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Resident Evil Village walkthrough: A guide to surviving the horror adventure

Our abridged guide to completing the next chapter in Ethan Winters' story.

Resident Evil Village is the eighth mainline entry in the long-running survival horror series.

Following on from the events of Resident Evil 7, it not only continues the story of Ethan Winters, but also sees us return to a first-person perspective following several third-person remakes - helping to amp up the horror as you explore the titular village, a huge castle and many more locations.

This abridged Resident Evil Village walkthrough will take you through the game area-by-area - providing puzzle solutions and a heads up on combat encounters along the way.

Resident Evil Village: The Digital Foundry Tech Review + PS5, Xbox Series X|S Analysis!Watch on YouTube

Resident Evil Village walkthrough

As with previous games in the series, Resident Evil Village follows a fairly linear progression, throwing increasingly challenging enemy types and puzzles into the players path, as well offering backtracking to optional areas for additional items and weapons.

The following Resident Evil Village walkthrough is an abridged guide to both critical path events and bonus objectives as you'll naturally encounter them.

Note that everything is described on the default Normal setting, and though main story events will be the same, some bonus consumables such as ammo, healing items, crafting resources and treasures could differ according to your choice of difficulty. (For this reason, we've described anything non-vital to the playthrough as 'resources'). And while we've attempted to keep things story events a secret, location and general event spoilers will follow.

Ethan and Mia's House

This section is pretty simple - take the baby upstairs to her room, and then return to Mia when ready. There are various points of interest throughout the house for some backstory on Rose and what happened before reaching Europe, so take your time exploring before you approach Mia.

Village

Castle

Returning to the Village

  • Head to the Ceremony Site, down the Lone Road to the Altar, where the Merchant will ask you to find the 'House with the red chimney'
  • To find the House of the Red Chimney, you must:
    • Go through the now opened blue gate east of the Maiden of War statue
    • Head south through the barn, go south-east to the Workshop and get the Jack Handle from the combination lock (look through the window for the code 070408)
    • Head west, retracing your steps from the start of the game, to where there's a locked gate which requires the Iron Insignia Key
    • Climb the roof with the ladder, and climb another ladder to enter a building with a Winged Key to create the Four Winged Key
  • Return to the Merchant, who will add the Four Lord locations and treasures to your map, and unlock cooking
  • Head north from the Altar using the Four-Winged Key to House Beneviento

House Beneviento

  • Head through Potter's field, past the Beneviento grave, post the Family Photo key item through the door to access the lift and House Beneviento
  • Inside House Beneviento, head into the basement and into the double doors at the end
  • To escape the basement, check the mannikin on the table to get the Blood Covered Ring (left hand), Silver Key (upper right arm) and Winding Key (left leg)
  • Use the Silver Key to enter Medicine Room next door, and wash the Blood Soaked Ring in the sink for the Wedding Ring, which has the code 052911 when investigated in inventory
  • Use this to leave the Doll Workshop and head to the now-opened Storage room, use the Winding Key on the music box and solve the puzzle by lining up the cylinders by the cracks that run along them
  • Use the Tweezers you get in return on the mannikin's mouth for the Film, which is used the Study, and arrange the strips by - Teddy Bear, Book, Baby, Music Box, Ring
  • Head through the secret compartment, get the Scissors as you leave, use it on the Doll's chest bandage for the Brass Medallion, which is used on the Sealed Door in the Doll Workshop (along with changing the other circles to - bird in triangle racing right, three eyes closed)
  • Get the Breaker Box Key from the bottom of the well
  • Return to the lift in the basement and retreat when you are cornered, going via the Study's secret compartment to open the Breaker Box and get the Relief of a Child
  • Use the Relief of the Child to open the door between the Medicine Room and the Study, get the Fuse in the Bedroom at the end, and when cornered on the way back to the lift, hide under the bed in the Bedroom and flee when the coast is clear
  • After calling the lift, head to the Study and run around the room to avoid capture to use the lift
  • During the boss battle, find the dolls in the Guest Room, Living Room and Foyer (or by the lift) to get the second Flask

Between second and third Lords

  • Return to the Village, and as you pass through the Garden, you now have access to several buildings, one of which has the W870 TAC Shotgun, the other a new Labyrinth Puzzle (the Ball can be found next to the tree near the southern house on this path).
  • Return the second Flask to the Altar and use the Four-Winged Unborn Key to go south.
  • After the ambush, head south through the buildings along the stream as cover from the beast, until you reach a path blocked by a mysterious substance. Shoot this to clear it away, and do so again at the locked gate to reveal a ladder to the right. This will take you to a mill, another Labyrinth in the outhouse, and just ahead, the reservoir.

