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Softonic review

Joe Wainer
Joe WainerUpdated 8 days ago

Resurrecting horror

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard proves that the franchise is not dead yet. And rightly so, since the mess they made of Resident Evil 5 and 6. They were trying so hard to recreate the magic of Resident Evil 4, yet all they did was add more sizzle instead of steak. 

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard is not as much of a third-person shooter, which is going to anger a lot of fans, but at least it is something new within the franchise. This premium title is the 11th installment of the game, but the seventh in the ongoing story of biological weapons

Quick plot roundup

Ethan Winters' life takes an eerie turn when he receives an unexpected message from Mia, his wife who vanished years ago. The cryptic message draws him to a derelict plantation deep in the heart of Louisiana. There, he stumbles upon Mia, only to find her alarmingly changed, now with unnatural strength. When Mia turns violent, Ethan is forced to fight back, culminating in a brutal encounter that costs him a hand.

However, Ethan's ordeal is far from over. The plantation's bizarre and hostile owner, Jack Baker, overpowers Ethan. He drags Ethan into the Baker family's twisted world and forces him to join a grotesque dinner with his captors. A mysterious serum not only reattaches Ethan's severed hand but also later saves his leg. Armed with this miraculous healing substance, Ethan manages to escape and evade his relentless pursuers.

Silent Hill 2 has had an impact on the design

Despite the franchise's brief foray into other genres, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard returns to the core idea brought out in the first game, which is survival horror. The game returns to its roots in some respects by lowering the action, heightening the suspense, making the enemy more dangerous, and leaving you with fewer supplies. You are far more vulnerable in this game.

You are not part of the military or any sort of police official, and you have no training. You are an average Joe just trying to survive. Capcom has not added a massive degree of maturity into the game, even though they promised they would, but they have taken a few style tips from the much beloved (and terrifying) Silent Hill 2, and that is a step in the right direction. 

The game is a step away from what most Resident Evil fans expect, which means less B-movie content, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. There is more scene setting, which is good, but also a little more fake/real jump scares, which is not so good. The game has a fair amount of replayability, but it loses its fear factor the more times you complete it. 

Atmospheric, gloomy, and pretty scary

The cutscenes are amazing not because they are action-packed or exciting, but because they are atmospheric and scary. The soundtrack is dark, dank, scary, and just right. They are also loaded with mystery and tension, which is something Resident Evil has been lacking for two sequels. The game hasn't felt this moody since Resident Evil 4, and it is mildly reminiscent of the first-ever installment of the franchise.

The in-game graphics are not as jaw-dropping as most fans may have hoped. However, as the HD remaster of Resident Evil 1 has proven, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard can be remade into something even better. The game is rather haunting, which is something that the Resident Evil games have lacked for a while. You could confuse some of the game environments as haunted, which makes the game all the more interesting. 

Rebooting the franchise

If any franchise knows about bringing back the dead, it is Resident Evil. If you disliked the previous two episodes of the series, give Resident Evil 7 Biohazard a chance. This title has a feel reminiscent of the first, and it may help you fall in love with the franchise all over again.  By embracing its survival-horror foundations, the series may well be signaling a strong resurgence.

PROS

  • Multiple endings are possible
  • Plenty of puzzles to keep you interested
  • Well-crafted, scary background scenes
  • Atmospheric soundtrack

CONS

  • Some of the jump scares are predictable
  • Decent model rendering graphics

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