The mod, which was created by @MarcosRCRE (opens in new tab) has replaced the monsters lurking in the dungeon section of the Resident Evil 8 castle demo with the famous purple dino, and it’s just as creepy to encounter him around the dark corners as it is the hooded figures originally in the game. 

Marcos isn’t just modding Barney into Resident Evil 8 though, as the 3D artist has also created mods for other Resident Evil characters and games. In the past, they’ve modified Claire Redfield’s outfit in Resident Evil 2 Remake so that she cosplays God of War’s Kratos (opens in new tab) and even implementing Pikachu as a boss fight (opens in new tab) in Resident Evil 3 Remake. 

Resident Evil 8’s demo was originally intended to only run for 24 hours on May 2, however, this has since been extended to run from May 2 – May 10. So those of you itching to try out the demo – as well as the Barney alteration – only have six more days to do so. The demo will only let you play for 60 minutes though, so you’ll need to decide whether you want to explore the village, Lady Dimitrescu’s castle, or split their time between both locations. 

Fans don’t have to wait long to play the game in its entirety, as it’s set to release on May 7, 2021. Capcom certainly hasn’t missed an opportunity to promote the game either, as they’ve hosted two Resident Evil 8 showcases in recent months, as well as providing life-sized Lady Dimitrescu cardboard cutouts to select retailers. 

Still looking for the best place to pick up your copy of Capcom’s highly anticipated game? Take a look at our Resident Evil 8 pre-order guide.

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Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz (opens in new tab), Antoine Molant, Capcom’s marketing director for the UK and EMEA regions, said that “our main ambition for this year, although there’s so much going on at the same time, is to make sure Resident Evil: Village will be the best-performing Resident Evil title, both in terms of quality as well as business.”

Those are some major boots to fill for Village, as the Resident Evil series has had an excellent few years. Both Resident Evil 7 and the Resident Evil 2 Remake were critical and commercial successes, with the former still selling a million copies every year, four years on from release. Even the Resident Evil 3 Remake, which wasn’t quite as well-received as its immediate predecessors, was another notable outing for the franchise.

Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long to see if Village can stand up to Capcom’s lofty expectations. The game is set to release in early May, which is barely six weeks away, and as well as the freshly-announced Resident Evil showcase taking place some time in April, there’ll also be a second, combat-focused demo ahead of that full release. Elsewhere, Capcom has plenty of plans when it comes to celebrating Resident Evil’s 25th anniversary this year, with Resident Evil Re:Verse on the way alongside an animated series, Infinite Darkness, set to release later on in 2021.

It should come as little surprise that Resident Evil features pretty substantially on our list of the best horror games.

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However, while most of the attention is focused on her for her looks, many might have overlooked just how much she’s telling us about what’s going on in the game.  In her brief appearance during the last the Resident Evil Village reveal she appeared seated (so… only six foot ish?) making a phone call to a mysterious Mother Miranda. While we only got a half the conversation in the brief exchange Lady Dimitrescu actually seems to give quite a lot of information away if you actually stop to listen to what she’s saying. So let’s take a look at the phone call, what she said, and what we can work out about what’s going on as a result.  

Who is the tall Resident Evil Vampire lady in Resident Evil Village? 

The tall Resident Evil Vampire lady only appears briefly during the reveal, but we now know she’s called Lady Dimitrescu. Her brief phone call to someone called Mother Miranda actually gives away a lot of information on what we can expect in the game.

This is what she says in full: 

“Mother Miranda, I regret to inform you that Ethan Winters has escaped that fool Heisenberg. …because he is in my castle and has already proven too much for my daughters to handle. When I find him… No… Yes, of course. I understand the importance of the ceremony.”

There’s actually quite a lot to unpack there, so let’s break this down piece by piece and see what it might mean. 

Who is Mother Miranda?

Clearly, Vampire Lady isn’t the big bad in Resident Evil Village if Lady Dimitrescu is reporting to someone and apologizing for letting the hero Ethan Winters escape. That means there’s a larger villain to confront in the game. Given how Resident Evil games usually work, that probably means someone more powerful and probably a lot more monstrous. 

