Now before I begin I just want to clarify this:
This is strictly my own opinion. If you disagree with me, more power to you. Just keep the comments civil and respectful.
!THIS IS A RE-UPLOAD OF AN ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED ON LETTERBOXD BACK IN OCTOBER 2021!
Hello and welcome back.
This is PART 7 of
SEASON OF THE EVIL!
This is it, folks. The last review of the month and boy howdy, what a ride it has been.
Capping off my Resident Evil review series, I'll be discussing the very game that officially got me into the franchise in the first place.
After the release of RE6, the majority of fans were left more than disappointed by how the final product turned out. It just seemed like barely anybody wanted to play survival-horror games anymore, let alone make them. Sure, there were some indie titles over the years like Slender and Outlast but other than that, no major developers wanted to touch the genre ever again. This is even more apparent when Konami infamously cancelled a much-anticipated entry in the Silent Hill series for whatever stupid fucking reason.
Yep, it seemed like the survival-horror genre is doomed to be brushed off as a passe fad that only hardcore internet nerds care about. But then, in 2015, a special demo was presented at E3 simply called "Kitchen" which was made to show off a brand new achievement in game visual design which would later be called the RE Engine. At first, people have been speculating on what Capcom had planned for this mysterious title. Is this a brand new IP? Is this a new Dead Rising? What? WHAT?!
And then... E3 2016 happened. To the surprise of absolutely everybody, the game was fully revealed to be the seventh(technically ninth, counting RE0 and Code: Veronica) mainline chapter in the Resident Evil series. Everybody lost their shit that day as the wishes of a million fans came true. Not only was it gonna bring the series back to it's survival-horror roots but it also spiced things up to still keep it fresh like a shift to first-person gameplay, virtual-reality support and a much darker and more sadistic style and tone. It was the game that RE purists wanted and once the game came out back in January 2017, it was a big hit. Critics and fans considered it a perfect mixture of familiar and fresh and it even managed to do very well commercially as it ranked in $394 million in sales. How awesome is that, you may ask? Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, which came out around the same time, made about $312.2 million. Roughly a close call but WOW! That means that more people were interested in playing a new survival-horror experience rather than putting up with more of Alice's horseshit escapades. SUCK IT, PAUL ANDERSON!!!
Thanks to RE7's success, it officially brought back people's faith in the franchise and since then, we were no longer ashamed to be excited for a new upcoming title whether it be a remake of a classic game or an entirely new installment.
As for me? Well, here's the thing: RE7 was the whole reason I wanted to do this event in the first place(aside from the fact that it's the franchise's 25th anniversary). Last year, when I was still trying super-hard to calm myself during lockdown, I initially wanted to experience something new. So I asked my brother if I can borrow his copy of the game for the PS4. It was the first proper game I've ever played through in this series and ever since then, I've been hooked.
Beforehand, I was a bit apprehensive to play horror games as I found them too intimidating for my liking(and no, it's not because I'm a scaredy cat), feeling that I wouldn't get on with them well the same way I wouldn't be able to get on with RPGs well(the ones that aren't South Park anyway). I mean, I've played Telltale's Walking Dead series but I was more referring to the ones that require the most skill and balls, and to be frankly honest, RE7 wasn't really the first of that kind I've played all the way through. It was the original Dead Space which I actually managed to enjoy.
So when I first popped in this title and gave it a go, it was quite the refreshing experience that I never thought I would truly get into but my god, never have I ever been so glad that I did.
So, in honor of the Halloween season, I'll be finishing off the SEASON OF THE EVIL by looking back at the game that made me a fan in the first place: Resident Evil 7.
STORY & CHARACTERIZATION:
Four years after the events of RE6, the game focuses on Ethan Winters, an average joe who is drawn to a derelict plantation in Louisiana after receiving a message from his wife, Mia, who was presumed to have died some time ago.
