Resident Evil 7 Review: True Horror Returns

Resident Evil is easily and arguably one of the greatest horror games ever played. I have my personal list that comes close: Silent Hill, Fatal Frame and even the unfinished, yet most memorable game to date P.T. Resident Evil takes a new spin on how gamers will experience the series as you’re more than simply welcomed to the family.

Resident Evil 7 sets in as a complete makeover for the series as the game transitions into first person rather than the traditional third-person view. Also Leon, Claire, Jill and Chris aren’t your “STARS” anymore. The story’s new spin places Ethan Winters in the hot seat as he hopes to find his wife Mia Winters who was believed to have supposedly died back in 2014.

The twist to the story is being led to Duvley, Louisiana, home of the Baker family, who also reportedly disappeared in 2014. And rather than dealing with zombies and multiple strains of the T-Virus, the mansion have plenty of clues and puzzles, a family that looks to kill you and a few creatures that will leave you terrified. Why terrified? Remember Ethan isn’t the police, nor is he properly equipped for what awaits.

As in previous Resident Evil games there are weapons, ammo and herbs to find and potentially combine with other items, however there much less than you’d expect. Every bullet matters just as much as the timing throughout each encounter with the different enemies inside the mansion. The “Molded” are one of the types which slightly favors the Tyrants from early installments. They have the ability to swing their long arms as well as bite you with their deformed teeth, others having the ability to projectile vomit on you causing immediate harm. And as stated before with items being scarce, it hard to determine the best time to use what’s in your inventory.

On the subject of inventory you’re only allowed to carry only so much at once. Luckily, and similar to the first Resident Evil, there are storage boxes that allows you to not only save items inside but access them in various locations throughout the asylum so to speak. VHS tapes are also scattered about unveiling different characters, some you’re allowed to control rather than simply watch.

Also similar to traditional Resident Evil titles there are plenty of locked and blocked off areas leaving you to find keys, valves, break boxes and other objects, find hidden passageways and more. And it all happens at a slower than normal pace thanks to not knowing what to expect behind every corner.

Visually Resident Evil is dark, eerie and hard to look at equaling out to a stunning, detailed well designed environment. The voices for each character are simply astonishing as well as they are incredibly realistic and genuine to the person they portray.

The true experience however can only be witnessed through the eyes of the PlayStation VR on PS4. Every detail comes to life as you search through every detail within this nightmare. One of the most fascinating features of the VR is being able to not only become a part of the environment, but as you lean in to objects, you draw closer than you ever to that sense of realism. Its minor setback however is during interactions like pressing a button or grabbing an item as the screens transitions to a pair of hands performing the motions, rather than a seamless transition.