Without a doubt the biggest surprise, for me, this E3 was that Capcom were ready to reveal Resident Evil 7. I was under the impression the game was a long way away from being formally revealed. Not only that, but the form in which Resident Evil 7 would take. We’d heard for years that the Japanese publisher was looking to revamp their flagship franchise, but I wasn’t really sure if they’d truly go ahead with it and in such a wildly different direction either. When Capcom first developed the PlayStation VR demo called KITCHEN, I’d never imagined this would be eventually elaborated on and turned into the next Resident Evil game.
As part of their conference, Sony revealed the brand new Resident Evil. Titled Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, it’s hard to determine exactly what the nature of the title is. Capcom insists it takes place after the events of Resident Evil 6, but this is a very different locale and a very different tone and atmosphere to the neon lit cityscape that Resident Evil 6 took place in. It’s a plantation mansion, hidden away, with sinister underpinnings. Could this be a soft reboot of sorts? We’d certainly wager so, but it’s so hard to say with so little.
So you wake up in a room and there’s a TV playing white noise and seemingly nobody else around. You’ll explore a small area of the mansion and eventually notice there are some elements of the classic Resident Evil experience here. The examination of objects, the sound objects make when you pick them up, the exploration of drawers and other nooks and crannies all feel like a Resident Evil game. There’s even an inventory – with objects that take up one space or two spaces in the demo. Could this mean a return to the stressful management of inventory? It’s yet to be seen, but so far the indication is more positive than negative.
But how does it play? Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot to go off of here. You’ll walk around the mansion inspecting objects, picking up keys and working out which items work where. It’s a simple premise and one that definitely harkens back to the classic Resident Evil games – and there’s certainly that feeling too. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the demo is when players find a videotape inside a dilapidated cupboard.
But the biggest question of all is how Resident Evil 7 seems to scare its players, and whether this jump to first person is an attempt to appeal to the new generation of streamers who appreciate jump scares over genuine psychological tension and dread. While the parallels might be superficially obvious with Konami’s “P.T.”, Resident Evil 7 feels a lot more grounded in how it presents itself. There’s no impossible spaces or winding corridors. There’s just a mansion, some ominous noises and footsteps and the appearance of an enemy or two to shock the player. There is a scare that errs on the edge of supernatural – something I’d personally like to see the series steer away from – but overall the tension is definitely there.
But there’s definitely still many questions up in the air about how much of a Resident Evil game this is. There’s an attack option on the controller layout but we’ve yet to see how combat will play into the final product as no combat appears in the demo. It’ll be incredibly disappointing if, after such a strong and grounded demo, Resident Evil 7 just deteriorates into yet another first person horror game where you run and hide from stalker based enemies.
One thing is definitely worth mentioning though – the fact that a game with as high a profile (and presumable depth and longevity) as Resident Evil is openly embracing VR is nothing but great for the burgeoning platform. And as a result, Resident Evil 7 may be one of the elusive “killer apps” for the platform if it turns out to be a quality product.
Resident Evil 7 releases in January 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The PlayStation 4 version will feature full PlayStation VR support, playable from beginning to end. You can download Resident Evil 7: The Beginning Hour for free from the PlayStation Store right now.
You can check out some screens that we capped directly from the demo in the gallery below:
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Its more like PT which I like
Nope. Where is Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield!!
its a new take i believe and more compatible for the VR
Well a return to survival horror is fantastic! A dark, tense and eerie game is long overdue for the franchise! First person though? Hmm not sure what i think about that! I will also be disappointed if there is no returning character.
Looks like their best imitation of P.T.