Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

By
Adonis Monahan
9

10

0
9

10

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

In 2017, the release of Resident Evil 7 came to resuscitate the Resident Evil franchise from certain death. One of the issues of the previous installments was that they were similar to action games (there were hardly any horror elements in them), however, Resident Evil 7 provides the horror-filled experience, bringing back past elements, that players enjoyed.

Furthermore, the game excels at introducing the “First Person Shooter” genre into the franchise. With the recent ups and downs experienced by the franchise, Resident Evil 7 certainly takes the cake for its great gameplay and story.

Resident Evil 7 restores the elements that fans loved from the earlier installments, like the encompassing horror and fear that shrouds the atmosphere from the very first moment in the game, the stress-inducing explorations and puzzles, and the beautiful graphics of the environment. All of these entwine in order to bring the unique brand of horror, which is familiar to fans, back to Resident Evil.

The game might sound similar to every other horror movie: a guy losing his wife ends up searching for her in an abandoned, ruined house. The protagonist Ethan, who is looking for his wife, Mia, gets introduced to the antagonists, the Bakers, of the game in a twisted dinner.

The goal of the Baker family, who are infected with some sort of virus, is to try and incorporate Ethan and Mia into their household. The method by which they would like to accomplish this is, without a doubt, twisted. We can all see where this is going, but Resident Evil scores again, shocking players with plot twists.

The setting of the first mission does not disappoint and provides hope that the rest of the game is going to be good, something that players have been eager for. The first mission of the game is terrifying, even though it takes place in a sunny setting, without any threats insight.

However, the lack of weapons and collectibles will frustrate and increase the anxiety of the players. They will feel helpless as they cannot find guns (the previous installments usually provide handguns at the very beginning) or tools of any kind to help them overcome obstacles.

They are left on their own to find the objective, which is not clear within the first half an hour. Unease will start to build as players will have a difficult time protecting Ethan from the surrounding horror.

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/159173382433271lhduJ71GL._SL1500_.webp Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/159173382433381F8fsr6rUL._SL1500_.webp Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/159173382433591Xs4HWohXL._SL1500_.webp Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/15917338243367184GcOY5yL._SL1500_.webp Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/1591733824338A1BqbEjsw5L._SL1500_.webp Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Review

You will spend most of your time looking for ammunition, solving puzzles and opening doors, combining herbs and other materials to increase your health. Collectibles like antique coins can unlock better weapons, so usually players hoard them in their inventory.

Saving your progress within the game is not done by going back to the menu; players will have to reach certain checkpoints to be able to save. If they have made certain progress, they will need to go back to that point. Some players may find this annoying, but it only increases the difficulty of the game.

The amazing aspect of Resident Evil 7 is that certain areas cannot be opened or unlocked except later on in the game. For example, at the beginning of the game, you will find closed that will open in the following missions as the story progresses.

These special doors will not open unless you find their hidden keys, as they usually hide special weapons like a unique gun or a grenade launcher. The latter of which is very powerful against enemies like Marguerite Baker, so make sure to acquire that as soon as possible.

The game basically depends on the player’s ability to hide from the Baker family, while shooting monsters (failed experiments by the Baker family) in the basement. Ethan will have to do all that, whilst trying to find and save Mia, and killing the Baker family as they try to attack him. The challenge lies in performing all these missions/tasks with limited resources and ammunition; every shot is precious, so Ethan’s aim has to be true.

The game is different from its predecessors in the gameplay and the controls. This is the first time where first-person shooter (FPS) is utilized in Resident Evil. Yet, it still fits perfectly within the game. Similarities to previous installments are the puzzles, the herbs, the ammunition, the special locks, and the draining of bathtubs.

However, managing the inventory and the method by which a player can save the game is different. Furthermore, the shooting is enhanced compared to Resident Evil 5 and 6. Although it might be difficult at the beginning, especially to players who are not used to this genre of games, players will master headshots as they progress. The only obstacle would be shooting a moving enemy.

As mentioned previously, and like the other Resident Evil games, there are puzzles. However, the difficult ones are rare and do not pose similar challenges as the combat or hiding part of the game. Players will not find themselves mentally exhausted after solving the riddles. Developers may have been trying to strike a balance here, so for those players who are looking for challenging in puzzles, you will not find a lot of them in Resident Evil 7.

Resident Evil 7 is unlike its predecessors when it comes to the gameplay. As a matter of fact, it feels almost like a different game. However, developers chose to shock the fans at the end of the game by tying Resident Evil 7 to the rest of the franchise. So, while this ending was thrilling to the fans, the connection was not particularly necessary.

As horrifying and stress-inducing this game was, Resident Evil 7 is one of the high ranked pillars of the survival horror games. It is, by far, the best Resident Evil game.

Although developers took a great risk in trying a new formula in shaping the story of this installment, the product was certainly worth it despite having a few issues here and there, but overall, this was an excellent horror game.