He then arrives at a seemingly-abandoned residence where he is soon held captive by the Bakers, a family that has been heavily corrupted by a bio-hazardous substance known as the Molded. After making a few risky escapes, Ethan finds himself looking for a way out of the house while also seeking answers as to what truly happened to Mia and when did this madness all happen.
After going way too big, bombastic and over-the-top with RE6, this entry makes the right choice of dialing shit down a notch all the while bringing back what made the series so iconic to begin with: The legit sense of dread, fear and mystery.
By going back to the survival-horror roots, the developers were given a chance to start things off fresh. We have here a bit of a smaller-scale tale that introduces a new cast of characters, new threats to encounter and new additions to the overall lore. It's an interesting and overall engaging story that keeps you guessing as the game progresses while still offering some fresh scares. Even as someone who usually complains about jump-scares, I'll admit, there were some cases here that did get a good fright out of me. It should also be worth noting that the game pays plenty of tribute to other well-known horror properties like Evil Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Saw. If you've played the game, you'll probably know what I'm talking about.
It also helps that the cast did a fine job of driving the story forward. Out of all the RE protagonists, Ethan is probably the most casual of the bunch. He's not some badass biker or a nonchalant rookie cop or even a cocky mercenary. He's just a person who's every bit as normal as you can get. A simple-living man who was unfortunately roped into a hellish situation that forces him to toughen up and push through one horrific scenario after another and man, he goes through quite some shit. On top of that, the Bakers make for solid antagonists that really put up a hell of a good fight. Each have their own unique and sickening personalities and will do anything to fuck you up if you so much as underestimate them. There's Jack, who's body can regenerate even when heavily damaged, Lucas, who has a serious obsession with deadly games and puzzles, and Marguerite, who's ability to send out vicious bugs and spew hives from her privates make her probably the freakiest of them all. Other notable characters include Zoe, the most sane member of the family who acts as your guide through the Bakers' residence, and Mia, Ethan's wife whose involvement with the Bakers get far much deeper than one would imagine. There's also occurring appearances from the Bakers' catatonic grandmother and a mysterious little girl that could be considered the cause of the Molded corruption.
As the game progresses, the mystery gets unfolded one piece of info at a time and each time you learn something new, the situation feels more hectic than it needs to be resulting in a tight horror experience that I doubt anyone is gonna forget.
GAMEPLAY & CONTROLS:
Besides bringing Resident Evil back to it's old roots, RE7 also had the bright idea of bringing back gameplay elements from the classic titles. Inventory management, non-linear exploration, puzzle-solving, ammo-conservation and even though checkpoints are around, the save rooms and item boxes also make a comeback. Hell, on the hardest difficulty mode, limited saves also return so fans should be happy with what the game offers.
On top of integrating these familiar mechanics, it also spices things up with a few fresh ones. For example, this is an entirely first-person experience as opposed to either fixed camera angles with tank controls or over-the-shoulders third-person gameplay. For the record, this isn't the first time RE translated to the FPS genre but I think everybody will agree that this was a more successful effort.
RE7 plays beautifully. Not a single jerky movement or even any buggy bullshit. The controls just feel right and every move you make corresponds wonderfully resulting in a fair and challenging experience. Every shot you take, every item you collect, it all feels like a fine-ass puzzle again. I swear, it has never been more satisfying to craft new weapons, ammo, healing items and whatnot.
Not to mention, there are special little secrets for gaining new stuff if you got a good eye for details and you can even upgrade your health and reloading speed through the use of steroids and stabilizers. Oh, and you also got these special drugs that help you locate the most well-hidden of items if you happen to get stumped on certain occasions.
In regards to the puzzles, they're just as satisfying to solve as ever. Some are simple but pretty damn neat at the same time. There's even a few times where you play through special segments via video-tapes to get a good idea of what's gonna come ahead, forcing you to put your memory to the test for later on. But be warned that if you intend on replaying this game, don't bother using your knowledge to skip certain segments and peel off some playtime because the programmers won't allow it. Believe me, I tried.
