Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a family game. Well, to be more precise, it is a game about a family, but it’s certainly not a game for the whole family. As engaging and entertaining as it is, it has the ability to curl the hairs on your neck or cause a severe case of indigestion. Resident Evil 7 is a horror fan’s dream and a nightmare for the squeamish.
After completing Resident Evil 6, Capcom decided to bring the franchise back to something that was a bit more grounded in reality and was less militaristic. What you see immediately upon entering the game is the lush Louisiana Bayou setting. It’s an excellent choice that balances beauty and horror like few other locals.
The location is not the only change in the series, as it makes a jump from the traditional 3rd person perspective to a first person perspective. This seems to ramp up the tension, especially if you are playing the game in VR.
Even though it is now in the first person, Resident Evil 7 has moved away from being predominantly action oriented, like the prior three installments, to being more adventure based. Resource management plays a huge role in the game. I cringed at every spent bullet in fear that it may be my last.
Resident Evil 7, like its predecessors, is rich in puzzles and adventure, but at no time did it seem overwhelming. You always have a clear understanding of what obstacle is ahead of you and find tips that help you along the way.
You begin the game as Ethan Winters, whose wife Mia has gone missing in Louisiana while working for the Baker family. When Ethan arrives at the Baker plantation, the horror begins. Mia is not the woman he married 3 years earlier; she is possessed by some indescribable power. Ethan is quickly captured by the Baker family in a scene reminiscent of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ethan escapes and, with some help from the Baker’s daughter, Zoe, is able to make his way back to Mia. After they are reunited, you play as Mia trying to save Ethan and uncover the truth about Eveline, the little girl at the heart of the great mystery.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is an experience that any gamer should endure. It is a ride worth taking even if it is not the type of game you would normally play. It tests the boundaries of your comfort zone in the best possible way. It is gorgeous in its gruesomeness and a great new chapter in the twentieth year of the Resident Evil franchise. Though it may not be for the whole family, I look forward to playing it with my oldest daughter–if only to see her squirm as her character has to slip behind a worm invested wall to escape or wade through a basement of sewage. So, if you are survival horror inclined, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a must for you!
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for an MSRP of $59.99.