Reservoir and Moreau

  • Head downstairs in the mill and take the passage round to a cutscene with Moreau.
  • Return the way you came to see a new passage that leads outside. Ignore that for now, and go right here up some stairs until you reach an underground shack and jetty. Get the Boat Key, head back to the start of the passage, head outside and use the boat.
  • Take the boat into the cave round the corner and investigate the shack for a cutscene.
  • Follow the linear route up to escape the fish, and reach the Gatehouse. Throw the switch for a new objective - turning the electricity back onto the sluice gate.
  • Take the other path out of the Gatehouse to another mill. Head down the ladder and across the submerged roofing. Shoot the marked pieces of wood to create a path, and avoid any submerged parts of the water while the fish is near.
  • Work your way across the rooftops, which includes pushing a minecart down to a lower level, and working your way back round to reach it from above by activating a group of switches (this is easier than it looks - whenever you pass by a switch, use it then move quickly to the next one, and repeat).
  • After you work your way round to arrive at a submerged boat, then you'll be in yet another mill. Shoot the ladder down, and grab the Crank at the top. Use that to rotate the ladder into place, zipline back to the first mill, use the Crank again, and return to the Gatehouse.
  • Throw the switch and solve the panel puzzle (look at it from a 90 degree angle so the 'empty' panel is at the bottom, matching what's on the left).
  • Leave the first way you entered the Gatehouse and follow Moreau through the drained reservoir for a boss right.
  • To damage Moreau, shoot the exposed 'human' form in its mouth, which appears when injured by an explosive, or after it makes an attack. Try and keep a corner away from Moreau to avoid attacks, and find shelter when he climbs a building and rains acid around you.
  • Once defeated, enter the mineshaft to find a lair, where you can get the Six-Winged Unborn Key. Now return back to the very first mill.

Between third and fourth Lords

  • Before leaving the mill and reservoir area, use the Crank on the gate where you can find the Mermaid Ball for the reservoir Labyrinth, and the M1851 Wolfsbane (the Magnum).
  • The next destination is the Stronghold, found by doing north-east from the Maiden Statue. Before you take the path straight ahead, you can go left before the stairs, taking you to Otto's Mill.
  • Enter by the side door and defeat the Giant within for several Treasures which sell for plenty of Lei.

Stronghold and Urias

  • Take the path north-east from the Maiden Statue in the Village. This section is very combat heavy, so make sure you have plenty of ammunition and some pipe bombs for groups.
  • Before you enter the Stronghold proper are some ruins, with the aim to throw two switches - one via a staircase, the other via a ladder - to open the door between them.
  • Inside the Stronghold, the aim is to first reach the far end, allowing you to take a zipline almost back on yourself, to a route going up so you can reach the top level.
  • At the top of the circular staircase, shimmy through the tight passage and drop into the crescent-shaped pit for a boss fight against Urias.
  • Urias is slow but can deal a lot of damage, so when he looks like he's about to attack, stay on the move and use pillars as cover until you know the hammer's been swung, then attack. Use cover again when he throws pillars, and when he jumps above and calls in reinforcements, an explosive can help clear the group.
  • Once defeated, shoot the sparkling points to get crystals in the hallway that follows, then grab the treasure and the fourth Flask. Take the boat down the passage, grab the optional File and resources from the left passage ahead of the ladder, then exit to appear back at the Church.

Point of no return

  • Return to the Merchant and the Altar, where you can insert the final flask.
  • This is the point of no return - once you progress to the Ceremony Site, you cannot explore the Village or the surrounding areas. (The castle remains off limits still, unfortunately). This is a good time to:
    • Get all remaining Treasures on your map
    • Use the Crank between the Altar and the Ceremony Site to explore a new area for various Treasures and other rewards
    • Find the rare animals hinted at in the photographs (Phantom Fish is in a pool south of where you use the Crank near the Ceremony Site; Strange Bird found in tree in the Graveyard near the centre of the Village; Rare Animal is the pig outside Luiza's House)
    • Completing any remaining Labyrinth puzzles
    • Remember - future replays will carry over your resources, so don't feel pressured to do absolutely everything in your first playthrough
  • When you're ready, enter the final Flask at the Altar and take the Giant's Chalice to the Ceremony Site to access Heisenberg's Factory.

