Ever since unveiling their latest in the Resident Evil franchise, Capcom has something of a viral star in Resident Evil Village‘s Lady Dimitrescu and her witches – only now we’ve learned mostly naked witches appeared in the original concept for the game.
Art director on the game Tomonori Takano noted the hundred witches in the original concept were to be mostly naked (via IGN). Furthermore, the giant countess Lady Dimitrescu (pictured) and her three daughters are what that idea became once the team “brought it back to horror.”
Game director Morimasa Sato noted he wanted to take the series in new directions, and in the planning stages he encouraged the team to try out as many odd ideas as possible.
“We are not the type of team that starts with a niche idea and starts expanding on that little by little,” Sato said. “When trying out new ideas, we start by pursuing something extreme. As we progress, the idea usually starts deviating from pure horror. So in the end we have to bring the experience back to horror.”
He added, “Outside, in front of the castle, you can see bodies that have had their blood drained, looking like skinny scarecrows, and all of them are men. It’s a setting in which women are very strong.”
Lady Dimitrescu started out as the reused character model of Mia from Resident Evil 7, upon which they made her wear a dress and a hat. They hoped this would give her a ghost-like quality and make her scary, but weren’t satisfied enough. Then, they made her really tall and Lady Dimitrescu was born. The rest of the game was basically themed and built around her and her daughters.
While we’ve known Lady Dimitrescu is a staggering 9 foot and 6 inches tall, we learned today she also wears a massive 17.3 inch shoe. Takano noted her shoes, while massive, are also based on a real pair of high heels, which he scanned and resized to match her size.
You can find the full rundown (via Steam) below.
Experience survival horror like never before in the eighth major installment in the storied Resident Evil franchise – Resident Evil Village.
Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7 biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again.
FEATURES
- First-Person Action – Players will assume the role of Ethan Winters and experience every up-close battle and terrifying pursuit through a first-person perspective.
- Familiar Faces and New Foes – Chris Redfield has typically been a hero in the Resident Evil series, but his appearance in Resident Evil Village seemingly shrouds him in sinister motives. A host of new adversaries inhabiting the enigmatic village will relentlessly hunt Ethan and hinder his every move as he attempts to make sense of the new nightmare he finds himself in.
- A Living, Breathing Village – More than just a mysterious backdrop for the horrifying events that unfold in the game, the village is a character in its own right with mysteries for Ethan to uncover and terrors to escape from.
Resident Evil Village launches May 7th on Windows PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and now Google Stadia. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will support upgrades to the next generation.
