Resident Evil Village: 10 Scariest Moments That Took Us By Surprise

Considered by many to be one of the most terrifying games of all time when it originally debuted on the PlayStation in 1996, Resident Evil was a landmark release that introduced a new evolution of horror gaming. Though later entries in the series would place more of an emphasis on combat and action, 2017’s Resident Evil 7 and its critically-lauded follow-up, Resident Evil Village, re-vitalized the franchise by returning it to its horror-first roots.

Village may be a bit more combat-intensive than its predecessor, but it certainly isn’t light on scares. From menacing nine-foot-tall vampiress stalkers to an infamously-mortifying fetus monstrosity, here are 10 of the scariest moments in Resident Evil Village that took us by surprise.

10 The Cottage Jumpscare

Village wastes no time establishing an atmosphere of foreboding, with the moments following the prologue seeing Ethan stumbling across a mountain passage as wolf-like antagonists lumber and lurch just out of sight.

Ethan eventually stumbles upon a small cottage and makes his way to the basement. After investigating a wardrobe, he turns around, and the sudden and tremendously loud sound of something wreaking havoc upstairs catches him—and the player—off-guard. It’s certainly not the scariest moment in the horror series, but it’s an excellent way to let the player know that they’ll have to keep on their toes going forward.

9 The Castle Stalkers

Despite not being a scripted moment in the game, players are bound to encounter Lady Dimitrescu or her daughters when roaming the halls of the massive and foreboding Castle Dimitrescu. As intimidating and malignant as Jack Baker or Mr. X, the ladies of house Dimitrescu popping up from around a corner—or even appearing out of thin air—are bound to terrify.

That said, they’re often scariest when they aren’t on screen. Players must stay alert and listen for Lady D’s domineering footsteps and be prepared to make a break for The Duke’s room when she finally shows herself.

8 Sturm

After collecting all four of Rose’s flasks and entering Heisenberg’s compound, the fourth Lord will attempt to strike a deal with Ethan, the throaty sound of a rough-running engine persistent in the background of their conversation. Of course, the protagonist refuses, and Heisenberg tosses him into a sadistic dungeon where he meets one of Heisenberg’s failed experiments, the Sturm.

A strange amalgam of man and machine, the Sturm is a monster that’s essentially a massive propeller with arms and legs. It sounds ridiculous on paper, but the monster’s initial reveal is as intimidating as it is disturbing.

7 The Squealing Pig

After returning to the village from Castle Dimitrescu, players will be introduced to the game’s fairly straightforward hunting mechanic. As unpleasant as slaughtering animals in first-person may be, it’s necessary to craft upgrades and to stay one step ahead of Mother Miranda’s schemes.

After hoisting and crawling under the tractor blocking Ethan’s path in the village, hang a left and return to the cottage you first investigated upon arriving in the village proper. Enter the door on the left, and Ethan will enter a small barn and be met with a squealing pig. It’s an excellent fake-out for wary players, and it likely had many laughing at their own hyper attentiveness.

6 Mother Miranda Encounter

After defeating Heisenberg in one of the most high-octane boss fights in the series, Mother Miranda, the game’s true antagonist, finally reveals herself. Able to shapeshift and possessing other seemingly magical abilities, she’s a villain unlike any other we’ve seen in Resident Evil.

Keen on bringing Ethan’s quest to save Rose to an end, Mother Miranda reaches into Ethan’s chest and pulls his still-beating heart out as if it were a Mortal Kombat fatality. Ethan’s ability to survive this ordeal is explained in a subsequent cutscene, but it’s an utterly shocking moment, nonetheless.

5 Lady Dimitrescu’s Transformation

Veterans of the Resident Evil franchise knew that there was more to Lady Dimitrescu than met the eye. Unnaturally tall and connected to the village’s group of mutated leaders, fans knew that she wouldn’t retain her human form for long.

After defeating her daughters and claiming the four masks necessary for progression, Ethan discovers a poisoned dagger and uses it to stab the matriarch in the side. This causes her to transform into a twisted dragon abomination that feels reminiscent of the many forms Nemesis takes in the recent remake of Resident Evil 3. It may have seemed over-the-top for some, but it was, nevertheless, a fairly shocking transformation to behold.

4 The Fetus

Village foregoes its slightly camp leanings and ventures into all-out horror with the somewhat Silent Hill-inspired House Beneviento section. Wrapped around a puzzle that becomes more and more warped as it progresses, this segment contrasts greatly with the rest of the survival horror experience.

Undoubtedly the most terrifying segment comes toward the end when, before escaping, Ethan comes face-to-face with what can only be described as a giant fetus monster. It’s a standout moment in the series, and it’s a breathtakingly shocking moment that players won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

3 Ethan’s Severed Hand

Ethan Winters endures quite a lot of torment in both of the Resident Evil games in which he stars, but little compares to the out-of-nowhere moment when Lady Dimitrescu suddenly slices his arm in two. Equal parts horrific and comedic, it’s an excellent example of the series’ ability to balance both elements.

Those who played through RE 7 know that Ethan has an uncanny ability to reattach severed limbs, and this isn’t the first time he’s experienced something like this. Still, it’s an astounding scene to behold, and we would be lying if we said we saw it coming.

2 The Window Jumpscare

After returning from Castle Dimitrescu, The Duke will task Ethan with venturing into a specific house in the Village. However, Ethan must take a fairly roundabout route that requires some puzzle solving to get through.

To discover the code for a locked cupboard, Ethan is prompted to look out a nearby window, which reveals the combination. This also spawns a Lycan right outside of the shack, prompting a jumpscare that could startle even the most steeled players. It’s a rare moment of in-your-face fear in a game that, at least in the beginning half, relies mostly on ambiance to terrify.

1 Second Encounter With The Fetus

Perhaps it’s unfair to include this creature twice, but the fear factor this thing brings to the House Beneviento section cannot be understated. After first coming across it, Ethan must find a breaker in another room of the Beneviento basement. After obtaining it and trekking back to the elevator in total darkness, he’s once again suddenly accosted by the disgusting monster.

This time, however, he has no choice but to run and hide, as the thing is blocking the exit. Players likely held their breath as Ethan cowered under a bed and waited for the beast to pass.