Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)

RE7: the great 'return to form'?

That tagline has never made much sense to me as someone who loves RE5 and RE6 but I get it, it's back to being 'scary', there are more puzzles, and it has more unkillable enemies. I did like the turn to Southern Gothic/Texas Chainsaw/ Night of 1000 Corpses horror, it's fresh and not something seen much in video games. I was a little disappointed in how quickly it gave that up in favour of the tried and tested 'shoot the weak points of the big oogly boogly creature quickly'. I wouldn't say the game really scared me, things are obviously abnormal and 'disturbing' but I felt no horror at the characters/creature designs, etc. Narratively, I also felt they excised the camp factor, which was disappointing because I love camp!

arbitrary thoughts:

• Mia ship section maybe best part, made me want to replay Rev 1
• Nobody considering Ethan as mould infected, mainly himself, when homeboy literally reattaches his own chopped off leg at the start
• Eveline is extremely LAME, probably my least fav main antagonist in the franchise
• The entire Zoe subplot and 'choice' lmfaoooooo what????? kind of fixed by End of Zoe but plz
• head canon that Jack boathouse is the final boss and the game ended there, Mia ship is retained as canon bonus scenario i.e., Ada RE4

PS5 Version: PS5 visual upgrade is decent I think, but ray-tracing mode made everything look jank. The best feature is the new lightning-quick load times, you die? worry not bc in abt .05 seconds you're back in the action baybee

At this point, Resident Evil, one of gaming's longest running continuous franchises, had already seen its fair share of highs and lows. For every genre defining masterpiece, there were a couple of follow-up that didn't quite hit the mark. And in 2017, after the critical failure RE6, for all intents and purposes an action game, it was time to hit that reset button again. Capcom needed to bring back what made the series great in the first place: the fear.

And bring it back they did. RE7 is immediately the most frightening game in the series, at least since the classic REmake from 2002. It's shocking to see a beloved, long running series like this take such a dramatic, crowd pleasing turn. From the very first trailer, packaged alongside a horrifying playable teaser (no doubt an idea cribbed from P.T.), it was apparent that this game was going to be a complete 180° from the direction the series had been heading in. It was dark, spooky as hell, took place in a dank, Texas Chain Saw-inspired Southern farmhouse, had almost nothing to do with the overarching RE series lore, and perhaps most shockingly of all, was a first person game. There was understandably, quite a bit of concern over whether or not this game would feel anything like a Resident Evil game. But somehow, in line with other revivals of this modern hot streak for Capcom such as Monster Hunter and Devil May Cry, RE7 is an absolute banger.

It's a back to the basics approach to survival-horror that fans of the genre hadn't gotten in over a decade. Aside from the shift to first person, everything about the game is authentically of-the-genre that the RE series pioneered in the late 90's. Wandering the eerie hallways of the Baker Estate is incredibly reminiscent of doing the same thing in the Spencer Mansion from the original game. Every object, character and creature is rendered in gruesome detail thanks to the stunning new RE Engine. And somehow, that classic gameplay of running around scared, scouring for supplies, shooting monsters, unlocking doors and solving puzzles (literally my favorite gameplay loop in video games) shines as brightly as it ever has in an RE game. Special shout-out to the PSVR version of this game, the reason I bought a VR headset and still the best thing ever released for it.

It brings me so much joy that Resident Evil has managed to reinvent itself once again, kicking off a series renaissance we are still in the midst of. Despite questionable decisions made in the past, Capcom has again shown their willingness to listen to the fans and put their best resources into this series. I applaud the hell out of them.

Resident Evil 4 is one of my all time favorite games; however, every Resident Evil game after that is lukewarm at best, trying to recapture the magic of RE4, and failing.

Resident Evil 7 returns to the roots of the RE franchise and is much more terrifying, with a bigger emphasis on horror and survival, and far less on run and gunning.

The setting and scope of the story is drastically smaller, all of it (mostly) taking place in an abandoned estate in a swamp. This tighter focus creates feelings of claustrophobia, and makes it seem like enemies are around every corner.

The ambiance and setting is what brings this game from good, to amazing. Perpetually while exploring the ruined buildings of the estate you hear creaks and groans of the old house, foot steps, whispers, and sometimes giggles, this puts the player on edge, and helps make exploring the maze like hallways a terrifying experience.

The group of antagonists are the Baker family, and each of them has a different chunk of the estate which is "theirs" that takes on their flavor.

One thing I really enjoyed was the pacing of this game. There are a lot more puzzle and exploration elements, and far, far less enemies to fight. This means every time an enemy does appear it keeps its impact and terror. However, the game brings up enemies just enough to keep the game engaging.

Mechanically, the game really shines during the boss fights, which almost all are flavorful and exciting.

The story itself is sort of mediocre at best, with some of the weird "experiments gone wrong" that seems to perpetually haunt Resident Evil, but who cares!

Overall, RE7 is the perfect game if you are looking a concise and terrifying horror game. I literally jumped out of my chair several times.

I had a an absolutely awesome time with this. It’s kind of short and a bit of a departure from the classic gameplay of the franchise, but it’s a really great game. And it’s also a really great Resident Evil game.

Although it starts off feeling like a new title in the Outlast franchise, as opposed to RE, it gradually (and very naturally) develops into something a lot more recognisable. Classic RE tropes slowly come into play and, by the end, the wider lore of the RE universe subtly lets itself become known. The development from intense tension at the beginning to almost running and gunning by the end reminded me of RE4 in a really good way.

