We've dealt with a lot of monsters in Resident Evil games, ranging from zombies, to deranged villagers, to dogs, to fixed camera angles. Well, now you have to deal with the most frightening monster of all:
People.
…
Nah, I'm just fucking with ya...mostly!
Welcome back to the Resident Evil universe, where this time around, we take a break from our police-turned-international-hero crew we know and love and dive into something a bit more...down to Earth. I know, this is a Resident Evil game, it doesn't deal with down to Earth; which, you'd be right. It's not really known for being a restrained horror game franchise. Well, this time around, they actually dove back into the horror pool in a big way: by going back to their roots...with some new tools.
In the case for the game itself, you start off as a man named Ethan Winters, looking for his wife, Mia. (Husband looking for his wife? We've seen this play before in another game XD!) He comes up to the house in the bayou where she was baby-sitting and starts looking around. Mind you, she's been at that house for 3 years, so you can imagine how eager he is to find her. The house looks...incredibly uninviting; both from the outside and the inside. As he investigates and explores, things get really...eerie.
First and foremost, the fact that it's almost dead quiet, with very little signs of life is incredibly forboding. Secondly, there's...someone living either in the house or in the house grounds that he spots, but before he can get closer to them, they're gone. And thirdly, he finds some utterly grotesque objects around and in the house; it's shit that'd look like its something out of Blair Witch Project. When he actually finds his wife, things go from odd...to bad...to worse...to horrific. And it's not just her he has to worry about.
Oh, did I also mention that all of this happens in FIRST PERSON?!
Yes, barring light-gun shooters and extra game modes (I'm looking at you, Code Veronica), this is the series' first major foray into First-Person; and it does a pretty amazing job at it! Controls are pretty tight and responsive, which is what you'll need when you're running away from the things that you meet, be it the tenants of the home, known as the Bakers, or this game's version of “zombie”, known as the Molded. The shooting feels great in that you'll actually get to SHOOT monsters in the head, instead of aiming up and hoping for the best! And being able to look around in the first person (and examine items in 3d, which is still a thing) gives a new twist to solving puzzles. And trust me; you'll need this on some of the more deadlier ones. The game also has a sort of built-in hint system in the form of videos, that are scattered in different parts of the house; most of these are optional. While they share the lore of what has happened within the house, there's also considerable hints as for what to do when these puzzles come up. Afterward, it's up to your wits to solve them; especially considering one such tape is...well, you'll see for yourself, should you play the game :3. The overall atmosphere of the game is downright unsettling, as it truly feels like you're nigh alone in this house, with almost no-one to turn to, except for maybe one person and your wife (from time to time). There aren't that many musical moments as you're exploring the house, so you have either the sounds of your own footsteps, clocks, or...unnatural sounds to keep you company. The game does a real good job at holding it's monster cards until it's time to show them, which amps up the apprehension of moving through the house, since you don't know just what might pop up; although you may have an idea when you cross by certain...moldy branches...which is probably one of the ways to describe them. And when the monsters DO show up, they're quite effective in their arrival. Many aspects of the Resident Evil series are in full force in this game; outside of obscure and direct references to the series, classic items and game mechanics return. Herbs, EKG meters, knives, item boxes and item management, guns and more guns, horrific-and, at times, over the top-monsters, traps, convoluted mansions all make their return, and then some. I'd even argue and say that it wouldn't be a Resident Evil game without them. What it does well is really bring back the idea of survival horror, for if you're not careful, you can run out of ammo quickly, as well as healing items...at literally the worst possible moment. So item management and monster dodging (or efficient slaying: HEADSHOTS, YO!) will be your best friend as you run through this game.Though I haven't finished RE7's story, I gotta say I do find it pretty cool and, also, still pretty down to Earth compared to the story of previous RE's. Most of what Ethan does is him basically trying to survive the horrors, and his reactions to some of the things he meets range from surprise, to fear. As he goes on through the story, however, he, like other protagonists in the Resident Evil series, starts to adapt to the horrors that he sees, though he's still glad to be rid of them once he either deals with them, or avoids them outright. We get to see the effects that this game's particular virus has on the family, and how it's...changed them. They're still very coherent, and they're still...living their daily lives, but you can tell that they are changed for the worst. As you encounter them, you'll soon realize that it's changed for much...much...worse.
All in all, the game itself is a heartfelt and welcome addition to the Resident Evil series. With some legit terrifying horror moments and unsettling atmosphere, and solid gameplay, it brings me back to how I felt when playing Resident Evil 4; it's a new direction, and a vast departure from previous RE games, and yet it's done in a way that, in my honest opinion, is decidedly Resident Evil. Taking place after the madness of 6, Resident Evil 7 is a welcome addition to the series.
Highly Recommended!
--Choco (10/26/17)
Images from: http://wccftech.com, http://residentevil.wikia.com, Giphy.com, IGN.com, Youtube, Polygon.com