The exploration is as engaging as ever, the bosses are intense, the Molded are quite the fright to fight, it's just a bloody blast that'll keep you on the edge of your seat throughout your 6-12 hours of playtime.
If I did have one complaint about the gameplay and overall story, it's this one part after you fight Jack for a third time where you have a choice of either curing Mia or Zoe of the Molded. By saving Mia, you get the canonical ending where both her and Ethan live on to start a new life together. By saving Zoe, she ends up dying anyway despite being cured, you end up killing Mia and by the end, you have to start that new life alone. This is my only noticeable gripe with the game as far as I'm concerned as I don't even know what was the point of it. Barely anything about the gameplay or story changes and overall, such illusion of choice is just a cheap cop-out. Just stick to saving Mia for the real ending. There's no point in choosing Zoe aside from a little achievement.
But aside from that problem, the game is still a great time.
Oh, and it also should be worth mentioning that there's some extra DLC that either expands on the story like "Not a Hero" and "End of Zoe", gives you a hell of a challenge like "Ethan Must Die" or simply exists just for fun like "Jack's 55th Birthday". However, you gotta have to pay for most of it. My advice: Get the Gold Edition if you want the complete experience in one package.
PRODUCTION & VISUALS:
Being the first game to be built using the RE Engine, RE7 manages to sell the frights beautifully with, at the time, state-of-the-art graphics that really showed off how slimy, grimy, moldy(no pun intended) and overall disgusting these environments can be.
Sure, a few textures may have gotten a little muddy overtime but other than that, this game still looks amazing from a visual standpoint. The Baker Residence instantly engraves into your mind long after the game is over, the designs of the various monsters you face are equally as terrifying, this is what you call a perfect comeback for Resident Evil's glory days.
But besides the wonderful art direction, composers Akiyuki Morimoto, Miwako Chinone and Satoshi Hori upped the ante with a chilling and intense score that really gets your blood pumping for the crazy shit that's due to come your way. Oh, and who could forget that iconic rendition of "Go Tell Aunt Rhody"? I mean, c'mon!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, there is no better way to bring the franchise back to it's survival-horror roots than with Resident Evil 7.
It has an engaging story with some great scares, a solid cast of characters, chilling and fun surprises left and right and basically, it just plays very well.
It is such a enjoyable experience that I'm more than glad that this was my first RE game. Had I not mustered up the strength to try this game out, I would've never bothered to play many of the other entries and experience what this franchise has to offer. It's such an absolute gem that I honestly had a hard time choosing between this and RE1 as my favorite entry. Both are awesome games that truly embody what Resident Evil is all about but I'll always treasure RE7 as not only a great game but a solid introduction to a greater world.
And with that, the SEASON OF THE EVIL is finally over.
Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout the whole event, it's been loads of fun. I never thought I'd be able to pull off video game reviews as well as movie reviews but I'd like to think I nailed it. I had such a blast playing through these games and discussing my opinions on them, I honestly haven't had this much fun on the site for a while.
Normally, this is the part where I would end it right here and say my goodbyes but unfortunately, I can't do so without at least addressing Resident Evil 8, the latest installment in the series.
At the time I'm still touching up this article ready for publishing, I still haven't played it yet mainly because I wanted to wait until the right time when I can get my hands on it whether it be finally getting it to go along with a new console or just waiting for the price to go down for a pre-gen copy.
A little disappointing, I know, and I'm sorry if you feel that way. If possible, I could make it up to you by maybe doing a game review every once in a while.
Not too frequently though as some games take so long to finish and sometimes, certain games are a little too hard for me to finish at all. So it's all about choosing the right title that's up for a review from the likes of me and if you can accept that, I appreciate it.
That all being said though, once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read all that shit throughout October. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did pulling it off. Be sure to stick around for more content in the future and, until the next review, have a Happy Fuckin' Halloween!.
CURRENT AFTER-NOTE: A review of Resident Evil: Village will be up later this month.
