Team Champions. Dolph And Roode have got really got chemistry together as a team. It is unfortunate that they haven’t gotten to defend those belts many times since they won them and I believe this has been their first defense on PPV. Doubly so since I don’t think they are retaining them here. It’ll be a good match but at the end, think we are looking at the first Father and Son Tag Team Champions.

Winner and New Smackdown Tag Team Champions – Dominik and Rey Mysterio

Smackdown Women’s Championship Match – Bayley vs Bianca (Champion)

This will be a great match if given the time. Both of these women are just uber talented in the ring. Wish they would have booked Bayley to be more of a threat. The shape of the Smackdown Women’s Division though. It was either Bayley or Sasha. Since Carmella has just been brought back last week, same with Ruby and Liv. So, yeah, Bayley is really the best option. See what I mean about the booking. Anyways, we aren’t seeing a loss here. Bianca is just getting going.

Winner and still Smackdown Women’s Champion – Bianca Belair

Raw Women’s Championship Match – Asuka vs Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley (Champion)

There are not enough obscenities to describe how much I hate this match. I am not talking about it. Just make Rhea a world ending babyface. Charlotte should be rivaling with Alexa. Give Sonya Deville, Nikki Cross to work with. Let Nikki just destroy the Women’s Roster while Sonya slides it under the rug. Spinning her path of destruction as a way to show Pearce can’t control the locker room to usurp power, and build Nikki up in the process to face Rhea at Summerslam, and stop making Asuka look bad.

Winner and still Raw Women’s Champion – Rhea Ripley

WWE Championship Triple Threat Match – Braun Strowman vs Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley (Champion)

I enjoy the fact that MVP has been talking about the fact Bobby lost his U.S Title in a triple Threat when he wasn’t involved in the finish. MVP has really been an amazing manager in all of this. Of course it’ll be a good match, but it is still way to early for the belt to come off the Almighty One.

Winner and still WWE Championship Match – Bobby Lashley

Universal Championship Match – Cesaro vs Roman Reigns (Champion)

My head tells me that he doesn’t have a chance. That my only hope to see what I want, is he gets cheated out of the win. To go on and win Money In The Bank and use it to demand the rematch and then win the strap in front of a crowd, but I can’t bring myself to go against The Swiss Superman. The only thing keeping me going in WWE, this year, has been the fact Cesaro has been getting the push he so, so deserves, and even if it tanks a pick. I am going for it.

Winner and New Universal Champion – Cesaro

Sorry for being more negative, but I hope you enjoyed and as always….

Thank You For Reading.

Resident Evil Village Review

By: Justin Hopkins

**SPOILER WARNING**

Resident Evil 8 Village has finally arrived and I was all kinds of excited for it. Follow up to the fantastic Resident Evil: Biohazard and the stellar work they did with the remakes, I couldn’t wait for this game. Plus, it was getting to dodge all of the promotional and advertisement for it. Which I was nearly spot on doing, although, not completely. Lady Dimitrescu certainly made the rounds online. Some good, with some great cosplays and fanart and some very wrong ways, but the game is here and now that I have played my way through, lets discuss shall we.

Synopsis

Game kicks off with an animated Fairy Tale, which turns out is being read by Mia to her baby Rose, much to Ethan’s chagrin. Still hung up on the events if what happened 3 years prior in Louisiana. After we put the kid to bed, we get into an argument with Mia, who just wants to move on. Which is interrupted by her being riddled with bullets and special ops rush in, being led by Chris. Whop take Ethan and baby rose. After a quick flashback, of another argument between Ethan and Mia, where she is about to tell us something, only he is interrupted by a call from work. When we come to, the car we were being taken in has been flipped, agent is dead and Rose is gone. So, down the trail we go. Coming out over a rampaged village, with a castle looming overhead. Finding a knife and a villager lives long enough to give us a pistol, before being killed by a Lycans. Managing to take him and another down, which sets off a siege. Despite, finding a shotgun, I elect to run around like a lunatic, to preserve ammo, not needing a Resident Evil 5 situation again. Using the ammo when needed and burning the clock to them leaving and enter The Hag. Who was kind enough to lock us in where we needed to be. After a bit of stumbling around, we find some Villagers, who are killed during a cutscene when the one turns, but lucky for us, we get a screwdriver and the crest we need out if the whole situation. Which allows us to gain access to the castle, only to be kidnapped by a guy who can manipulate metal with his mind. Taking us down with easy and dragging us off to the family. Who are arguing over who gets to kill Ethan Heisenberg won, but we escape his little track and manage to backtrack to where we were grabbed. Starting off to the main castle where we were greeted by The Duke, this games merchant. A jolly guy who knows more than what he says, but as long as he sells me ammo, he can take his time. Finally getting into the castle and started destroying the valuable, till we are yet again, whisked away by the three sisters, who stab us with sickles, and drag us to their Mother, Lady Dimitrescu. Who hang us on the walls and goes to inform Mother Miranda. Leaving us time to mangle Ethan’s hands that much more to escape. Starting to explore, loot and try to find the Bedroom Chambers. Where Rose might be held. Along the way, we learn that the sister’s are made vulnerable to the cold, and manage to take one of them out. When we learn that Rose isn’t here. Our objective changes and we are now looking for masks to escape. Dealing with the two remaining sisters, staying one step ahead of the roaming Lady Dimitrescu. Once we manage to get the doors open, it’s boss fight time, with the mutated version of Lady Dimitrescu. In a fight that felt like should have been harder. Regardless we get a treasure and a dirty flask. Moving back toward the village, The Duke informs us that we have indeed found Rose, a part of her anyways, her head to be exact, inside the flask. After finding a part to add to the key, he tells us the score. That Rose can be saved, but we must collect the three remining flasks, from the three remining Lords; Beneviento, Moreau. and Heisenberg, and that is where I will leave this for now.

