Gamesplanet Review Round Up: Resident Evil 7 / biohzard
Giving the series a new lease of life
We'd known for a while that a new Resident Evil game was in production but last year we got our first unveil of the latest entry to the hugely successful series and it was apparent that the new title would go back to it's roots to reignite the fire that was almost burnt out. After a disappointing Resident Evil 6, the franchise was needing a change of direction and though a few titles like Resident Evil Revelations 2 had come along, it was clear the there had to be more for the series to survive and the developers have tried to tap into what made the original games a success by giving us pure horror (much like movies such as SAW, Cabin in the Woods, Friday the 13th and Texas Chainsaw Massacre).
So how has the response from the critics been on Capcom's latest Resident Evil game? Let's find out as we take a look at the reviews!
The walls are falling down, literally.
Kicking us off on our trek into the unknown is the review from PC Gamer who gave it 90 out of 100. The story in Resident Evil 7 puts you in the shoes of Ethan Winters as he searches for his missing wife Mia, as he travels to where she was last at to try to uncover her whereabouts. That's when he stumbles upon the Baker's Family house, which isn't quite empty...and may hold one or two secrets hidden deep within it's cracked walls. It’s a disgusting, rotten place—a far cry from the grand Spencer mansion—and rendered in astonishing detail. You can almost smell the mouldering food and stale, dusty air as you explore, and the building creaks and groans like a dying animal as it’s battered by the wind. As you explore this strange place though you'll quickly discover not everything is what it seems.
GameSpot have also been enjoying the reboot to the series! Resident Evil 7 adds 'VHS' Tapes to the mix which are little flashback episodes that take place before the events of the main story by various characters and can offer a change of pace to the standard story, Each one contains a playable flashback from a different character's perspective, which works beautifully as both a narrative device and a way to break up Ethan's exhausting mission. The focus on pure horror brings a fresh perspective to the series, every single nook and cranny in the house feels eerie and abandoned. On PC you can expect some top notch visuals as the game supports a wide array of PC options, with improved texture and lighting details over the console version (even at higher resolutions it can run well). They awarded it with a 9 out of 10, the different family members all have their own personalities and makes things fresh as you move from place to place.
A nice dinner with the Family.
Over at PCGamesN they gave it a 9 out of 10, as the series shifts into a first person perspective it can feel a little strange at first to get to grips with the latest Resident Evil game, but that quickly disappears as soon as you get items and a gun then it becomes familiar once more. It won't be long before you're entering doors and not knowing what the next room will bring with it, plus the new Baker Family Home has a strange vibe to the original game's mansion. It’s a small environment that you’ll spend a lot of time walking around as you unlock its secrets, back-tracking to rooms you’ve been in before numerous times. Doors lock off huge chunks of the house, and by solving puzzles you can acquire the keys required to further explore. Entering new rooms helps both further the story and arm Ethan with better weapons.
Last on the log fire is the review from The Escapist, resources are the key part of any Resident Evil title and it's not exception here. Ammo will be scare and items will be limited while you start out with a small storage that can later be upgraded to carry more items, how you take on a situation will depend entirely on your ability to manage your ammo and herbs. Maybe a certain enemy cannot be killed by traditional means, you may even be able to sneak past some to save ammo for a later fight. Resident Evil 7 is in your face, behind your back, and under your skin horror, and it features the most suspenseful, terrifying setting I've seen since the Spencer Mansion. You get a sense of actual adrenaline as you explore, hoping to stay alive! It scored an impressive 4 out of 5 stars from them.
You looking at me funny?
So it's been a well received entry to the franchise, the shift to a first person view may be a little weird at first for veterans of the series but you'll soon be enjoying it as you once did back in the original from 1996 (or 2015 if you played the HD Remaster). The Bakers are truly wackadoodles and the sooner you can make it out of that house the better, certain things happen at the start which feel a little forced and predictable - but there's still a sense of horror that has been missing from recent titles in the franchise. It's clear that Resident Evil 7 is not only a reboot for the franchise, but it's trying to do what games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Alien: Isolation have done so well - a sense of being alone with something always around each corner, waiting in the dark for you.
Since this doesn't really tie into the older games it's a great entry for newcomers and veterans alike, it's not perfect but it feels like you're in your own horror movie and that's how it should be. Additionally the puzzles may not be as a great as they were in earlier entries, which is a shame since many of us loved solving them in the original game. Whatever you do though, don't eat the food in that house at all because you'll regret it (and your stomach will probably explode).
Resident Evil 7 can be yours today, if you're brave enough to take on the horrors that await you that is!
- Standard Edition £31.99 (20% off)
- Deluxe Edition £51.99 (20% off) also includes the Season Pass
- Season Pass £19.99 (20% off)
– Craig Bishop