Resident Evil 7: Biohazard review: An extremely horrifying, but unforgettable experience
The Resident Evil franchise has returned to its roots with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It’s horrifying, suspenseful, but most importantly, fun.
It’s official. Resident Evil is back and Capcom has created the best game in the series since Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard has launched extremely early in 2017, and it may very well be one of the best games of the year.
Prior to playing this game, we honestly had no idea what to expect. We know that the developers promised a return to form and it was getting plenty of love based on the playable demos. But was the full build of the game going to live up to the hype?
After a disappointing entry with Resident Evil 5 and an overall bad game with 6, 7 is spectacular in every way. Usually, we scare very easily and aren’t very fond of the horror genre. However, there’s something about this game that captures you and leaves you unable to put the controller down.
First of all, this game is scary in every sense of the word. From the moment you start up the game, you can already notice the tone and mood this game is going for. The start screen is literally a door that leads into a mysterious house. If we know something about horror films, we know that if there’s some sort of house involved there’s something even worse and horrifying inside.
This game is no different. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard tells the story of a man named Ethan. After his wife, Mia, goes missing for three years, he suddenly hears from her and begins searching for to see if she’s still alive.
He arrives at a derelict plantation mansion and heads inside to begin his search. Ethan is determined to find his wife Mia, but once he’s inside, he starts second-guessing his decision and wonders if he has made a terrible mistake.
For the sake of the game, we won’t spoil any story elements, focusing strictly on gameplay and the characteristics of certain characters.
Gameplay
Most of the Resident Evil series is played from a third-person perspective. Resident Evil 7 strays away from that and switches to first-person, which makes things more suspenseful and horrifying.
For the most part, the controls are very smooth and easy to pick up. There aren’t many buttons to press other than the right trigger to shoot and certain other mechanics, such as taking medicine for health, crafting and combining items, and so on. It’s very simple.
As for the gameplay, you’re simply progressing through the game with almost no indication of what to do next. It honestly depends on what time of gamer you are. You can either rush through certain areas to test your luck and get it over with, or you can explore your surroundings and find items that are essential.
For example, gun ammo. Resident Evil is no stranger to guns. If you’ve played other games in the series, then you know that it’s smart to never waste your ammo. There are certain situations that you’ll need ammunition and if you waste it carelessly, the game will instantly become more difficult.
Our advice to you is to only use the guns wisely and only when it’s extremely necessary. You’ll also have a knife in the game which is, obviously, not as strong as a gun, but it’s useful if you use it correctly.
The only gripe we have with the guns is how hard they are to handle. In the heat of the moment, your accuracy can definitely be wonky. We aren’t sure if it’s us or the game itself, but aiming is very hard in this game.
A big part of the game is the use of puzzles. Puzzles don’t play such a huge role in this entry compared to previous ones, but they’re still in the game in some shape or form. This is where the versatility of the game kicks in.
The main gameplay aspect is to survive and escape where you’re currently trapped. However, to advance in certain cases, there are certain puzzles you must solve. Most of them are simple, though.
To give an example, there are various projectors pointing toward a portrait. On that portrait, there’s a shadow of an animal, like an eagle. You must search the house and find a certain structure that resembles that shadow on the portrait and match it accordingly. Then,a new path reveals itself.
To sum it all up, the gameplay revolves around killing enemies, solving puzzles and simply surviving. It’s your typical survival horror game, and it’s very enjoyable.
Characters
The gameplay is great, but what makes this game so interesting is the characters involved. The first character you encounter is Mia. As stated before, Mia is Ethan’s wife and once you find her, you think everything is solved and you can head home.
But everything is not what it seems, and you find out soon enough that there’s something wrong with Mia. Stuck in the house, you’ll soon encounter the Baker family, which is by far the most insane family you’ll ever meet in any game ever. These people are absolute savages, and you’ll hate them from the start.
To be more specific, we’ll talk about Jack Baker, a.k.a. Daddy. This guy simply does not die. No matter how many times you shoot him, he just keeps coming forward. Eventually, he’ll take some shots and die (not really) for a couple of minutes. But he always comes back for more.
You can set him on fire, but nothing. You can run him over with a car straight into steel beams and still no dice. This guy is practically immortal, and it’s extremely annoying and tedious.
This forces you to always watch your back because you never know when he’ll appear next. You’ll grow to hate this because of the stress you’ll develop. But we do have to say that he’s a great character. He’s menacing, brutal and terrifying, which are all perfect characteristics for a horror game.
Next we’ll talk about the creatures, The Molded. They’re are black, fungus-like beings that are very hard to kill. The first time you encounter them, they come out of nowhere and scare the crap out of you.
They aren’t necessarily harder to put down than Jack, but it’s definitely more difficult since there are more of them. They come at you in numbers and you have to keep your distance. We recommend using the shotgun, which is an absolute game changer once you get it, to blast them to bits.
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The Verdict
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard isn’t a departure from the series. It’s more of a return to form. The gameplay mechanics may be a bit different and aiming the guns can be annoyingly difficult, but it’s the game we love and remember. Although it’s extremely scary, it’s very fun to play.
The story is very interesting and will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the characters are very memorable. Overall, it’s an unforgettable journey and a pleasant surprise for gaming in 2017. An early contender for one of the best games of the year, for sure.