At theResident Evilshowcase event on January 21, Capcom revealed a ton of new information on the upcomingResident Evil 8, confirming some exciting details about the next-gen survival-horror game. During the presentation, Capcom also announced a freeResident Evil 8demo for PlayStation 5 owners to try, giving fans a small taste of what they can expect from the full game.
And it is a very small taste. TheResident Evil 8demo is primarily focused on showcasing the game’s visuals and audio, but while it’s not all that comprehensive, it’s still something franchise fans will want to check out for themselves.
Incredible Performance and Visuals
The first thing players will notice aboutResident Evil 8isn’t necessarily its impressive graphics. The Maiden demo starts players out in a dark dungeon that doesn’t have much opportunity to really show off its visuals. However, something players will notice in these early parts of the demo is how smoothResident Evil 8runs. TheResident Evil 8demo maintains 60 frames per second throughout the entire experience with zero hiccups. It runs perfectly in this small scale experience, so while the full game could very well have unforeseen issues, there’s nothing in the demo to give that impression.
Once players make their way out of the dungeon and into the castle, they will be treated to sights that really helpResident Evil 8’s visuals pop.Resident Evil 8’s lighting is jaw-dropping, giving the game a decidedly next-gen feel. Even thoughResident Evil 8is technically cross-gennow, it’s hard to see how the game could reach this level of performance on PS4 or Xbox One, so it’s no surprise the demo is a PS5 exclusive.
TheResident Evil 8Maiden demo leaves a lasting impression with its graphics, which look absolutely stunning on the PlayStation 5. But it’s not the only aspect of the game that feels next-gen.
Next-Gen Scares
TheResident Evil 8Maiden demo utilizes thePlayStation 5’s 3D audio capabilitiesto great effect. Anyone that plays through the demo without headphones is doing themselves a disservice, as Capcom has done some incredible audio work here. Sometimes players are bombarded by horrific sounds, but the scariest noises are the more subtle ones, like the sounds of footsteps in another room or one startling moment where players hear a voice say, “I’m watching you.”
TheResident Evil 8Maiden demo uses sound to create an eerie atmosphere, with some well-placed jump scares to ratchet up the tension even further. The superb audio works well with the game’s gorgeous visuals to help theResident Evil 8Maiden demo create some genuinely next-gen scares.
Mysterious Necklace
TheResident Evil 7: Beginning Hourdemo included a mysterious dummy fingerthat seemingly had no purpose. Fans spent countless hours trying to figure out what it could possibly do, though it was eventually revealed that it didn’t do anything. Eventually, Capcom released an update for theResident Evil 7: Beginning Hourdemo that gave the finger a purpose, and maybe it will do the same for a similar item in theResident 8Maiden demo.
As players explore theResident Evil 8demo, they will acquire a variety of items. These include a scrap of paper that clues them in on how to escape the dungeon, as well as a bone necklace that, like theRE7finger, doesn’t have any obvious purpose. As players spend more time playing through theResident Evil 8demo, they may very well discover something that this necklace does, but as it stands, but if it does anything, no one has figured it out yet.
Unanswered Questions
TheResident Evil 8demo does a good job of showcasing the game’s graphics as they will appear on the PlayStation 5, as well as establishing a decidedly creepy atmosphere and highlighting the villains. It also confirms that the game is going to play very similarly toResident Evil 7, which will be a good or bad thing depending on how one felt about that game. So fans ofResident Evil 7should have a lot to look forward withRE8, though there were many aspects of the gameplay that aren’t on display in the demo.
One improvement thatResident Evil 8boasts overRE7is improved combat, withEthan Wintershaving access to more firepower and now able to guard against enemy attacks. The game also features more enemy types, whereasResident Evil 7was pretty much restricted to the Baker family and the black slime creatures that stalked around their property. TheResident Evil 8demo features no combat at all, and so it’s difficult to gauge whether the more action-oriented approach will land with fans.
Resident Evil 8’s inventory systemis also not really featured in the demo. While players collect items and can look back at them, the actualResident Evil 8inventory that Ethan Winters will have access to in the full game is very similar to the one fromResident Evil 4. This means that inventory management is going to be a bigger deal in the full game, with players having to organize their inventory if they want to carry more items. A crafting system is also going to be featured through the inventory menu, with players not given any chance to experience that in the demo either.
And finally, theResident Evil 8demo doesn’t feature The Duke.The Duke is the new merchant inResident Evil 8, and it seems as though he will play a significant role in terms of progression. So with his absence and the lack of combat, it’s hard to say that theResident Evil 8demo is really indicative of what fans can expect from the final game’s gameplay. But it should still leave fans optimistic that the final game will run brilliantly and look great - on next-gen consoles, at least.
Another Demo
It could be thatResident Evilfans will have the chance to try the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game ahead of launch as well, as Capcom has said that a second demo will be released sometime this spring. With theResident Evil 8release date being May 7, it’s likely that the demo will launch at some point in late March or April. Whether it’s a retread of this demo or something completely different remains to be seen, but more information should come to light in the weeks ahead.
Hopefully the secondResident Evil 8demoshowcases aspects of the game that this demo did not, like combat and crafting. It would also be nice to see how the game performs on last-gen consoles, as some cross-gen games have been struggling. Regardless, fans will find out once the full game releases later this year.
Resident Evil 8launches May 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