The tall lady has a brother

In a different part of the reveal, the Vampire Lady meets Ethan for the first time and says “you escaped my little brother’s idiot games did you?” This is likely the same person she mentions in the phone call when she says Ethan has “escaped that fool Heisenberg” (potentially the person in the image above). This probably means that the Lady Dimitrescu will be a second act appearance, with the brother being the first person you have to deal with. 

The Vampire Lady might not entirely know what’s going on

At one point in the phone call, Lady Dimitrescu is interrupted and remarks “because he is in my castle and has already proven too much for my daughters”. Given that she’s just told Mother Miranda Ethan has escaped, it sounds a lot like she’s answering a question along the lines of ‘how do you know he’s escaped?’ It suggests Vampire Lady maybe wasn’t meant to deal with, or meet Ethan (yet, at least) if she’s having to prove she knows he’s escaped. A press shot for the game (above) has also revealed there are four houses, of which Lady Dimitrescu is only one: House Dimitrescu, House Heisenberg, House Moreau and House Beneviento. Mother Miranda is likely the character that rules over all of them.

The Lady having ‘daughters’ suggests she’s definitely going to turn into a monster at some point

Let’s recap that previous line again: “Because he is in my castle and has already proven too much for my daughters.” The “daughters” have to be the three women who can turn into clouds of insects. This is Resi, so it’s very unlikely that the tall lady means the women are her children in a maternal sense. Whatever weird ‘turn into flies’ abilities the smaller ladies have must have come from Vampy. The Maiden demo has confirmed she’s got some interesting abilities thanks to her growing giant sword finger blades during her brief appearance. The demo also makes it clear that the inhabitant of the castle seem to be consuming the local population, apparently by sealing them in barrels to make a literal blood wine. Given that the long, floor-length dress is clearly hiding something, I’m going to haphazard a guess those aren’t normal legs under there. Giant insect limbs maybe? 

Given the flies recall Marguerite’s abilities from Resident Evil 7, some connection there could be a strong candidate. There are other options though. Like the fly limbed C-virus infected J’avo Noga-Trchanje variant from Resident Evil 6. Or the Novistador, created from the Las Plagas in Resident Evil 4. The T-Virus-derived Drain Deimos are less likely, being basically giant mutated fleas. 

What is the ceremony? 

During her call, the Vampire Lady says she understands the “importance of the ceremony”. There’s no way of knowing what the ceremony is about at this point but there are two things that might have something to do with it. Firstly the image above. 

This was revealed when Resident Evil Village was first announced and Capcom seemed to think it gave too much away, hence the mention in the image about how “we debated whether or not to actually put it in the announcement trailer”. It doesn’t really seem to show much, apart from some sort of desiccated fetus in a bird’s nest. The image also appears repeatedly in different parts of the previous reveal trailers suggesting it’s vital to something in the game. 

Now. We know that Ethan is trying to get his daughter back and that he’s trying to get to the castle to do that. We also know that the daughter’s mother, Mia, was controlled and infected by the E-Type bioweapon mold and Eveline from Resident Evil 7. It’s also highly likely that Ethan was infected too, given that his hand was chainsawed clean off and then apparently healed perfectly after being stapled back on. That means it’s incredibly likely that their baby was born from at least one, if not two, mold infected parents, meaning she’s some sort of naturally born human-mold hybrid.

Now getting back to the baby/bird nest thing. Nests are where things grow and nurture their young and we also know there’s a character called Mother Miranda. Might she be the literal mother of the various creatures in Village, and after the pure born molded daughter of Ethan and Mia to raise into something powerful? Given that Ethan getting his daughter back is the whole ‘point’ of the game it’s likely that the ceremony is something to do with the baby.

How that might fit Chris Redfield apparently taking the baby at the start of the Resident Evil showcase isn’t clear but given that the whole point of the E-Type bioweapon is mind control, it’s possible he’s not acting of his own free will.