This is strictly my own opinion. If you disagree with me, more power to you. Just keep the comments civil and respectful.
!THIS IS A RE-UPLOAD OF AN ARTICLE FIRST PUBLISHED ON LETTERBOXD BACK IN OCTOBER 2021!
Hello and welcome back.
This is PART 7 of
SEASON OF THE EVIL!
This is it, folks. The last review of the month and boy howdy, what a ride it has been.
Capping off my Resident Evil review series, I'll be discussing the very game that officially got me into the franchise in the first place.
After the release of RE6, the majority of fans were left more than disappointed by how the final product turned out. It just seemed like barely anybody wanted to play survival-horror games anymore, let alone make them. Sure, there were some indie titles over the years like Slender and Outlast but other than that, no major developers wanted to touch the genre ever again. This is even more apparent when Konami infamously cancelled a much-anticipated entry in the Silent Hill series for whatever stupid fucking reason.
Yep, it seemed like the survival-horror genre is doomed to be brushed off as a passe fad that only hardcore internet nerds care about. But then, in 2015, a special demo was presented at E3 simply called "Kitchen" which was made to show off a brand new achievement in game visual design which would later be called the RE Engine. At first, people have been speculating on what Capcom had planned for this mysterious title. Is this a brand new IP? Is this a new Dead Rising? What? WHAT?!
And then... E3 2016 happened. To the surprise of absolutely everybody, the game was fully revealed to be the seventh(technically ninth, counting RE0 and Code: Veronica) mainline chapter in the Resident Evil series. Everybody lost their shit that day as the wishes of a million fans came true. Not only was it gonna bring the series back to it's survival-horror roots but it also spiced things up to still keep it fresh like a shift to first-person gameplay, virtual-reality support and a much darker and more sadistic style and tone. It was the game that RE purists wanted and once the game came out back in January 2017, it was a big hit. Critics and fans considered it a perfect mixture of familiar and fresh and it even managed to do very well commercially as it ranked in $394 million in sales. How awesome is that, you may ask? Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, which came out around the same time, made about $312.2 million. Roughly a close call but WOW! That means that more people were interested in playing a new survival-horror experience rather than putting up with more of Alice's horseshit escapades. SUCK IT, PAUL ANDERSON!!!
Thanks to RE7's success, it officially brought back people's faith in the franchise and since then, we were no longer ashamed to be excited for a new upcoming title whether it be a remake of a classic game or an entirely new installment.
As for me? Well, here's the thing: RE7 was the whole reason I wanted to do this event in the first place(aside from the fact that it's the franchise's 25th anniversary). Last year, when I was still trying super-hard to calm myself during lockdown, I initially wanted to experience something new. So I asked my brother if I can borrow his copy of the game for the PS4. It was the first proper game I've ever played through in this series and ever since then, I've been hooked.
Beforehand, I was a bit apprehensive to play horror games as I found them too intimidating for my liking(and no, it's not because I'm a scaredy cat), feeling that I wouldn't get on with them well the same way I wouldn't be able to get on with RPGs well(the ones that aren't South Park anyway). I mean, I've played Telltale's Walking Dead series but I was more referring to the ones that require the most skill and balls, and to be frankly honest, RE7 wasn't really the first of that kind I've played all the way through. It was the original Dead Space which I actually managed to enjoy.
So when I first popped in this title and gave it a go, it was quite the refreshing experience that I never thought I would truly get into but my god, never have I ever been so glad that I did.
So, in honor of the Halloween season, I'll be finishing off the SEASON OF THE EVIL by looking back at the game that made me a fan in the first place: Resident Evil 7.
STORY & CHARACTERIZATION:
Four years after the events of RE6, the game focuses on Ethan Winters, an average joe who is drawn to a derelict plantation in Louisiana after receiving a message from his wife, Mia, who was presumed to have died some time ago.
