Answering Your Five Big Questions

You can play the Resident Evil 7: Biohazard demo for yourself (or watch us do it if you’re feeling lazy), but the demo won’t answer all your question about the game. Here are some of the biggest details I was able to glean about the game during my hands on time.

Question One: What is the setting?
The short demo that is out now is set on a plantation in the South. This is essentially the game’s prologue. Unfortunately, we don’t know much more here. However, it’s also worth noting that the demo takes place entirely in one house, which makes it feel a little more like the original Resident Evil, so hopefully that means that the team is aiming to recapture that original RE vibe in the final game too. 

Question Two: Is it still in the same universe?
While the new game has a markedly different tone for the series it will be set within the same universe as the rest of the series. I appreciate the more earnest take on the series, and it’s nice to see Resident Evil return to its spookier roots and the more traditional survival horror gameplay. Especially after the last couple action heavy entries.

Question Three: Who is the main character?
Again, Capcom isn’t willing to talk about the main protagonist, but we do know that it’s an entirely new character for the series. However, since the game is still set inside the same RE universe, that means we could still see some returning characters like Chris or Leon pop up.

Question Four: Is this just a narrative driven game?
Obviously, we don’t know much about Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. However, I was able to confirm that the game will have combat of some kind. Amnesia: The Dark Descent helped shake up the survival horror genre when it released in 2010, and several games have tried to pull off a similar stealth-based “tour though a haunted house” style gameplay, but I don’t think that’s what we should necessarily expect from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

Question Five: Does is still feel like Resident Evil?
In short, yes. Even though the game is in first person, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard feels more like the original Resident Evil games than the last few numbered entries. You wander a closed off environment, collect items, and then use those items to unlock new areas. The final game will even feature more elaborate puzzles, which is something RE has downplayed over the years.

Conclusion: if you’re a fan of the first few Resident Evil games, and weren’t a big fan of its slow decent into a zany action series with heroes punching boulders then Resident Evil 7: Biohazard might be the game you’re looking for.

Also be sure to check out our interview with Resident Evil 7's director Koshi Nakanishi.