And one last thing I’m just going to throw out: given advanced aging was a part of the E-Type bioweapon’s ‘thing’ – Eveline aged from a 10-year-old girl to an 80-year-old woman in months – I’m laying some pretend money on the Maiden in the free demo being Ethan’s daughter. 

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Fans of past Resident Evil games will no doubt have picked up on some of the biggest callbacks, particularly all the ways Village is paying homage to Resident Evil 4. But for those of you that are new to the series (or just want a bit of a refresher), we crawled through every frame of the Resident Evil 8 showcase to unearth as many details, plot points, and new features as possible. Let’s get into it.

1. It has to be said: Resident Evil 8 is stunning

There’s a lot of gameplay details to break down from this new look at Resident Evil 8, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how freaking good it looks. It may have been confirmed that Resident Evil 8 is coming to PS4 and Xbox One during the showcase, but it’s clear that the game is going to take on new life running on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X. The lighting, in particular, looks incredible, working to capture the sublime attention to detail that runs through everything from the weapons and enemies, to Resident Evil 8’s two key settings – the gothic village and the more ornate Dimitrescu Castle. 

2. You’re on the hunt

Capcom is keeping the story a closely guarded secret, but we do know that Ethan Winters (returning from Resident Evil 7) will be trying to discern fact from fiction throughout Resident Evil 8. In all of the trailers, we’ve seen varying images that may or may not be true. Most notably, the legendary former S.T.A.R.S. operative Chris Redfield leaving Ethan for dead, killing his wife Mia, and kidnapping his young child. Is this real or an illusion? Either way, Ethan is on a mission to reclaim his daughter in Resident Evil 8 – most likely named Rose, who has been hidden away in Dimitrescu Castle, should a mission indicator we spotted in the trailer be believed. 

3. It’s a race against time

You’ll need to act quickly if you want to get your daughter back. Of the details we’ve been able to uncover, the village is under siege by an array of supernatural threats once the castle bells toll – putting you and the other citizens that live there in danger. The mention of a ceremony in dialogue and the disappearance of your daughter can be no coincidence, so it seems fairly likely that Ethan will be fighting against time to return Rose to his custody and reclaim his sanity. Oh, and fight back against a horde of awful witches who will no doubt spend the majority of the game putting you through a living hell. 

4. Introducing Lady Dimitrescu and the Witches Three

The three witches are infamous through folklore. Given the folk-horror atmosphere of Resident Evil 8, perhaps it is no surprise to see that Capcom’s interpretation of the Wayward Sisters make an appearance here. The three have the ability to transform into swarms of insects and each has distinctive ways to attack, making them a formidable threat. But they aren’t the only boss-type characters you’ll need to worry about; the three report into their mother, Lady Dimitrescu, who seems intent on playing games with us. “Ethan Winters, you escaped my little brother’s idiot gaze did you?” she proclaims, adding, “Let’s see how special you are.”

5. Resident Evil 8 may have found its Jack Baker

That idiot brother Lady Dimitrescu mentions is almost certainly named Heisenberg. If you watch the showcase clearly, you see a character confronting Ethan while wearing a cowboy hat, trench coat, and sunglasses – quite a look for the witching season. Oh yeah, and he also wields a freaking massive two-handed hammer with ease; you’ll also notice the objects around him are levitating too, indicating that he too possesses paranormal powers like the witches. Heisenberg could well be Resident Evil 8’s version of Resident Evil 7’s Jack Baker. An antagonist that you’ll meet early on (in the village, in this case) that is seemingly unstoppable, absolutely relentless, and only a taste of the hell that awaits later in the game.

6. Looks like the leaks were true!

This section right here is going to connect some dots between the leaks last year and what we saw in the showcase, so if you aren’t interested in a potential spoiler I’d skip ahead. As I wrote last year, noting that the Resident Evil 8: Village leaks suggest that the series is about to undertake a radical transformation, it was made clear that the game would have Stalker enemy types, not all that dissimilar to Nemesis or Tyrant. Those legendary villains could not be killed, only temporarily subdued to give you time to escape; that’s likely the role of the three witches, only they will also dissipate into killer insects should you temporarily defeat one of them. So if you hear a witch laughing, you better start running in the opposite direction. 

