Resident Evil Village: The Maiden demo impresses with intricate detail

I will take my earrings out and throw hands with anyone who disagrees with the fact that the Resident Evil franchise is one of the best and most influential of all time. While it was by no means the only horror franchise in the late ’90s, it is one of the longest-lasting and one that has evolved the most.

There isn’t a Resident Evil game I don’t love (I take that back, looking at you Operation Raccoon City) and the series seems to be headed in a really fresh and interesting direction. While the remakes have been pretty amazing, even Resident Evil 3, RE7 breathed new, gooey life into the series and set it on a new path. With the release of Resident Evil Village coming this May, we get our first look at gameplay with the Resident Evil Maiden demo.

I don’t think I have ever downloaded a demo so fast. I must have played the RE7 demo a dozen times and the RE2 demo once (one shot, baybeeeee) but I was the most excited for Maiden. RE Village is a huge wild card with a trailer that leaves you with a ton of questions. Did Chris kill Mia and kidnap Ethan? What time period is this castle in? Are there vampires? Are there witches? Is Redfield on the juice? Just so many questions and Resident Evil Maiden answers pretty much only one of those. Heads up because there are demo spoilers ahead.

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The demo is only about 10-17 minutes long depending on how you play it. If you are like me and look at every single thing, then you will be immersed just a bit longer.

You open your eyes deep in a gross and drippy dungeon. You are locked in but there is a note to help you escape. After some creepy crawling, you find yourself outside of the cells and looking at tools of torture. It looks like a straight-up dungeon from the Inquisition complete with masks with screws in the eyes, masks that look like pig heads and a chair that will offer some DEEP exfoliation to all of your butt parts.

There is obviously something big and mad locked up in that dungeon with you. You make your way out and to the main house, which looks like it was built by George Trevor’s sadistic ancestor. Your goal is to find your way out the back door without being seen…but by who?

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After some very classic Resident Evil key finding, you have what you need to make it out but not before some lady that straight up can turn into black moths comes and makes an evening snack out of your neck parts. You get away but are met at the door by the head vamp lady who must be part Amazon because she’s BIG. I have a theory about her, while we’re discussing her. She reminds me of a Tyrant. Maybe that is her connection to Umbrella is that she is a modified Tyrant series? Anyway, kitty lets out her claws and it’s lights out for you. That is the end of the demo and it wraps itself up nicely. It gives you an idea of graphics, basic mechanics and a taste of the storyline…but was it good?

Hell yes, it was! Resident Evil Maiden harkens to the gameplay of RE7 with a first-person perspective. Obviously, this is super early gameplay so the inventory system and mechanics were bare-bones; but, this demo is STUNNING. Between the decaying stone dungeon that is wet and dripping with the blood of their victims to the mansion that is inlaid with shining gold, hardwood and ornate sculptures, this game is going to offer a feast for the eyes.

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For everything on the Baker Plantation that was gross and gooey, this is going to be beautiful and intricate. It has a RE4 feel with the environment feeling very old European, which gives it a nostalgia that RE7 didn’t have. The gold surfaces shine as if they were just polished and when the snowy wind blows into the room, you can almost feel the chill in the air. Capcom is using the RE Engine to its full ability and you can see it. You can also hear it as the sound mixing is eerie and effective.

I have conflicting feelings about the vampire women, however. Sure, RE hasn’t always been zombies and it’s a series about changing and evolving enemies as Umbrella gets their hands on new viruses and parasites but I will say it, these vintage vamps are hotties.

First, the saucy Albert Wesker, tossing his golden locks and wearing sunglasses indoors, and now hot goth girls? I don’t think Capcom thought this one through. Regardless of if you are running away or offering your jugular to your dream girl, this game is going to be beautiful to look at. I am excited to see where the story is going to go and learn what the hell is going on with our boy Chris, what Ethan is doing in this castle and what vampires and possibly werewolves have to do with Umbrella. Play the Resident Evil Maiden demo now and preorder Resident Evil Village for when it releases May 7th, 2021.

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