Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: January 24, 2017
Available On: PC, PS4 (also has VR support on the PS4), Xbox One (reviewed)
In 1996, Capcom introduced us to Resident Evil (Biohazard in Japan) and helped usher in the survival-horror genre. Exploring a large, sprawling mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City, players encountered numerous horrors, including zombies and mutant dogs. The series spawned successful sequels and several spinoff games, with things beginning to veer away from the horror aspect in 2005’s Resident Evil 4 to something a bit more action oriented. Resident Evil 5 (2009) made the transition to full blown action title, and in 2012, with Resident Evil 6, action still held sway over the franchise. Revelations and its sequel returned a bit more to the series survival-horror roots, and with the current console generation, Capcom focused on remastering the last three numbered entries first, before beginning work on the seventh numbered entry in the franchise. But does Resident Evil VII capture that old survival horror feeling?
The answer to that is a resounding “Yes!” And it does so by making a few tweaks to the existing formula.
The biggest change becomes obvious as you start playing: The perspective has changed from third person to first person. This move provides for a greater immersion as players areplaced in the shoes of Ethan, who has gone to Dulvey, Louisiana in search of his wife, Mia. Mia has gone missing in the vicinity of an old farmhouse belonging to the Baker family. But the Bakers, made up of father Jack, mother Marguerite, son Lucas, and Granny (who sits silently in a wheelchair, yet inexplicably and eerily moves about the house with apparent ease) are no ordinary backwoods redneck family. There is something very wrong with the Bakers, and it’s that mystery Ethan will have to try and solve while attempting to survive horrific attacks.
The family is brought to life through some terrific voice acting, and the stellar sound design puts you on edge as you are stalked by the Bakers. Jack is relentless and seems to rise, Terminator style, from any damage you do to him. Marguerite makes for some of the creepier moments, as you play a deadly hide-and-seek game with her. And Lucas makes you stretch your brain to solve puzzles in order to remain alive. Only daughter Zoe, who communicates for most of the game through the phone, seems a bit helpful. And Granny? She just creeps you out by showing up in various places, sometimes seeming to point out important areas to search or foreshadow something terrible.
How the Bakers came to be this way is nicely revealed across the 10 hours or so it takes to play through the game, and clues that you uncover help connect the proceedings to the overall Resident Evil universe. That connection and the reveal of the what lies behind the mystery unfolds logically and in a satisfying manner, and multiple endings make the game worth revisiting.
The gameplay is smooth, with weapons able to be mapped to the directional buttons to easily swap between them. You’ll get pistols, shotguns, a makeshift flamethrower, a grenade launcher, and a machine gun to play with, all familiar toys to longtime fans of the franchise. Healing items are made by combining series mainstay herbs and chemical packs, and you can also combine elements to make stronger ammunition as well. You’ll need to be smart with how you carry your inventory, as you have only so many slots available.
Unlike other games, if you drop an item to make room for something else, it’s gone forever. Fortunately there are chests in safe rooms that you can stash items in. These safe rooms also provide additional save points to the autosaves, and your items can be accessed from any chest throughout the game, making it an easy way to save an item for later on. It adds a nice layer of strategy, though it can be maddening to decide what to keep until you find larger packs to allow you to carry more inventory.
An easy button press takes you into your inventory, where you can move things around or combine items. Healing items can also be assigned to a directional key if you wish. You can access your inventory in the middle of combat, but know it will not pause your game, and you can be dealt damage while retrieving an item. This isn’t an issue for a majority of the game, but towards the end, when you have more than four weapons, it will come into play. There is no auto aim, so you’ll need to pick your shots carefully. Not always an easy task when multiple enemies are moving towards you.
In addition to the Bakers, you’ll also need to deal with the Molded, horrific creatures that can slap you with a far-reaching clawed hand or chomp on you with their sharp teeth. Molded only come in a few varieties, with one type being harder to shoot because of its speed and another harder to take down due to its size. There aren’t a wide variety of enemy types. Despite that, the game does deliver some effective jump scares.
At certain times, you’ll find a videotape to play in a VCR. These tapes allow you to play as other characters, and they often hold clues to upcoming areas as well as expand on the narrative. Unfortunately, the load times when playing these tapes can be quite long, as they are when you return to your game after taking any breaks. The game does give a little summary of where you’re at when you return to your game after a break, so you won’t ever be at a loss as to know where you were when playing last. The game is engrossing enough, and can be finished in a day should you be determined to do so, so losing your place shouldn’t be an issue for most players. A choice three quarters of the way through the game gives you a different ending, and there are plenty of collectibles to seek out to encourage more than one playthrough. Both endings are worthwhile to experience, and beating the game for the first time unlocks Madhouse Difficulty, which forces you to find single use cassettes to save at the cassette recorders (making it crucial to space out your saves), makes resources scarcer and more expensive, and, naturally, enemies are tougher. The game poses a decent challenge even on the easier levels of difficulty, especially since the horror factor has returned with this entry.
That horror factor really hits home with the constant sense of dread that fills every section of the game. Even when you’re not fighting for your life, there is always a prevailing sense of unease as you explore the house in search of clues and resources. That’s not to say that there aren’t some lighter moments, as the Bakers have a wicked, albeit twisted, sense of humor. Ethan’s running commentary can also be a source of amusement at times. These moments of levity help break up the intensity of the game, helping to make it more entertaining. And the game is a real treat to play, between the excellent sounds and the nice detailed environments that can raise goosebumps and make your skin crawl all on their own. The Molded are suitably frightening, and the Bakers themselves are a scary bunch in their relentlessness to track you down.
In all, Resident Evil VII is a fine return to the franchise’s survival horror roots. It provides an engrossing mystery to uncover, and forms a logical connection to the rest of the series. The characters are wonderfully brought to life with the best voice acting in the series so far. Add to that an incredible sound design, where every footstep fills you with a sense of dread, and the slimy sounds of dripping ooze make you uneasy to turn the next corner. Some may be disappointed at the limited types of enemies, though they never got boring in the 10 1/2 hours it took me for my first playthrough. The only real flaw to the game are the long loading times, which can be horrendous in spots. Otherwise, this is a near perfect horror game, with enough chills and thrills to make you want to return to the game after the credits have rolled. The fear is back in the franchise, and if this is what it builds on in the future, will be scaring and delighting gamers for a long time to come. For horror game fans and especially Resident Evil fans, this is a must play, if not a must buy. The fear is back, and it makes a welcome return for the franchise, so go ahead and dive in. Just watch what’s coming up behind you.
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