What’s up fellow gamers? Today we’re going to review Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, a game that has made us lose many hours of sleep. Some due to playing, and others due rocking ourselves in the fetal position and crying in bed.
The much-loved Resident Evil franchise has been sorely missed, as the last installment was released back in 2012. This series is one of the forefathers of the survival horror genre, and we’re happy to say it’s made its return to form with the latest release. It must be stated that this is not a reboot. Resident Evil 7 is a first person aspect game that takes place four years after the events of Resident Evil 6. Cleverly hidden clues and references to the past events are scattered throughout the game.
We take control of our protagonist Ethan Winters, a regular guy with no discernible skills or special training, just the desire find his wife Mia, who has been thought to be dead for the past three years. The game takes place in the fictitious town of Dulvey, Louisana and, as in the original installment, you come up to an old, decrepit mansion that sends chills down your spine. The look of the game and mansion are reminiscent of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, down to the murderous Baker family that lives inside.
It must be stated that this is not a reboot.
Jack, the Baker patriarch, engages in traditional battles, while his wife is more stealthy, and surprises the player with ambush encounters and jump scares. The son puts the player in elaborate traps, reminiscent of the Saw movies. But we won’t go into more detail on that, we’ll let you experience it for yourself.
As you progress through the story, you acquire a variety of weapons including a knife, chainsaw, pistols, shotguns, machine guns, and even a grenade launcher. Not to worry though, this isn’t like the last few action packed, motorcycle-jumping releases. You won’t be feeling like a bad ass for too long. True to its genre, ammo and other resources are few and far between – the trick is knowing when to use them to your advantage. This can be tricky as the game does a great job of putting you into situations that require you to burn through your supplies, such as fighting an indestructible boss or unexpectedly coming across a new enemy called the Molded, which are mobile colonies of hyper-evolved bacterium that take the form of humanoid creatures with large claws and serious dental hygiene issues. (Sorry, no zombies here.)
Puzzles and special items like keys with animal symbols and matching doors, cranks that are needed to unlock different areas, and shadow puzzles are pleasantly found here again. Although the puzzles are not hard to figure out, they are fun, familiar, and space out the game. Save points are now tape recorders instead of typewriters, and upon death in normal mode, you are respawned near your last place of save with your resources back.
Of course, for a harder challenge, you can bump up the difficulty to Madhouse Mode, where you’ll find fewer save points and death carries more punishment for the player. But don’t fret. Those who brave the more challenging modes are rewarded with infinite ammo in the next play through. (Two words, grenade launcher.)
The best part is everything that comes across your screen all flows at a smooth rate of 60 frames per second. This game is a battle of attrition. By the end, you feel worn down, but also feel a huge sense of accomplishment. And for added effect, RE7 does come in VR mode for the PS4. For the other platforms, you’re out of luck for now. But you can always turn off the lights. We dare you. We give this game a 8 out of 10. Go get it. Happy gaming.