Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

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Alex79
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Alex79 »

KSubzero1000 wrote: August 2nd, 2018, 7:56 pm
Stanshall wrote: August 2nd, 2018, 2:49 pm really enjoying the discussion
...I think you and I might have different criteria as to what constitutes a discussion.
It's just people talking about something.
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Stanshall
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Stanshall »

Haha. OK, I'm enjoying reading the discussion! I'll get to it and get my thoughts down, though. Just as soon as I've wrestled myself away from Paladins.
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Mechner
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Mechner »

I think Resident Evil 7 is exactly what the waining series needed.

Like Resident Evil 4 changing up the series before it, Resi 7 changed it up again, returning to its horror, slow moving roots with an underpowered protagonist. All the while providing new gameplay, I think the move to first person helped hugely in making the Resident Evil Series actually scary again, all while retaining it's B Movie tongue in cheek stylings.

I knew that I would love Resident Evil 7, from the moment I sat my girlfriend down (a non gamer) to play the sublime "beginning hour" demo, she plodded through the haunted house, in absolute terror! Hiding behind a pillow with nearly every step she took!

It is also one of the best VR experiences you can have!

Resi 7 is a resounding success in my opinion and I am looking forward to where the series goes now!

3 Word Review:

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brazenhead89
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by brazenhead89 »

Resident Evil 7 isn't as interesting as 4 (which was arguably gaming's greatest dissent), but its willingness to change the genre's direction once more was very much welcome after the grim mess of 6.
Admittedly, the transformation was a little less daring this time, opting for the first-person, stealthy-sneaky horror of classics such as Amnesia or Outlast - both of which have arguably become the template for all modern horror games. And whilst RE7 didn't match the scares of those two games, its inclusion of combat threw a spanner into a genre that was fast becoming predictable, with its drawn-out buildups culminating in yet more protracted chase scenes.
In 7, your dwindling resources, coupled with some enemies who are established as being near-impervious to bullets, struck an effective balance between making you feel powerless and providing you the catharsis of a well-placed shotgun blast. Meanwhile, the low ammo count and limited inventory space brought back the tense realisation that your resources are cripplingly finite.
Throwing in some very basic (and highly unlikely) environmental puzzles, Resi 7 felt like the greatest compromise yet between the fast-paced panic of 4 and the slow, claustrophobic creep of the originals. I loved the first-person perspective, even if its similarities to other, contemporary horror games were a disappointment after 4's audacious departure.
Sadly, it's not all rosy. 7's closing chapters are the blandest not only of any Resi title, but many games I've played this generation. A trawl through grey, identikit cave complexes does not an exciting finale make, and after the vividly-realised mansion setting one can't help but wonder if either the game's budget or the developer's enthusiasm was running very dry indeed. The abandoned ship also made comparisons to Resident Evil: Revelations that I think were best avoided; not that Revelations was bad, just that 7's brand of horror was ultimately better-realised.
Ultimately, I still consider 7 great. Not up there with Remake or 4, but above the majority of Resident Evil games I've played. I hope a true sequel can provide a more consistent experience. Until then, Resident Evil 2 looks to be the Resident Evil I've always wanted, mixing the slow pace of the originals with the third-person shooting of 4, and I hope this proves the best template going forward.

3-Word Review: Similar, but different.
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Rich Uncle Skeleton
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Rich Uncle Skeleton »

Felt this was a good one to chime in on for the first time...

For me, Resident Evil 7 initially felt like a betrayal--not because of any resentment toward it's first person perspective or a longing for the block-pushing puzzles of yesteryear, but because it appeared to have ratcheted up the horror beyond the comfortable monster movie camp that the games had always seemed to have embraced. I didn't cotton to jump scares, but felt I'd be doing myself a disservice by missing out on this game entirely because of them, so I took the plunge.

