Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo - Compare PS5 vs. PS4 Pro Screenshots

Ever since Capcom blew our socks off with Resident Evil 7, a large cohort of gamers had been waiting for a follow-up. Since that follow-up’s announcement last June, we’ve had one PS5 exclusive demo in January 2021 and some nifty teasers that have driven expectant fans wild with anticipation. This latest Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo has only added fuel to the fire of hype.

RE8 Gameplay Demo PS5 graphics — PS5 on the right; PS4 Pro on the left all the way through

Resident Evil Village PlayStation 4 village demo — PS5 on the right; PS4 Pro on the left all the way through

Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo PS5 — As expected, shading and depth mapping create a more photorealistic quality on PS5 (left)

Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo PS4 — As expected, shading and depth mapping create a more photorealistic quality on PS5 (left)

There are a few, however, who would have preferred a new engine for the RE8 instead of what they consider a ‘last-gen’ engine. From our 8th and 9th gen. playthrough, we can say that Capcom probably didn’t need a new engine; a coat of paint seems to have gone a long way.

Gameplay Demo RE Village — PS4 Pro (right) performs admirably with longer vistas but seems flatter than PS5 (left)

RE8 demo — PS4 Pro (right) performs admirably with longer vistas but seems flatter than PS5 (left)

Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo PS4 screenshots

We’ve compared a few cross gen titles in our comparison series. We feel that the Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo displays a generational leap in most scenarios. Despite the fact that PS4 Pro is only four and a half years old and holds its own in many respects, the visual immersion squeezed from the RE Engine on PS5 is a worthy upgrade.

Solid Sixty?

Our selection of Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo screenshots were shot in the respective consoles highest fidelity modes. Our PS5 shots are with ray-tracing enabled and our PS4 Pro shots are in ‘Prioritise Resolution’ mode.

PS5 uses checkerboarding on occasion and even with RT manages to stay smooth despite dropping the frame-rate here and there. The 45 frames quoted in Capcom’s marketing material seems to be a safe minimum as the game hits 60 regularly but most hums along just below that.

RE Village Demo Greatest — Shaping up as a possible GOAT

Resident Evil is the GOAT — Shaping up as a possible GOAT

Despite running at 30 frames per second, PlayStation 4 Pro strives to keep steady or slow-moving scenes at 4K but resolution takes hits often. PS4 Pro dynamically can drop the native resolution all the way down to 1080p when the going gets tough but, to be fair, it isn’t all that noticeable. Our playthroughs for these capture sets were captured at 1080p for a like-for-like comparison. Both had HDR enabled but PS5 seems to go a lot darker when the mood calls for it.

Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo PS5 PlayStation — PS4 Pro (right) is competitive in some scenes

Game demo Resi Evil Village — PS4 Pro (right) is competitive in some scenes

RE8 Gameplay Demo village — Another PS4 Pro scene (right) that dazzles

Resident Evil 8 demo — Another PS4 Pro scene (right) that dazzles

Textures take a minor hit on occasion on PS4 Pro. While some scenes are difficult to tell apart, Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo shows some of its greatest disparities while outside. The ground, the dead trees and patches of grass seem deeper or fuller on PS5

Resident Evil Village Demo PS4 screenshots vs. PS5

What Life Remains

Outdoor scenes make up a great deal of the thirty minute playthrough so that extra immersion gets a showcase in the first of the two demos in this round of hype. The upcoming castle demo may again show off the superior texture work and the incredible depth mapping of 9th gen. consoles.

RE8 PS5 demo compare screenshots — What little vegetation that lives in *Resident Evil Village* Gameplay Demo is fuller and more realistic on PS5 (left)

Game Demo RE8 PS4 vs. PS5 — What little vegetation that lives in *Resident Evil Village* Gameplay Demo is fuller and more realistic on PS5 (left)

RE8 Demo PS5 screenshots — PS4 Pro (right) gets the detail right but the extra depth brought out by colour and contrast stands out on PS5 (left)

PlayStation 4 Pro RE8 demo — PS4 Pro (right) gets the detail right but the extra depth brought out by colour and contrast stands out on PS5 (left)

Colour and contrast also play a role in telling the two apart. The frigid atmosphere of the Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo is rife with occasions that show off the superiority of the engine running on 9th. gen hardware. PS5 is not just darker but also gentler in its colour gradients and saturation. It’s easy to appreciate the washed-out, unsaturated colour of PS5 in a game that is supposed to be incredibly grim.

Gameplay Demo textures RE8 — Splashes of more natural, muted colour heighten the realism on PS5 (left)

RE8 Village demo PS5 compare PS4 Pro — Low saturation creates a powerful sense of dread – the lower the saturation, the more dread

Resident Evil Villlage PS4 Pro — Low saturation creates a powerful sense of dread – the lower the saturation, the more dread

Have you tried the brief but excellent Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo? Do you feel that PS4 Pro holds up against the power of PS5? Has this demo convinced you to open your wallet already or are you waiting for the Castle to seal the deal? Let us know in the comments below.