October 31, 2024 19:53 PM

‘Resident Evil 7’ Review: The Franchise Returns to Form

"Resident Evil" is synonymous with the term "survival-horror" because ever since the first game in the series was released in 1996, the way people look at zombie games has never been the same since. Fans couldn't get enough of "Resident Evil" and each time a new title was released, everyone was anticipating it so much gusto.

However, things took a bit of a dive for the franchise after "Resident Evil 5" was met with polarizing reactions from fans. "Resident Evil 6" was critically derided for steering away from the gameplay elements that made the franchise popular.

Luckily for long-time fans of the franchise, "Resident Evil 7" has managed to steer it back to true form. The first three "Resident Evil" titles were known for their slow-paced and exploration-centered approach rather than their action, although they did provide some memorable boss battles. This is exactly what "Resident Evil 7" has done as Capcom seems to be trying to make the game return to its roots.

It is no longer a shooting game like the disappointing "Resident Evil 6" and being able to find weapons and other items will feel very important. Simply put, the game is really scary, especially now since players will be exploring the environment from a first-person perspective.

The story of "Resident Evil 7" will have players control newcomer Ethan Winters as he goes searching for Mia, his missing wife. He receives some clues about his wife's whereabouts and those clues lead him to the town of Dulvey, Louisiana. Here he encounters the creepy Baker family, who will become a thorn on Ethan's side throughout the game as he desperately searches for his wife.

The story is set in the Baker family's plantation, and when you add in the new first-person perspective of the game it makes exploring the plantation even scarier. Ethan's hands and arms will change in appearance as he takes more damage, and being chased around by the Baker family, who cannot be killed, only adds to the terrifying atmosphere.

Unlike the protagonists from the past "Resident Evil" titles who all had some training in handing firearms and hand-to-hand combat, the new protagonist Ethan is a simple every-man who is only looking for his wife. This makes it even more difficult to combat the various enemies that you encounter. The game's visuals look pretty amazing and provide the kind of atmosphere that you'd expect from a survival-horror game.

Per the Verge, the franchise began going on a downward slope after the success of "Resident Evil 4" as fans felt it became more of a shooting game rather than a survival-horror game. The game's return to a more puzzle solving and exploration is great news for fans, and even Kotaku has praised it saying the franchise has "found itself after decades of wandering."

Tags
Resident Evil 7, Resident evil, Capcom, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
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