To borrow a Barry Burton line from the original Resident Evil, “Wow, what a showcase!” To all the old school fans and those who have been welcomed into the family with Resident Evil 7 biohazard, we hope you enjoyed today’s presentation.
Now that Resident Evil Showcase is a movie, there is a lot to talk about. We revealed the Resident Evil Village launch date of May 7, 2021 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, featured gameplay footage of a time-aged castle and its deranged inhabitants, highlighted a new trailer that sheds some light on the world of Resident Evil Village, revealed the round merchant known only as The Duke, and hinted at another evil person that Ethan Winters will have to deal with. And, of course, for Resident Evil’s 25th anniversary, we unveiled Resident Evil Re: Verse, an online multiplayer game featuring fan-favorite characters that will be available for free to those who purchase Resident Evil Village. We will have more on this soon.
Watch the full Resident Evil showcase.
For those of you wondering about this tall, mysterious woman who has been featured in various RE Village trailers so far… don’t worry, we see you. She is the highlight of the latest trailer, literally standing her head and shoulders above a trio of other women who also seem to call the Gothic Castle their home. The identity of the four remains shrouded in mystery, but for now, one thing we can give you is a name for everyone’s favorite towering mistress: Lady Dimitrescu. One thing we can’t give you: how she can find a hat that fits her.
The imposing Lady Dimitrescu towers over protagonist Ethan Winters.
Of course, we had another major drop to share with all of you: a standalone demo for Resident Evil Village, known as Maiden, available for download only on PlayStation 5 starting today. As Resident Evil Village producer Peter Fabiano mentioned in Resident Evil Showcase, you don’t play as Ethan Winters in this demo. Instead, you will play as a character known only as the “maiden”. Unable to fight or even block, you will be in command of this character as he attempts to escape from Dimitrescu Castle. This is a separate experience from the main game which is kind of new set in the world of RE Village.
Because of this unique approach to a demo, we asked Peter why the team decided to make a demo separate from the main game and how they were using the power of the PS5 to achieve it. So, without further ado….
The girl
We asked Peter who was the protagonist of this demo, as she is only known as “The Maiden”. As Peter explains, “Maiden is not anyone’s name, but rather symbolizes the protagonist, a girl who is trapped in Dimitrescu Castle.” Rather than playing the part of Ethan and seeing part of his story, the character in this demo is separated from the main story of Resident Evil Village. According to Peter, the story of the young girl and that of Ethan take place at different times.
“The Maiden demo does not take place during the main story of Resident Evil Village. Maiden was originally intended as a visual demo that would let you explore the interior of Dimitrescu Castle, but it has evolved to include a short story and puzzle solving. Longtime Resident Evil fans are familiar with various castles that have appeared throughout the series, so they should feel right at home in this one as well. With RE Village and Maiden taking place in the same location but not at the same time, we wondered if the two would be related in some way.
The experience
There might be some things eagle-eyed players should watch out for when wandering the castle looking for an exit, so we asked Peter if there was anything the team wanted them to notice as they explore. “Maiden is a separate demo from Resident Evil Village,” he explained. “However, this takes place in the same world as RE Village.” He even suggests that there are a few nods between the demo and the full game, the ones you will only be able to catch if you play both. “When you play Resident Evil Village, or maybe you come back to Maiden after playing the main game, you might just discover the connections they have with each other.”
We won’t spoil the fun of understanding the connections between the two games, of course, but we hope you have fun exploring both of the demo for now, and then come back with fresh eyes once the full game is released. . you can find out for yourself what these links are!
Resident Evil Village’s inventory shares some similarities with that of RE4.
Technology
Finally, we asked about the Maiden demo on PlayStation 5 and how the team has taken advantage of the technology offered by the PS5. Put simply, “you will be able to enjoy the ray tracing and 3D audio that the PS5 offers,” according to Pete. The demo is designed to take full advantage of the technology that will also be included in RE Village, so Maiden also functions as a preview of the next-gen jump for survival horror. Of course, we also had to stress Peter a bit about his comments at the RE Showcase on how artistic design and technology combine to create such a beautiful and detailed environment.
“For Maiden, or rather Resident Evil Village, we wanted to create a game with great graphics, high frame rates, and short load times that didn’t spoil the immersive experience of the game. The technology we mentioned in the showcase helped the director realize his vision of how the game is played and the art director’s vision of what he wanted the game to look like. You’ll see this reflected in both the full game and the demo in the environments, items, and character models, down to the smallest detail.
Buy, sell and upgrade your weapons with the enigmatic RE Village merchant, The Duke.
That ends for the moment; As a reminder, the Maiden demo of Resident Evil Village will be available today on PS5. You can also pre-order the game on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 through the PS Store to get an exclusive bonus mini soundtrack. Don’t have a PS5 yet? Do not worry; Resident Evil Village PS4 purchases will qualify for a digital upgrade to the PS5 version at no additional cost. * A Deluxe Edition is also available for both platforms, which will include various in-game perks reminiscent of Resident Evil 7 biohazard. This includes replacing the music in the backup room, replacing the device you record a typewriter on with a tape recorder, a “found pictures” visual filter and other fun bonuses.
For those looking for the ultimate conversation starter, a Collector’s Edition is available for both platforms at select retailers that includes all of the above, plus a Chris Redfield figure, art book, reversible fabric card, a special Collector’s Edition box and a SteelBook case. Keep an eye out for the Maiden demo and don’t forget – Resident Evil Village launches on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on May 7, 2021. The purchase of the game also includes access to the online multiplayer game Resident Evil Re: Verse .
*Offers may vary by region. Please check with your local dealer for details.
