Resident Evil 4 remake demo has a secret ‘Mad Chainsaw Mode’ difficulty

Capcom put a special difficulty setting in the RE4 demo

[Update: Since writing this, players have discovered a method for manually unlocking the Mad Chainsaw Mode without relying on a random chance. You can check out the method for unlocking it in a video from 7rayD here.

The code is, while holding R1+L1 (or controller equivalent) and hovering over the Main Story menu option, hit Up Left Down Right Square Triangle Circle Cross, then hit Cross again.]

Our original story follows.

A special “Chainsaw Demo” for the Resident Evil 4 remake is out now. And if you finish the Resident Evil 4 demo and think it was a bit too easy, there’s a little extra challenge in the secret “Mad Chainsaw Mode” difficulty.

As players have been cruising through the early RE4 experience, some have been greeted with a special difficulty mode. I first saw it from the folks over at Eurogamer, but it’s been steadily making the rounds on social and more too.

The “Mad Chainsaw Mode” difficulty in the Resident Evil 4 remake demo is a special run. You only get one life, no respawns. Mad Chainsaw Mode will only be applied to that run, and if you want to run it again, you’ll have to make new attempts.

Additionally, this mode is specifically for the demo, and will not be included in the final game.

How to unlock the Mad Chainsaw Mode difficulty

The tricky part is that there is, from what I’ve seen, no discernible trigger for the Mad Chainsaw Mode. It’s an option that only appears by chance, upon starting a new run of the Resident Evil 4 demo. You don’t need to have beaten the demo, either.

It seems like the best option, if you deliberately want to play this mode, is to keep restarting the demo until it pops up. Thankfully, the loop of closing and re-opening was pretty quick. It took me probably about five or so tries.

As for the actual difficulty mode? Well, I tried it out for myself, and you can see the results below.

The Mad Chainsaw Mode ups the difficulty, making enemies take more bullets for sure. Demo players have been posting their attempts to get through it, and it seems like absolute chaos.

As if that wasn’t enough, everyone’s favorite chainsaw-wielding foe in the village may now have a flaming chainsaw? Sure, why not.

The Resident Evil 4 demo is live on Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC right now, if you want to take a crack at it.