Heisenberg's Factory

  • Enter through the far entrance, follow the corridors round and evade the monster within, before you appear down in the basement and have to work your way up to a lift with the Merchant.
  • The aim here is to reach the lift controls on upper floors, allowing you to reach the very top. We're on B4, so it's time to reach B3. There's also a reoccurring mechanic in the factory of shooting red 'orbs' or weak points - so if you see something red and circular, shoot it to open new routes, throw switches, or damage enemies.
  • Explore B3's linear route to learn the power is out, and that there's a Foundry with a casting machine to create molds. Continue until you get the Relief Mold and met your first Soldat - a reoccurring enemy which has a weak point on its chest.
  • Take the Relief Mold to the Foundry and use the Relief to go south. Disable the pistons in the Engine Room by shooting the red orbs to reach the Backup Generator. Go north, get the Cog Mold, and use it in the Foundry to activate the Backup Generator, restoring the power.
  • Go north through the rooms with the Soldats to arrive back at an earlier route, allowing you go south until you arrive at the B3 lift controls. (Feel free to return to B4 here to use Switch in the room east of the Foundry for a Magnum upgrade.)
  • On B3, head up the ladder, through the mineshaft to the Grinder Shaft. Take down the two Soldat Jets (explosives and flash rounds are great here) then shoot the red orbs in the ceiling so you can climb the ladder.
  • Continue up to a room with the Factory Map (upper levels), and a hidden room by pushing the wagon to get the Ball Mold.
  • Go up the stairs, through the Ventilation Duct, get the Key Mold and arrive at the B1 Lift Controls.
  • Return to B4 to the Foundry, allowing you to use the Key Mold for Heisenberg's Key (go south to Heisenberg's Quarters for an optional treasure) and the Ball Mold (for the Iron Horse Ball, used on the Labyrinth next to the lift on B4). Watch out for the Soldat Panzers which appear on the way back to the B4 lift.
  • Use the lift to B1 and use Heisenberg's Key. In the rooms that follow, Sturm will appear in a boss battle. The first phase has you simply side step then attack the weak point on its back after it charges, while the second sees the engine spit flames in front, and it to charge erratically. Keep your distance and wait for a good opportunity to attack.
  • Head through the Cargo Bay and up for ladder. Note - this is a point of no return for the Factory, so only proceed through the door when ready.
  • After the cutscene, interact with the vehicle, take the lift up and fight Heisenberg.
  • Heisenberg has red weak points on his mechanical body, which are best targeted with machine guns. This is so you can hold block at the same time, and save the cannon rounds for interrupting its charge attacks. When the vehicle you are in is destroyed, use explosive rounds to finish him off.

Final chapter

  • Use your firepower to clear the way to the Statue in the middle of the Village.
  • Target the mass with your pointer three times to progress. It might be easiest to use a grenade on a group of enemies, then back away as they recover while using the pointer, giving you enough time for ordinance to come in.
  • Go underground and defeat the boss by dodging attacks and using the pointer three times.
  • Continue underground to reach Miranda's lab. Search all the files as you go - from the books at the start through to the photos and files - for some useful story information. To leave, shoot the lock at the end.
  • After another cutscene, you'll be back at the Altar with the Merchant. Collect the various resources, purchase any final upgrades and curatives ahead of the last encounter, and save your game at the Typewriter.
  • When you're ready, head towards the ceremony site.
  • To defeat the final boss, for all her fast and varied attacks, you need to just keep moving and block until she's open to attack. Sniper and Magnum rounds are best here - as well as using up any remaining explosives now we're at the very end of the game.
  • When the arena goes dark, keep blocking and moving until light returns. The battle will draw to a close when you're dragged towards her as part of a cutscene - keep firing until it's over.
  • Enjoy the ending! You now have Mercenaries to play, and plenty of new weapons to try out on future replays.

Our other Resident Evil Village guides

As well as the above critical path and puzzle pages, what follows is a selection of individual guide pages, if you prefer to read out specific systems or items of interest:

Optional puzzles

Collectibles and items

More coming soon!