Review

This game is absolutely stunning. Right from the start, you get a really fun and pretty animation style for The Village of Shadows. When you stumble onto the Village. The scenery shot of the looming castle overlooking the small village was breathtaking. From the Rustic down trodden design of the village. The décor and architecture of the castle was stellar. The light and shadows blended through and glistening gold trim that was around the rooms. With the dank, claustrophobic sensation when you were running around the dungeon and basements. Quaint, beauty and unnerving feeling that lingered over Beneviento’s Dollhouse. Along with the swamp and the factory. They delivered on the graphics and arty department throughout and deserve the highest of praises for their work.

They really hit it out of the park when it came to the cast of characters in this game. Heisenberg oozed charisma, to the point I was upset that Ethan didn’t agree to team up with him. Moreau was both grotesque and sad. Seriously, felt bad when he was screaming out for Mother throughout the fight. That carried over to the sisters, Bela, Cassandra and Daniela. Besides just being fun little side bosses. When they were in trouble and started begging felt genuinely sad. Lady Dimitrescu got a loot of attention going in, for good reason. She was an awesome villain. An imposing figure to say the least and although her A.I didn’t feel like it was on the same level of Mr. X, but if she did catch up, her attack was devastating. Really wish she had more screen time, but for my money, Donna Beneviento was the best of the bunch. Her area was staged perfectly. Ramping up to the suspense and building on the psychological aspects was done to perfection and stole the show and I haven’t even talked about Mother Miranda yet. Who made for an intense final boss, who was a nightmare to everyone beneath her. Heisenberg saying that everyone, from him and the Lords to the people in the village have all been subjected to her terrible experiments, all to bring back her long deceased Daughter. Showing just how cruel and dark this desperate women would take things. Them you throw on characters like The Duke, a returning Chris Redfield, the Hag, and the constant mix-up of “Cannon Fodder” Monsters, made for a terrific ensemble.

All of this was made possible by the strong performances from the Voice Cast. Maggie Robertson was excellent as Lady Dimitrescu. Speaking with Class and sophistication that Lady Dimitrescu carries herself with. Nicole Tompkins, Jeanette Maus and Bekka Prewitt were great fun as the Sisters. Paula Rhodes was terrifying as Angie the Doll. Neil Newborn gave so much swagger and character to Heisenberg. Aaron LaPlante made Duke feel like the larger than life character that he is. Andi Norris may have had only one line as Beneviento, but I have so much love for that part of the game, I am shouting her out anyways, and so many many more. They put together a great cast who pumped so much love into each of their characters.

Spoiler time, Adding the bit that Spencer had been to the village, and Mother Miranda’s work with the Mold is what inspired him to create Umbrella and the T-Virus is an interesting choice that works for me. I appreciate the end they had so much they created and it actually caught me off guard. We have seen characters take a beating, but to have the twist with Ethan being dead. Dying at the hands of Jack at the start of Resident Evil 7, and this whole time, the mold has been keeping him alive was not only well done, but a needed one that took the story and elevated it to another level.

They needed that Jolt, because Ethan was a terrible Protagonist to have here. He worked so well in Seven, because they made it with VR in mind. Kept his personality next to none, because you were getting into the game and becoming Ethan. Something they did not have here. One step forward, even if you didn’t play VR. He was a new character, stuck in a house and dealing with all of this from new eyes and everything was shocking and could play to naivety. That doesn’t work here. He just says dumb things and started annoying me right from the start when he was complaining about the Village of Shadows story. They were aiming for a sad ending, but I was happy when he died and we got the play as Chris. Would have been happy to have ended the story with Chris, but as long as this is the end of Ethan’s road. Glad to move on from him. He isn’t the worst character, still better than Steve, but not mourning his loss. To be honest, think they could have kept everything with his sacrifice the same, but made Mia the main character at the end to fight Miranda may have worked better or just had Mia be the main character throughout.

A much smaller negative. they could have cut back on the number of puzzles. I know puzzles are a mainstay and should keep some, but when you have a Piano Puzzle, where all you have to do is slap buttons till you hit the right ones. That is not a puzzle. Just put the key on one of the Sisters, it’s fine and not just spam piano keys.

Despite the lackluster protagonists and tiny bits of negativity that really aren’t worth mentioning. The Pros far outweigh the cons. Resident Evil Village is still a great game. With gorgeous graphics and art design. A pretty decent blend of horror and action. Along with some great characters, I would strongly suggest picking up Resident Evil Village. Can’t wait for RE:Verse and where the series goes from here. Final Grade – B+

As always, I hope you enjoyed and….

Thank You For Reading.