There are so many creative sections and ideas that make their way into RE7. The boss fights are so inventive and fun. I had a blast with this.

The free DLC was a nice bit of fan service and cherry on top (though notably less impressive than the actual game). The only real complaint I have is that the remaining 3 hours or so of DLC is currently priced at NZ $38 total. For context, I brought the game new for NZ $25. Capcom should be ashamed.

Overall though, this is an amazing release. Will certainly be ranked highly for me as I start working my way through the other games.

When I played Resident Evil games, I never thought of them as terrifying. There were a couple of jumps from dogs in windows, and maybe an unsettling moment or two involving a chainsaw in 4. However, nothing prepared me for the legitimate terror of Resident Evil 7 biohazard.

biohazard takes place in a small, sinister little house (looks little, is not) in what seems like backwoods Florida (complete with gators) as you track down your missing wife. The initial moments of the game are rife with tension as you scan through documents to see what happened and are scared and maimed to within an inch of your life. Unlike most of the games, biohazard puts in a compelling narrative with jump scares that, rather than feel cheap, are constructed as remarkably effective. Even videotape cutscenes spread throughout are great in building interactive moments as you piece together the mystery of what happened.

As for mechanics, it's traditional Resident Evil with a twist on both stealth and perspective. For shooting, you'll still be featuring a knife and a variety of weapons, but be prepared to hoard supplies like it's The Last of Us. The FPS perspective also works fairly well with immersion and is a nice change from over-the-shoulder gunplay. Your enemies are also at times insanely strong and require hiding or swift maneuvering as you make your way through the corridors of the Baker House. More often than not you'll be hiding like a scared rabbit from an enemy, or flee through a horde in order to save a few extra bullets. Boss fights are a little different, as they utilize great, action-packed scenarios where you make the most of your environment such as burning spider-like foes off of walls and push body bags into bosses to open up a good window. That, and some interesting segments with and against a car inside a garage.

As for atmosphere, it goes full throttle on the horror at first but gives way to some tense and compelling action, going for grimy and slimy visuals and some of the more unsettling sound design in video games. The extra content is less scary but gives some entertaining new ways to play, whether it's puzzling your way out of a bedroom, stepping into a familiar character's shoes, or punching gators.

All this and more make Resident Evil 7 biohazard one of THE best horror games I've ever played. Professionally made and a return to form for what seemed like a stagnant series for awhile, Capcom knows how to keep a good spook kicking.

★★ stars I enjoyed this game quite a bit, but the final part - the choice - ruined it for me. I will explain why in a spoiler-free way, so don't worry if you have not played the game yet. First let me say that the choice was not necessary in any way - it is presented after you have completed more than half the game and the game mechanics have already been established, namely: you solving puzzles, using your guns, and watching some cinematic advancing the story. Still, the choice in itself isn't bad, in the last few years games with choices have grown in popularity, and Capcom probably felt it might try and add one to the game (it might have made more sense to add a few, not just one, though).

Now, not to spoil anything to anyone, I will remit myself to a movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, to explain why I hate this choice. Well, if you remember the movie, Indy was in a cave looking for the Holy Chalice to save his father, but there were lots of chalices and he had to choose one - the correct one would bring life, but the incorrect one would bring death, so the knight guarding the chalice told him. Indy got it right of course, but it was not by chance. He realized that all chalices but one were luxury items of gold. So, you see, this was a choice in which i) the relationship of choice and consequence was clear, and ii) there was a clear logic as to why one choice was right. Not so in Resident Evil. There it is random like the lottery, you get the right number by chance. Further, after Indy chose the right chalice, the knight protecting it told him that now he should be the guardian. Indy refused and later left the place. Now, let's say that was another choice. Indy could stay or leave, and he decided to stay. Only, somehow, he doesn't. We watch him say goodbye to his friend Marcus in the cave, but when Marcus arrives in America Indy is there, teaching at the university. This did not happen in the movie, but does happen in Resident Evil. Do they expect people not to notice??

To end with this little rant -it has become a rant, has it not?- the choice in RE seems like a forced addition, something that someone wanted there even if it didn't blend with the story or there was no time to make it blend. And it is an important one, or is supposed to be.

Note: I just realized I had posted this as an update, not a review. Sorry if you see this again!

Rating: 7.5/10

I'm basically a very casual fan of Resident Evil, if you can call me that. I liked the first, really liked the second and only ever watched the third. I played 5 briefly because it said it was co-op and the controls bothered me too much so I quit it.

But I like this. I'm not loving it as much as some but that comes down mostly to thinking that sometimes the drawn out puzzles detract from the horror. I know that puzzles are a staple of the genre, and sometimes--like in Silent Hill 2--I'm not bothered by it, but other times I am.

However, when they're trying real hard to spook you the game mostly works. There's a little cheese but I think that's inevitable. It sets up a great atmosphere in a home that looks lived in; I also enjoy watching the video tapes. The action is fine.

Narratively it's also fine, but I was a little let down. I don't know what I expected but at first I really wanted to know more about the Bakers, especially after seeing certain great scenes near the beginning. Once more of the plot was revealed it took a little bit of the oomph out, but I still think they were great villains.

So I can see why others give it 8+ and I think it's nice to see RE make a comeback, but it's just personal preference. I'd be lying if I said that I LOVE it.