What I appreciate most about Resident Evil 7 is that it doesn't waste your time. Although there is an argument to be made that the player should be able to skip the longer scripted sequences during subsequent playthroughs, I never found this to be a deal breaker, and at no point felt that the experience was padded by the busywork of shaking every door to see if it needed a diamond key or a spade. Unlike the bloated blockbuster that was RE6, this is a short game, (something I appreciate more and more as I get older), and it seems entirely comfortable with it's brevity. The narrative is guided by an ever-present sense of menace and urgency, which prevented "let's find the plot" moments from cropping up too often.

The Baker family served as a perfect centerpiece for each arc of the game--Ethan may be a forgettable milquetoast(though I maintain that no RE game has had an interesting protagonist), but Jack, Marguerite, and Lucas (and their respective haunting grounds) more than made up for it. This is a series whose creators clearly have more fun with the villains than the heroes, and RE7 is no exception. Sure, they're a hodgepodge of horror tropes, but the Bakers' voice actors seemed to be having so much fun that it didn't matter; I enjoyed every minute of flop sweat spent running from them.

As much as I cannot deny that the game's last couple chapters struggle to maintain the same energy as the first few hours, Resident Evil 7 never wore out it's welcome for me, and I as soon as the credits rolled, I dove right back into the Baker estate-a few more times, in fact! Currently, my record is about three hours--might be time to finally take a stab at Madhouse...
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matten zwei
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by matten zwei »

At first, I was very skeptic towards RE7. 1st person, no zombies, the bakers... It didn't seem like a proper Resident Evil game to me. But the again, which entry of the franchise actually did, the last 20 years?

The franchise has been turned and twisted so many times, that it is very hard to describe what the games are all about. But I might have enjoyed Resident Evil 7 more than any other entry of the franchise.

I loved how quiet RE7 was at moments, when the treebeards spawned in the corridors and wandered around. There was no score to support the drama and thrill of the sequence. They just spawned quietly and moved gently towards me, like the zombies did in the first game. Somehow it felt pleasantly unscripted, although I know it was. It felt like an environment, that also existed without my interference, instead of a scene that was set up for me.

I also found the antagonists, or whatever they turned out to be, SPOILER well crafted. I somehow felt sympathy for Jack, when he was doing donuts with his car in the garage, laughing at me while I was shooting at his face. Jack actually enjoyed getting hurt. I enjoyed getting yelled at Marguerite even though I disliked what she hided under her skirt. And Lucas' "Happy Birthday"-Song stayed in my head for days.

On the other hand, I didn't really care for the protagonists. After Mia has chased me with a chainsaw, I have had it with her and actually gave Zoe the serum, which led me to the bad ending, but fortunately, I didn't care for Ethan either.

The last third of the game felt a bit stretched, but that didn't really hurt the experience for me. I really enjoyed Resident Evil 7. Sure, it has its flaws, but these flaws are charming at times. Just like the Bakers.
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Sage + Onion Knight
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Sage + Onion Knight »

My own experience with the Resi series was pretty minimal up to this point. When I played Resident Evil 7, I think the only one I'd actually played before that was Resident Evil 5 (once on my own, and again in co-op mode with an old housemate, who got sick of me constantly running up to doors and yelling "CHRIS!" repeatedly, before quickly getting off the door when he finally came to join me). What had really excited me about it, to be honest, had been the similarities to 'P.T.' - I'd actually bought my PS4 in anticipation of 'Silent Hills', so you can imagine how much I wanted a horror game that could maybe live up to it.

It goes without saying that, in the end, 'Resi 7' is nothing like 'P.T.' or what 'Silent Hills' would have been. I was however, pleasantly surprised at what the game itself was -- satisfyingly reminiscent in the early stages of a (slightly obscure?) game that was a big part of my childhood (despite the fact that I was terrified of it) - 'Realms of the Haunting'. Like that game (and I've since learned, much more like the original 'Resident Evil'), Resi 7 carefully combines the creepy, dread-filled atmosphere of its core location with the satisfaction and excitement that comes with gradually opening it up and being able to explore.