7. You have limited defense options

Resident Evil 7 introduced a Guard and Counterattack system, which appears to be expanded here in Resident Evil 8. In the 2017 release, holding L1 would prompt Ethan to raise up his arms to brace for an incoming attack, reducing damage and stagger at the cost of speed and visibility. With a variety of threats coming your way, Capcom has brought the system back for Resident Evil 8. Ethan can still block attacks, although he now has the ability to kick enemies away with a tap of L1, creating some distance between you and your assailant to give you time to reposition, reload, or run away.  

8. Aim with accuracy 

Each enemy has its own distinct way of fighting. This should ensure that encounters – from the warped humanoid creature confronting you in the village to the supernatural horrors that stalk the castle grounds – are constantly pushing you to adapt your survival strategies. You’ll have limited ways to mitigate this danger, such as the ability to shoot weapons out of enemy hands – a returning feature from Resident Evil 4. You can spot this as Ethan is fighting the hunched, hooded figures in a basement; he’s able to damage the ligaments of an enemy’s arm, forcing it to drop a longsword and forcefully lash out with its fists. 

9. Prepare for inventory Tetris

Resident Evil games have always saddled you with a limited inventory, although some changes are being made to the system seen in Resident Evil 7. Biohazard pushed you to prioritise weapons, items, and ammunition in real-time as you wrestled with the small space of your backpack. Resident Evil 8 has more in common with the Resident Evil 4 method of item management, letting you duck into the menus to play a crude game of Tetris with your equipment in an attempt to get better mileage out of the space in your briefcase. You’ll also be able to assign weapons to hotkeys on the D-Pad for easy access.

10. Use the space wisely

Ethan has more storage space than he did in Resident Evil 7, but less than Leon S. Kennedy had in Resident Evil 4. In RE7, you started with 12 item slots and could upgrade your carrying capacity by locating three hidden backpacks, each of which would grant +4 inventory space. In RE4, the Attache Case starts as a 10×6 grid with 60 available squares that can be expanded one row and column at a time by purchasing upgrades. Resident Evil 8 has a similar system, with the gameplay demo revealed a starting 9×5 grid (with 45 available item slots) in the briefcase that can be expanded later should you have the available funds to do so. 

11. Crafting is back

Resident Evil 8 features a more robust crafting system than any of its predecessors. You’ll come across a variety of resources while exploring locations in Resident Evil 8. The UI indicates that there are five types of resources that can be kept on hand, each of which can be combined to create items critical to survival. As an example, one Green Herb and one Chem Fluid can be combined to create a First Aid Med – a medicine that fully heals all wounds. You’ll also be able to forge ammunition, should you purchase the correct crafting recipes. 

12. Wield weapons with care

The switch to a first-person perspective gave us a real appreciation for the weapons of Resident Evil. The guns look incredible in Village, and if you pay close attention you’ll even notice how different lighting highlights wear, tear, and grime on the barrels of the guns. Weapons eat up a lot of space in your briefcase, so you’ll need to carry with care. The standard EM1 Handgun takes up six slots and the pump-action M1897 Shotgun consumes 10. We’ve also caught a glimpse of the new F2 Bolt-Action Rifle, which offsets its spine-tinglingly satisfying reload animation by taking up a punishing 12 item slots.

13. The Merchant is back in business

Resident Evil 8 will feature a Merchant. A popular fixture of Resident Evil 4, The Merchant is a wandering and mysterious purveyor of rare weapons, items, and other oddities to help you along in your journey. Resident Evil 8’s shopkeeper is called The Duke, running a store called The Duke’s Emporium that will open its doors to you at set points throughout the game. The Duke is a strange and larger than life character who appears to know of Ethan’s plight, commenting, “Anyone who is anyone knows of you”. Why they are helping you remains to be seen. 

