Resident Evil Village's Merchant and Inventory System Attract Resident Evil 4 Comparisons

Resident Evil fans didn't get the Resident Evil 4 remake announcement many were hoping for from the franchise's recent showcase, but there were some parts of Resident Evil Village that immediately drew comparisons to the fan-favorite game. Aside from the gloomy castle setting that mirrored one of the key chapters of the Resident Evil 4 story, the new Resident Evil game once again has a merchant to sell players wares as well as an inventory management system that was directly compared to Resident Evil 4's by the developers.

The Resident Evil showcase that revealed the release date for Resident Evil Village and more details can be seen below for those who missed it the first time around. Around the 37:35 point in the video, it opens to a discussion about the game's inventory system where players have to manage their items in an interface that closely resembles the attache case from Resident Evil 4. In case there were any questions about the inspiration, the game's creators explicitly referenced the Resident Evil 4 system when detailing what's new in Village.

"Some of you will remember a similar management system in Resident Evil 4," said Peter Fabiano, the producer on Resident Evil Village. "This time around, we've added crafting which allows you to create items such as First Aid and ammo. There is also an assortment of weapons to find and utilize throughout the game."

And then there's the merchant, the character known as "The Duke" who will sell Ethan the supplies he needs along his journey. The Duke is familiar with Ethan's exploits, and even though he's not saying the iconic Resident Evil 4 merchant's catchphrase, the way he throws open his doors to show what he's selling and the simple fact that we have another merchant were also connecting points between the two games.

"The merchant makes a return," Fabiano continued. "This time he's known as 'The Duke.' You'll be going to him to buy and sell weapons, amongst other things. The director wanted to give him a unique look, and you'll often find him in different situations each time you encounter him."

From the brief look at him we've gotten from the event, The Duke looks to be a bit more involved than the merchant from Resident Evil 4. The latter would simply appear to sell Leon items and upgrades while remaining largely oblivious to the happenings around him, but The Duke seems more invested in Ethan's story and will likely have some interesting information to share.

Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake itself still hasn't been officially announced, but it's apparently hit some snags lately if recent reports are accurate.