Unfortunately, I do think the tone the game (mostly) brilliantly maintains -- balancing eeriness, "video nasty" schlock, and sardonic humour -- starts to fall under its own weight towards the end, but I think ultimately, it successfully combined the trademark silliness of 'Resident Evil' with something more serious and, some could argue, even politically relevant (to which I refer loosely to the idea of corporate exploitation breeding an intense hatefulness within the American underclass -- something which is talked about in this article: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-resident- ... it-1603503).
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by aidopotato »

I was surprised and delighted with the direction Capcom took Resident Evil in in its latest reinvention. Its referencing of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and PT could be viewed as cynical or unoriginal; I felt it injected some real menace into a series that was skewing a little to far towards farce. And also, if you're going to steal, steal from the best, right?

I also think that the moves away from the established lore and familiar characters were wise decisions. They allow the game to better express its own identity, and (especially through the use of first person perspective and a rather sketchily-drawn protagonist) allows the player to better 'inhabit' the role they are playing.

There's a strange dichotomy at play though; for my money, the game is at its strongest and most visceral in the earlier chapters, where the player is confused, preyed upon and badly underpowered. Yet it's only later, when the plot comes more clearly into focus and the player is armed to the teeth, that it really starts to feel like a Resident Evil game. Lacklustre enemies notwithstanding (lets not even mention the final boss, eh?), I really enjoyed the combat; but it's the setpieces, mood and flawless presentation I'll remember the game for.
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The Baboon Baron
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Re: 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by The Baboon Baron »

Like only the toughest of badasses, my dear mother bought me Resident Evil 7 for a Christmas Present. By this point the game had been out for a while and had been heralded as a return to form- I couldn’t wait to finally play it. I wasn’t disappointed- within the first 30 minutes I was actively bellowing with unadulterated delight at the gloriously grotesque body horror that veered from hilariously brutal to genuinely disturbing. As a horror fan, and a resi fan, I couldn’t be happier as I tore through the short campaign, merrily declaring it contender for horror game of the year.

The setting couldn’t be further from the corporate roadkill of RE6- drawing from a myriad of Hollywood horror as well as newer horror games such as Amnesia: The Dark Decent, P.T and even the creepier moments of Bioshock. RE7 pitted the protagonist against a southern gothic family of mutated monsters among the rickety shacks, murky bayou’s and imposing wet flora of the deep south. Creating a true Louisiana nightmare, you could easily lose yourself in.

The graphics and the sound design supported this setting, with thick dripping viscera and the constant hum of blood addicted mosquitoes creating a thick and cruel atmosphere. Graphically the game delivers consistently, never detracting from its main aim of scaring the knickers off the player. It looked and sounded beautiful in crummy 1080p and the VR option is whispered of in hallowed circles as the true way to get the most from the sound and graphics.

However, the game is not without its flaws. It is tonally blunt, showing its 3 Chapter arc very clearly, and lacking in all sense of subtly. The character control is janky and frustrating, conjuring up memories of Silent Hill 2 where you wonder if this is poor character control was a design feature, or because of poor design (insert Futurama Fry meme here)

Similarly, the villain and the twist of the piece were disappointing, which were clear as day from the moment you meet the antagonists. I was disappointed that they fell into the horror trope of “creepy wee girl” but by that point the game had stolen from Texas Chainsaw, House of 1000 corpses and SAW, so why not add the Grudge for good measure? A small objection from a horror nerd, but still after so many excellent ideas it was a shame that the finale proved to be so lacklustre.

But overall this is a resounding return to form. The RE series has been re-animated so many times that we’re left with just a skeleton, but those bare bones of horror, comedy, violence and camp shine through in this iteration. Most of all, it’s terrifying, so to those who are yet to sample its delights I would recommend brown trousers throughout.

3 Word review - Stapled Limb Brilliance
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Re: Our next podcast recording (8.12.18) - 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Joe81 »

Unfortunately I have not been able to finish RE7 in time for the podcast due to how utterly terrifying it is, to me. Jump scares always get me, so one can imagine how my play through has been going up to this point (currently in the barn save room). I would be remiss however if I didn't mention the most frightening boss fight I can remember.