He then arrives at a seemingly-abandoned residence where he is soon held captive by the Bakers, a family that has been heavily corrupted by a bio-hazardous substance known as the Molded. After making a few risky escapes, Ethan finds himself looking for a way out of the house while also seeking answers as to what truly happened to Mia and when did this madness all happen.
After going way too big, bombastic and over-the-top with RE6, this entry makes the right choice of dialing shit down a notch all the while bringing back what made the series so iconic to begin with: The legit sense of dread, fear and mystery.
By going back to the survival-horror roots, the developers were given a chance to start things off fresh. We have here a bit of a smaller-scale tale that introduces a new cast of characters, new threats to encounter and new additions to the overall lore. It's an interesting and overall engaging story that keeps you guessing as the game progresses while still offering some fresh scares. Even as someone who usually complains about jump-scares, I'll admit, there were some cases here that did get a good fright out of me. It should also be worth noting that the game pays plenty of tribute to other well-known horror properties like Evil Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Saw. If you've played the game, you'll probably know what I'm talking about.
It also helps that the cast did a fine job of driving the story forward. Out of all the RE protagonists, Ethan is probably the most casual of the bunch. He's not some badass biker or a nonchalant rookie cop or even a cocky mercenary. He's just a person who's every bit as normal as you can get. A simple-living man who was unfortunately roped into a hellish situation that forces him to toughen up and push through one horrific scenario after another and man, he goes through quite some shit. On top of that, the Bakers make for solid antagonists that really put up a hell of a good fight. Each have their own unique and sickening personalities and will do anything to fuck you up if you so much as underestimate them. There's Jack, who's body can regenerate even when heavily damaged, Lucas, who has a serious obsession with deadly games and puzzles, and Marguerite, who's ability to send out vicious bugs and spew hives from her privates make her probably the freakiest of them all. Other notable characters include Zoe, the most sane member of the family who acts as your guide through the Bakers' residence, and Mia, Ethan's wife whose involvement with the Bakers get far much deeper than one would imagine. There's also occurring appearances from the Bakers' catatonic grandmother and a mysterious little girl that could be considered the cause of the Molded corruption.
As the game progresses, the mystery gets unfolded one piece of info at a time and each time you learn something new, the situation feels more hectic than it needs to be resulting in a tight horror experience that I doubt anyone is gonna forget.
GAMEPLAY & CONTROLS:
Besides bringing Resident Evil back to it's old roots, RE7 also had the bright idea of bringing back gameplay elements from the classic titles. Inventory management, non-linear exploration, puzzle-solving, ammo-conservation and even though checkpoints are around, the save rooms and item boxes also make a comeback. Hell, on the hardest difficulty mode, limited saves also return so fans should be happy with what the game offers.
On top of integrating these familiar mechanics, it also spices things up with a few fresh ones. For example, this is an entirely first-person experience as opposed to either fixed camera angles with tank controls or over-the-shoulders third-person gameplay. For the record, this isn't the first time RE translated to the FPS genre but I think everybody will agree that this was a more successful effort.
RE7 plays beautifully. Not a single jerky movement or even any buggy bullshit. The controls just feel right and every move you make corresponds wonderfully resulting in a fair and challenging experience. Every shot you take, every item you collect, it all feels like a fine-ass puzzle again. I swear, it has never been more satisfying to craft new weapons, ammo, healing items and whatnot.
Not to mention, there are special little secrets for gaining new stuff if you got a good eye for details and you can even upgrade your health and reloading speed through the use of steroids and stabilizers. Oh, and you also got these special drugs that help you locate the most well-hidden of items if you happen to get stumped on certain occasions.
In regards to the puzzles, they're just as satisfying to solve as ever. Some are simple but pretty damn neat at the same time. There's even a few times where you play through special segments via video-tapes to get a good idea of what's gonna come ahead, forcing you to put your memory to the test for later on. But be warned that if you intend on replaying this game, don't bother using your knowledge to skip certain segments and peel off some playtime because the programmers won't allow it. Believe me, I tried.
