Five years ago,Resident Evil 7invited survival horror fans to step into the Baker’s property and discover terrors never before seen in the franchise. The game was highly praised for its shift in perspective and minimalistic approach, which brought the franchise back to its horror roots, almost entirely abandoned as theResident Eviluniverse leaned ever more on action pieces. SinceResident Evil 7, we had anew cinematic adaptation, aNetflix limited series, and even a direct game sequel, the unanimously acclaimedResident Evil Village. And while allResident Evilproducts, before and afterResident Evil 7, play with horror tropes, none is as scary as Ethan’s journey through the Baker’s residence.
For the anniversary ofResident Evil 7, we want to praise how the game created the scariest entry by putting elements that have been present since the franchise’s inception in the spotlight. First,Resident Evil 7materializes Capcom’s initial plan to make afirst-personhorror franchise. Then,Resident Evil 7rescued the “survival” nature of the original game trilogy, limiting the player’s resources and creatively reusing menaces. Thanks to that, five years later,Resident Evil 7is still the scariest the franchise ever got.
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A New Perspective
The idea of a first-personResident Evilis not as new as fans might think. Capcomintended to use the perspective in the very firstResident Eviland went as far as producing a first-person prototype that never saw the light of day. Due to the technical limitations of the PlayStation,Resident Evil’s directorShinji Mikamiopted for a fixed camera that would save a lot of resources and allow designers to create a more polished experienced. So, whileResident Evil 7’s use of a first-person perspective was initially frowned upon by fans, the new point of view was actually the logical step into bringing horror back into the franchise, an idea devised in the 1990s.
The first-person perspective immediately expands the feeling of immersion, especially in a horror game. In the franchise’s first game, it was impossible to defeat all enemies. That is also true ofResident Evil 7, and for the same reasons. The resources spread across the levels are scarce and finite. Enemies, although also limited, require a significant amount of ammo to be defeated. And since you never know for sure when you’ll find a boss that must be defeated at all costs, the optimal survival strategy is to save your best resources for later. That also means that, more than often, the best thing to do in the face of an enemy is turn around and run away. And there’s where the first-person shines.
In previousResident Evilgames, running away from the zombies allowed you to see, simultaneously, the escape route and the enemy that was chasing you. InResident Evil 7, this is no longer possible. There is no way to look back while running without turning completely towards the danger, which means that you never know how far your pursuer is in any escape. Thus, sound becomes a fundamental tool for survival since it is necessary to listen carefully to the noise of footsteps, voices, and grunts to anticipate an attack coming from behind.
Due to the perspective limitations of the first-person camera, exploration is also transformed into a careful action. Instead of running around, players need to peek over every corner, hoping never to cross paths with one of the creatures lurking around the Baker’s property. And by putting the player in Ethan’s actual shoes, the first-person perspective makes every encounter more meaningful. So, even the least threatening enemy is perceived as a real menace that’s coming right at you.
Resident Evil Villagekept the first-person perspective, leading to some beautiful horror sections – dollhouse, I’m looking at you. However, the sequel gives players much more resources, which leads to a more action-orientated experience. While this isfun on its own terms,Resident Evil 7’s atmosphere of constant danger remains unbeatable.
A New Kind of Enemy
The second reasonResident Evil 7is so scary is the Baker family, a team of grotesque monstrosities who’ll chase the player through different scenarios. Each Baker controls a different location within their house and its surroundings - and within each territory, the Bakers constantly try to find you and kill you. The idea of a recurring enemy that pursues the player is nothing new to the franchise, being first introduced in the shape of Mr. X in 1998’sResident Evil 2and then Nemesis in 1999’sResident Evil 3. Even so,Resident Evil 7perfects the mechanic.
Just like with Mr. X and Nemesis, it is possible to shoot instead of running away if a Baker finds you. With enough shots, the Baker disappears for a while or falls unconscious to the ground. However, shooting a Baker does not mean a definitive victory, but only a few moments of peace, as future encounters are sure to happen. At every moment, then, players must make a choice: less ammo and more security, or less security and more ammo. Instead of filling the screen with hordes of monsters you have to defeat,Resident Evil 7took a step back and concentrated its efforts on making every enemy meaningful. While minor creatures are still threatening Ethan’s life, these simpler enemies are confined in specific sections of the game as a challenge. On the other hand, the overall game loop is a one-on-one game of cat and mouse where players attempt to solve puzzles and find a way to escape while being pursued by supernatural menaces that have the upper hand in combat.
By choosing to focus on the main villains and give them the freedom to roam freely,Resident Evil 7offers the scariest experience in the franchise. As players, we all get numbed down to the violence after killing the same enemy hundreds of times. But having an almost-immortal threat chasing you through corridors? That’ll keep the pressure up! Even more, since these menaces know their levels like the back of their hands, while you are still trying to figure out which doors are locked.
Resident Evil Village, once more, tried to reuse the idea of recurring enemies with the Lords of the Village. However,Villagehas a different approach to its big baddies, and the cat-and-mouse feeling only shows up a couple of times in the playthrough. That meansResident Evil 7still holds its crown as the scariest game in the franchise. And considering howVillageteases a more action-focused sequel, the fifth anniversary ofResident Evil 7is the perfect occasion to celebrate the game’s unique ability to terrorize us.