It has been nearly a week since I fought Marguerite for the last time and I still cannot stop thinking about it. I don't think I have ever been that genuinely frightened before, video game or otherwise. The first time I entered her greenhouse and encountered her I was expecting a fight, due to all the supplies I had been finding, but I was not expecting her to just erupt out of a window, half-way up the stairs and then reach, ghoul-like with unnaturally long arms, towards me, insanely cackling the entire time.

I full-on screamed in an octave I didn't know I could reach, scaring my partner and the cat; the latter of which screeched as well and ran out of the room like she had been poked with a cattle prod. This was also at about 11:30 pm local time, so my scream also awoke our youngest daughter, who I'm sure will forever be traumatized by the sound of her father meeting his maker. I was stunned and just stared, stupidly at the television, as the boss scrambled away out of the now open window. It was soon after that I realized I had to go find her, at which point I turned off the console, telling myself never again.

Of course I went back and I plan on finishing this welcome return-to-form for Capcom and REsident Evil sometime in the near future.

Three word review:

Nearly pooed myself.
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Re: Our next podcast recording (8.12.18) - 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Nupraptor »

Superb review by Joe81!
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Re: Our next podcast recording (8.12.18) - 349: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Biohazard 7: Resident Evil)

Post by Nupraptor »

I don't do well with horror. I feel periodically drawn to it, but I get scared very easily. A few years ago, I thought I should watch a horror movie at Halloween and tried The Woman In Black with Daniel Radcliffe. I thought it would be relatively mild because it had Harry Potter in it. I had nightmares for weeks.
Fortunately, most video games aren't actually very scary. I'm a long term fan of the the Resi series, but although they carry the "survival horror" moniker, they are rarely that horrifying, even for a scaredy-cat like me. None of them have ever felt as tense as the superb "Alien: Isolation" for instance.
It's difficult to think of genuinely scary moments in the series. The "zombies at the door" jump scare in 2? The chilling closing credits to 4? The fact that a great studio like Capcom could produce a game like Resi 6?
And then Resi 7 arrived. From the first moments of the game, I was gripped by dread. The oppressive atmosphere kicks in from the start and rarely let's up.
Everything in the Baker house is decaying and rotting. A new horror seems to lurk around every corner. The Baker family themselves are the most appalling, relentless and unpleasant enemies I have ever had to face in a video game.
I had to play this in controlled bursts to avoid being overwhelmed. I dreaded making progress or stepping round a corner because it would inevitably mean that I would encounter some fresh horror or perverse abuse of the human body. Things reached a peak when I got to the greenhouse section. It was clearly the next step, but I knew that Marguerite Baker would be in there with all manner of horrors. It took a long time to work up the courage to step in.
It was worse than I expected. Creeping dread, decay, jump scares and the grotesque body horror of Marguerite's mutated form.
By the time I made it to the stage of creeping up into the attic to get the next Macguffin, I was a nervous wreck. Wait! Was that the sound of footsteps behind me?!?

The boss fights were bizarre and surreal in addition to the horror. There was at least some terrible catharsis to be found in taking a chainsaw to Jack Baker in the meat locker fight. I don't like to think about some of the attacks made by Marguerite in her boss fight. The final confrontation with Eveline was horrifyingly weird. After the battles there would be a very brief lull in the tension before it started ramping up again.
In most games, there is a sense of empowerment. As you progress, your character usually becomes more powerful and you become more adept at the controls and combat mechanics. By the time you finish, you are usually able to deal with basic enemies with ease. I never felt that with this game. The whole time I played it, I never lost the fear of the enemies and of the game world itself. Everything felt like a threat.
There is a slight drop in the tension and the quality in the final quarter of the game. After you leave the main Baker estate and arrive at the abandoned tanker, it feels a bit more like a standard Resi game rather than the series redefining horror masterpiece that the first areas represent.
I felt a compulsion to finish the game despite the nightmares, loss of sleep and rise in my blood pressure that this cost me. I think it will be a long time before I will ever feel the desire to play through again. It was a singular, amazing, but horrifying experience. I can only imagine the nerve of people who manage to play this game in VR. I wouldn't last ten seconds.
Bravo, Capcom, you reinvented survival horror.

Three word review: This is HORRIFYING.
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