Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (Xbox One)

Good Points: Excellent graphics and sound. Intense atmosphere. Amazing location and setting. Great antagonists.Bad Points: Loses steam towards the end. Boss encounters are more annoying than exciting. Some areas can drag on.I will try to keep this as spoiler free as possible but I will be using examples from the first hour of the game to give example.Resident Evil 7 is as far from any previous game in the series as it can get without completely going off the rails (I’m looking at you Resi 6). In fact, I would argue that it is the best Resident Evil game since at least 4 or maybe even 2. It has moved back towards the survival horror aspect of the series rather than the...erm…well; let’s just say there is no boulders being punched in this one nor annoying sidekicks using up all the ammo.The game starts with our main protagonist, Ethan, whose wife went missing three years ago. Then one day unexpectedly, He receives an e-mail from her telling him to go to a plantation in Louisiana, USA. However, was it really her, or was it someone or something else?Now I will say the motivation to go is that not bad but I cannot help but think the setup is a little too cliché. He only contacts a friend to tell them where he is going but neglects to inform the police. I know it is only a game and they simply needed a way to get the player into the house alone but it just doesn’t quite sit right with me. Oh, and anybody who walks past dead animal bodies in the shape of a creepy shrine that is dripping with fresh blood, which you then have to walk under to get to the house and doesn’t turn back right there and then, you deserve everything that you get!The first thing that will be obvious from the go is the first person camera. I will admit when I first saw this in trailers I thought it was trying to copy the current trend of horror games like Outlast and PT but I personally think it works better then those. The up close and personal approach that only first person can give is used amazingly, as enemies get right into your face, bodies pop up of the water unexpectedly right in front of you for well delivered shock value. Sometimes however it can get a little too over used and I think those moments are intended for the VR version of the game. Much like how 3D movies always point something at the viewer. Maybe in VR it adds another layer of fear to the game but in 2D, it can get a little jarring. It doesn’t happen very often though so it never ruins the game.The game has also brought back some puzzle elements that the series lost along the way. The old true and tested keys are back and it really does feel fresh to see them return. They aren’t as prolific as you might think but it does echo of the series’ first three game. Certainly, what the last two games were missing.One of the more surprising factors of this game is that it is not as frightening as you might think. Certainly the game has many creepy moments and some great set pieces like the Diner Table scene but it is often more intense then terrifying. When playing on easier difficulty, the enemies move a lot slower giving you time to run and think about your next move however on a higher difficulty, they move at a much brisker pace and there is no room for error. This is absolutely the standout parts of the game. You can’t hide in lockers or under beds like you can in Outlast and your only options is to either hide behind boxes, stay as far away from the Baker’s as you can or run non stop. I will admit that the women in the wheelchair who just sits there and stares at you is unnerving every time you see her.As for the monsters in this game, there are no zombies which I did miss. There are however creepy black ink like creatures that are as dumb as can be and can be killed with a few head shots. The real monsters of the game however are the Baker family. Made up of three insane freaks who just want to kill you. Each one has their own unique personality and way they track you down. I really don’t want to spoil it but the wife and mother of the family is without a doubt the best one you will come up against. It also has bugs...I don't like bugs.One of my biggest complaints however is the game does start to drag on a little towards the end. It is hard to explain why without giving away huge spoilers but the game becomes more about guns and shooting then the first part, which is about being completely at the mercy of the Baker Family.I think it could also have benefited from being a little bit shorter in game length. However, don’t think that the game is a mix of half good and half bad, it’s not. It’s more a case of the first half of the game starts of so strong that the game can’t keep up that momentum forever.Now I couldn’t finished this review without talking about the real star of the game, the Baker’s House itself. I’ve heard many people compare it to the first game but that simply does not so it justice. I always felt the mansion in the first game was too clean, were as this one feels like an old, creepy abandoned house should with wallpaper peeling away, cobwebs and dust covering every surface and even down to little details like paint stripping from the roof. The corridors and rooms are also well designed. It forces the player to creep around 90 degree corners and slowly enter rooms with no idea what is waiting.Then there are the parts of the house that feel alive and lived in. They are cluttered with mountains of rubbish and bags of strange looking meat. I really cannot do it justice but once you have played it, you will understand and I think you will agree that it is the best part of the game.So to summarize, I think the game is great but does have its flaws. While it is not the terrifying experience, I thought it would be it is certainly the right direction for the series. If you are a fan of the series, I see no reason why you would not find this enjoyable. Oh, and do not forget to play the Mia Video tape, that really is intense!As for the achievement hunters out there, you should able to get a good amount of the first play through but a couple of them will give you a headache like only using three heath packs in one play through. I think I used that many in the first hour!Game play:-18/20Graphics:-19/20Sound:-19/20Value for Money:-15/20Replay Value:-15/20Overall:- 86/100

Despite being an avid gamer in my youth, I've not much played since. One of the standout games I enjoyed was the original Resident Evil on PlayStation. I recently bought a new console and quickly decided that I wanted that challenge again. I bought Resident Evil 7 based on this. Some of the others had apparently become more action based, which I feel would not have been faithful to the true survival horror genre, where your character's life hangs by a thread and resources sanctuaries and even environmental comprehension are scarce. Ethan Winters is an ordinary man, he is ill equipped to deal with anything approaching what he will face, the first person aspect perspective accentuates this, it increases identification and vulnerability, as well as relief at survival and enjoyment at any success or advancement. This game is a return to Survival Horror proper, it takes the protagonist out of their comfort zone from the get go. The high level vista, opening is a bit reminiscent of 'The Shining' which emphasises isolation from the start, even from quite afar. The game is about staying alive to try to help Ethan's wife Mia do the same. I felt that this hope was in vain for much of the early part of the game, which intensifies the sense of hopelessness of the situation, all who come here seem to perish. The feeling quickly takes hold that you will have to employ wit, stealth, cunning, inventiveness and, were possible and necessary, absolute force to merely continue to exist. The relief when reunited with a cured Mia is almost palpable too for anyone who engages themselves thoroughly enough in the world. It isn't over yet though. The interactive VCR segments add to the experience too. Survival horror isn't for everyone; this is a shame to those of us who enjoy it so, payoff for the patience, persistence and immersion is so fulfilling. This is a welcome return to Survival Horror, many other games I tired of as some diverged towards action horror, which is of course somewhat different. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and would highly recommend it. If you're a fan, even if not, if you can hang in there exploring every avenue to solve puzzles and win out, regardless of how, when literally everything is stacked against what can seem a mere sliver of hope at times. I'd give this one a shot, a classic return to form.