The exploration is as engaging as ever, the bosses are intense, the Molded are quite the fright to fight, it's just a bloody blast that'll keep you on the edge of your seat throughout your 6-12 hours of playtime.
If I did have one complaint about the gameplay and overall story, it's this one part after you fight Jack for a third time where you have a choice of either curing Mia or Zoe of the Molded. By saving Mia, you get the canonical ending where both her and Ethan live on to start a new life together. By saving Zoe, she ends up dying anyway despite being cured, you end up killing Mia and by the end, you have to start that new life alone. This is my only noticeable gripe with the game as far as I'm concerned as I don't even know what was the point of it. Barely anything about the gameplay or story changes and overall, such illusion of choice is just a cheap cop-out. Just stick to saving Mia for the real ending. There's no point in choosing Zoe aside from a little achievement.
But aside from that problem, the game is still a great time.
Oh, and it also should be worth mentioning that there's some extra DLC that either expands on the story like "Not a Hero" and "End of Zoe", gives you a hell of a challenge like "Ethan Must Die" or simply exists just for fun like "Jack's 55th Birthday". However, you gotta have to pay for most of it. My advice: Get the Gold Edition if you want the complete experience in one package.
PRODUCTION & VISUALS:
Being the first game to be built using the RE Engine, RE7 manages to sell the frights beautifully with, at the time, state-of-the-art graphics that really showed off how slimy, grimy, moldy(no pun intended) and overall disgusting these environments can be.
Sure, a few textures may have gotten a little muddy overtime but other than that, this game still looks amazing from a visual standpoint. The Baker Residence instantly engraves into your mind long after the game is over, the designs of the various monsters you face are equally as terrifying, this is what you call a perfect comeback for Resident Evil's glory days.
But besides the wonderful art direction, composers Akiyuki Morimoto, Miwako Chinone and Satoshi Hori upped the ante with a chilling and intense score that really gets your blood pumping for the crazy shit that's due to come your way. Oh, and who could forget that iconic rendition of "Go Tell Aunt Rhody"? I mean, c'mon!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, there is no better way to bring the franchise back to it's survival-horror roots than with Resident Evil 7.
It has an engaging story with some great scares, a solid cast of characters, chilling and fun surprises left and right and basically, it just plays very well.
It is such a enjoyable experience that I'm more than glad that this was my first RE game. Had I not mustered up the strength to try this game out, I would've never bothered to play many of the other entries and experience what this franchise has to offer. It's such an absolute gem that I honestly had a hard time choosing between this and RE1 as my favorite entry. Both are awesome games that truly embody what Resident Evil is all about but I'll always treasure RE7 as not only a great game but a solid introduction to a greater world.
And with that, the SEASON OF THE EVIL is finally over.
Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout the whole event, it's been loads of fun. I never thought I'd be able to pull off video game reviews as well as movie reviews but I'd like to think I nailed it. I had such a blast playing through these games and discussing my opinions on them, I honestly haven't had this much fun on the site for a while.
Normally, this is the part where I would end it right here and say my goodbyes but unfortunately, I can't do so without at least addressing Resident Evil 8, the latest installment in the series.
At the time I'm still touching up this article ready for publishing, I still haven't played it yet mainly because I wanted to wait until the right time when I can get my hands on it whether it be finally getting it to go along with a new console or just waiting for the price to go down for a pre-gen copy.
A little disappointing, I know, and I'm sorry if you feel that way. If possible, I could make it up to you by maybe doing a game review every once in a while.
Not too frequently though as some games take so long to finish and sometimes, certain games are a little too hard for me to finish at all. So it's all about choosing the right title that's up for a review from the likes of me and if you can accept that, I appreciate it.
That all being said though, once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read all that shit throughout October. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did pulling it off. Be sure to stick around for more content in the future and, until the next review, have a Happy Fuckin' Halloween!.
CURRENT AFTER-NOTE: A review of Resident Evil: Village will be up later this month.