14. Collect currency

Resident Evil 8 features a currency called Lei. You’ll find coins to spend by slashing at crates and windows with your trust knife, and by rummaging through Dimitrescu Castle. Once you have your hands on some cash, you’ll be able to spend it at The Duke’s Emporium. The shop is split between Supplies, Gunsmithery, and The Duke’s Purse. Decoding these sections, it appears that you’ll be able to buy weapons, ammo, and medication from Supplies. Weapon upgrades come from the Gunsmithery and The Duke’s Purse will likely let you buy and sell rare oddities that you acquire in the world

15. You can upgrade your weapons 

The Duke’s Emporium sells a number of mission-critical items and weapons – all at a high price, stranger. We spotted Resident Evil’s infamous magnum, a long-barrel pistol, a hunting knife, and two different rifles available for purchase. You’ll also be able to use Lei to buy upgrades for the weapons you already own, investing in improvements to Power, Rate of Fire, Reload Speed, and Magazine Size. You’ll also be able to buy crafting recipes to create everything from shotgun and sniper rifle ammo, to what appears to be new lockpicks. Oh, and should you acquire 10,000 Lei you’ll be able to buy Extra Baggage to increase the item slots available in your inventory.

16. The puzzles return

One of the best aspects of Resident Evil 7 was the way it integrated the series’ penchant for ridiculous brain teasers into a more grounded and rural setting – the Birthday puzzle room remains one of the best in Resi’s history – although they were far and few between. So what of Resident Evil 8? Capcom has confirmed that there will be plenty of puzzles to solve before you can move forward, and our first glimpse at them shows rotating doors and moving statues in the castle grounds – teasing a return to the style of loveable nonsense last seen in Resident Evil 2: Remake. 

17. Prepare for chaos

Resident Evil has always had a penchant for thrusting players into absurdist situations. That looks especially true here in Resident Evil 8. Not only have we seen Ethan trying to pick insects out of his skin, and him being dragged along the ground from a hook in his leg, there’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that highlights the absurdist chaos of this entire situation. There’s a brief look at a set piece in which Ethan is attempting to outrun a moving spike trap with his hands chained up in front of him. It’s big, it’s stupid, and it is classic Resident Evil. 

18. There are hidden objectives

While much of your time will be spent trying to help Ethan figure out what’s real, cut through hallucinations, find his daughter, and escape the rural fiasco he has found himself caught up in there will be optional objectives to complete. Bobbleheads are legendarily difficult to find hidden objects through Resident Evil games and it would appear that Village is replacing Resident Evil 7’s Mr. Everywhere Statuettes with wooden Goat Idols that’ll be hidden throughout the environments. Keep an ear out for the audio indicators and look out for these, unique upgrades and resources are typically the reward for finding all of them. 

19. Resident Evil 8 has a release date

We’ve known for quite some time that Village will be arriving in 2021, but Capcom has finally confirmed that the Resident Evil Village release date is set for May 7, 2021. The game will arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, as well as PS4 and Xbox One day-and-date. For those of you playing on last-gen consoles with the intention of buying a new system in the future, Capcom has confirmed that the PS4 version can be upgraded for free to the digital PS5 version, while the Xbox One version will give you free access to the game on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S through Smart Delivery. 

20. Play a demo right now

Want to play Resident Evil 8 for yourself but can’t wait until May 7, 2021? Capcom has confirmed that an exclusive PS5 demo is available right now, a playable side-story that is designed to give you a look at the world, a sense of the atmosphere, and a hint at the horrors that await in the final game. The Resident Evil Maiden demo won’t have you play as Ethan, but rather a character Capcom is referring to as the “Maiden”; it features no combat and is instead a taster designed to showcase the art direction, audio, and terrifying characters you’ll encounter throughout the world. A broader demo for other consoles will be made available later this year.

Big in 2021 is GamesRadar’s month-long celebration of the new year. Every day, we will be exploring the most anticipated games on the near horizon with brand new previews and exclusive developer interviews. 

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