Like any Resident Evil game worth its salt, Village is teeming with secrets and hidden areas waiting to reward inquisitive players. While some are fairly obvious, others will require some patience and a bit of backtracking.
From hidden weapons and upgrades to rare and valuable treasures, extra exploration can help out quite a bit, particularly on the higher difficulty levels. While we would recommend that players investigate as much as they can themselves, we’re here to cast some light on Resident Evil Village’s darkest corners and recesses.
10 Luthier’s House
Near the house with the red chimney which Ethan is tasked with finding after returning from Castle Dimitrescu, players may encounter the home of the musician Luthier, which is locked.
The key can be obtained after defeating Donna Benievento, the second Lord of the village. It’s in the Gardener’s House, which players are all but forced to enter on the return trip from the manor on the cliff. Once found, return to Luthier’s house and use the key. Pay special attention to a conspicuous child’s drawing, which reveals the code to unlock a valuable treasure and an upgrade for the sniper rifle.
9 Riverbank Treasure House
After depositing all of the Rose flasks in the altar and acquiring the Giant’s Chalice, Ethan will be able to return to the ritual site and access Heisenberg’s factory. However, before crossing the bridge to get there, hang a right, use the crank to lower the bridge, hop in the boat, and head upstream to return to the base of Castle Dimitrescu’s massive tower.
From here, enter a nearby torchlit alcove and solve the puzzle by lighting a Moroaica on fire and leading it into an unlit torch. This will unlock the room at the end of the chamber, granting Ethan the valuable Golden Lady Statue.
8 Well Behind The Craftsman’s Hut
In that same area at the base of Castle Dimitrescu, players may remember being unable to uncover the secrets of a well behind the Craftsman’s Hut. Ethan now has access to the Well Wheel, which can be found in the village hut originally locked behind the Iron Insignia gate that you have to pass through to get to the hut with the red chimney. It can be used to bring up a ladder.
Inside the well, players will encounter a simple puzzle that, once solved, grants access to a small treasure trove that most won’t want to miss out on.
7 Cannibal’s Plunder
After crafting the six-wing unborn key, head up to the Lycan stronghold and bear left just before ascending that creepy-looking staircase. Here, Ethan will encounter a large barn constructed over a creek.
Inside, he’ll come face to face with a giant wielding a large ax. He’ll take quite a bit of punishment to put down and has the ability to summon Samcas, so he can be something of a handful. Using things like mines and flashbangs to stagger him can be helpful here.
After defeating him, knock the three locks off of the red door on the other side of the room from which Ethan entered and reap the rewards.
6 Mold Cave
Board the boat just below the bridge in front of the ceremony site that becomes accessible after getting the crank from Moreau and head downstream. This will take Ethan to a small landing where he can find the phantom fish, which is useful when crafting rare recipes.
Here, he’ll also discover a cave overrun with black Mold. The cave was seemingly used by a member of Chris Redfield’s team, and a laptop that’s been left behind indicates that the Mold is nearly identical to that seen in Resident Evil 7. There are other worthwhile treasures here, as well as another nod to the previous RE game in the form of an antique coin.
5 Heisenberg’s Quarters
After entering Heisenberg’s factory, Ethan will be thrust into a massive network of steampunk-esque catacombs rife with terrors and treasure in equal measure. One of the most valuable treasures in the location can be found in Heisenberg’s Quarters, which can be unlocked after crafting Heisenberg’s Key in the Foundry.
When facing the forge, turn right and head up the stairs. From there, Ethan will encounter the locked door leading to Heisenberg’s Quarters, which he had previously passed by. In it, he’ll find a piece of Heisenberg’s Hammer. The other part is hidden behind a bombable wall near the generator that was used to restore power to the area.
4 Factory Zipline
Just before using Heisenberg’s Key on the door on the top level of the factory, turn around and find a break in the railing surrounding the platform. Here, drop down onto the large pipe below, and turn around and walk up to discover a small stash of treasure and ammunition.
From there, Ethan can use a zipline to travel to the other side of the room and eventually make his way back to the aforementioned door. It’s not a huge discovery, but it can be a major boon for players struggling to defeat the intimidating Sturm boss.
3 The Beneviento Grave
Before encountering Donna Beneviento in the house by the cliff, Ethan must first trek an overtly creepy trail that culminates at the site of a large, conspicuous grave. At first, there’s nothing that can be done with it, but, after defeating Donna, the player can return to the village and discover a small mausoleum near the Maiden of War statue has opened.
Inside, Ethan can find a broken piece of a grave. He can then take this back to the aforementioned Beneviento gravesite. However, this will spawn in another giant, as well as several other enemies, so it’s best to be prepared before heading in.
2 The Foundry’s Secret
Heisenberg’s Factory is rife with secrets, though players will have to use their wits to find a few of them. In the foundry, just a few rooms past the generator, fans will encounter one of Heisenberg’s drill-handed monstrosities springing from a shipping crate.
Rather than killing him, players must lead him down the nearby staircase and into the nearby room, prompting him to attack the metal sheet blocking access to the other end of the area. Once this is done, the monster can be dispatched, and the player is free to access some extremely valuable late-game loot.
1 Castle Dimitrescu Dungeon Secret
After discovering the Iron Insignia key in Castle Dimitrescu, return to the dungeon Ethan initially escapes to after first encountering one of Lady Dimitrescu’s daughters. After dealing with some Moroaicas, the player will find an unopened door bearing the Iron Insignia. Behind it is the treasure the mysterious map from the attic was attempting to point toward.
Once inside, solve a torch-lighting puzzle by blowing a hole in the nearby wall and killing some more enemies. Once this is taken care of, a nearby coffin will open, revealing the Azure Eye. This item can be made much more valuable when combined with the Silver Ring.
NEXT: Every Resident Evil Game (In Chronological Order)
