Tone and tropes made Resident Evil 7 such an improvement over its predecessors. I attempt to argue that the game made important steps forward by looking back at just what made its series feel true to itself, and by allowing itself to exist within that universe made it that much better than previous games in the series.
After I finish my shopping, the gruff merchant closes his jacket and waves me off, calling 'come back anytime!' after me as I press forward, eventually coming to a haunting graveyard, the atmospherics chilling me to the bone as a crow caws as if warning me away. A thick fog descends around me and then I hear the shrill scream of an unseen female assailant, murderously gripping a kitchen knife, her eyes aglow with evil as she calls for my death. The tension could be cut with such a knife, as I hesitantly wander around my foreboding surroundings in search of the scream's origin.
Such a story, adapted from just five minutes of gameplay, tells you all you need to know about what it feels like to play Resident Evil 4; the game shifts dramatically in tone from one moment to the next, from cheesy dialogue written with one's tongue pressed firmly into his cheek, to nerve-wracking tension and dread in just those five minutes.
In a lesser game, such a disconnect between the serious and the comedic could be called 'immersion-breaking', or 'disjointed', but in Resident Evil 4, widely considered one of the best and most-influential action titles of all time, the result is decidedly flavoursome - instantly, the game fits right into its own niche and becomes something instantly memorable, ironically the disconnect between the cheese and the tension only adds to the sense of immersion in the wacky world in which the game is set.
To say that Resident Evil's universe is odd is an understatement. In this world, men with huge biceps can punch boulders, one can heal crippling wounds instantaneously by eating plants, and doors can be unlocked by playing the piano conveniently located just a few feet away. Such elements wouldn't be out of place in a comedy-adventure game like Monkey Island, but instead these are staple tropes of the flagship franchise of the survival horror genre.
The important thing about this kind of authenticity is that the developers are creating experiences in order to be 'true' to the Resident Evil 'feel'. I hesitate to use the word 'formula' in this instance, because the 'formula' of Resident Evil has been thrown out the window enough times that such a word feels nonsensical in this context. However, I think the most important part of a Resident Evil game is the commitment to the vision of a horror B-Movie. The best moments in the series come from such an approach; Leon Kennedy's quip exchange with scenery-chewing villains in the fourth installment, and even in the first installment, with its Jill Sandwiches and Masters of Unlocking. Such moments have the kind of quality of bad horror movies of old, and if nothing else, the Resident Evil series definitely holds that influence clearly over its head.
This is where Resident Evil 7 succeeded where 6 failed. While the older entry in the series tried to wow with an approach to action not unlike a Michael Bay movie, with bombast, big explosions and frantic gunfights, it had all but ditched its previous horror influences in favour of an experience that simply did not feel like it belonged in Resident Evil. The truth of this is clear in how the game was received; many thought that while it was a well-polished, functional videogame it just was not what the series needed, and I think this is because it was lacking that undeniable element universal in Resident Evil; authenticity.
In 6 there were goofy moments, certainly, but the goofiness came from the game simply trying too hard to be something bigger than it was, not from understanding where it had come from. Trying to think back to Resident Evil 6, it just did not feel as hands-down memorable as other entries in the series; at least 5 had boulder-punching, after all. There simply wasn't a singular sense of feeling in the game; the adventure offered was set in a wide variety of locales, but none were allowed to stick, to show off how and why the atmosphere was creepy. It's telling that my favourite location in the game was also the one that seemed closest to a scene in Resident Evil 4; the scene in the church in Leon's campaign. The atmosphere became grim and the design of the levels at this point were excellent and felt truly in the style of the series. It is only a shame that the game was not confident enough in this vision.
However, 7 succeeded in all the areas where its predecessor fell flat. Right from the start there was an excellent sense of place; the swampy, ramshackle map where the game is set just bleeds atmosphere and feels strongly like approaching the village of Resident Evil 4. Particular attention is paid to the environment, which is dilapidated, dirty and broken, perfect for a horror setting.
Then the rest of the game's character set in; when compared with the over-the-top action of Resident Evil 6, 7 feels claustrophobic, slow and plodding. The difference is like night and day, especially as day turns to night in the game and you are acquainted with the Baker family; a group of people torn from all the negative stereotypes of the South of the USA. Much like the great villains of 4, Salazar and Saddler, the Bakers, Jack, Marguerite, and Lucas, are allowed to chew the scenery to their heart's content; their overacting adding to the general sense of unease and terror surrounding them. Even just looking at the characters there is something off-putting about them, a design decision that is almost certainly deliberate.
The storyline of the game shows that the developers understand where Resident Evil is at its best; aping and translating B-Movie horror tropes into videogame form with a sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-terrifying sense of character for added effect. Influences from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hallowe'en, Evil Dead et al. are clear from the outset. Jack Baker, in particular, apes a perfect horror movie villain; overacting in a way that is almost comical in his every movement, but then when he is threateningly bearing down on you there is a massive sense of panic that will certainly get your heart beating faster. The disconnect is meticulously paced, showing far more refinement than even the scene described in the first paragraph. It is undeniable that a sense of authenticity, the 'feel' of Resident Evil, has returned triumphant in this game.
Special honours go to Lucas, whose conversations with the player are a great send-up to the sharp radio dialogue between Leon and Salazar in Resident Evil 4, the villain allowed to go all-out in how much of an asshole he is, and the protagonist simply trying to make quips and one-liners as the 'straight-man' in all of this insanity. For this reason, I think Lucas' dialogue perfectly fits the tone of the game, and demonstrates the singular commitment to the vision of Resident Evil 7.
While I can get away with simply saying that Resident Evil 7 was excellent because of its commitment to horror, I believe that when you look deeper into what has changed between this game and its immediate predecessor is its commitment to Resident Evil, the series and the tropes associated with it. While 6 tried to evolve the series into something new, 7 looked precisely at what the series was, and through its tone, authenticity of character, embracing its B-Movie tropes, and allowing its world to exist in its totally-illogical way, perfectly recreated an experience that is truly, genuinely Resident Evil.
The reason for the series' wackiness is, in my opinion, all about authenticity. In creating such ubiquitous insanity, Resident Evil has crafted its very own niche and offers deep, albeit nonsensical immersion into an experience that is truly its own. It creates its own rules and sticks to them, even if the rules don't make much sense. This wackiness gives the series a definitive 'flavour', such that if you pick up and play any game you can instantly recognise that you are playing a Resident Evil game.
The important thing about this kind of authenticity is that the developers are creating experiences in order to be 'true' to the Resident Evil 'feel'. I hesitate to use the word 'formula' in this instance, because the 'formula' of Resident Evil has been thrown out the window enough times that such a word feels nonsensical in this context. However, I think the most important part of a Resident Evil game is the commitment to the vision of a horror B-Movie. The best moments in the series come from such an approach; Leon Kennedy's quip exchange with scenery-chewing villains in the fourth installment, and even in the first installment, with its Jill Sandwiches and Masters of Unlocking. Such moments have the kind of quality of bad horror movies of old, and if nothing else, the Resident Evil series definitely holds that influence clearly over its head.
This is where Resident Evil 7 succeeded where 6 failed. While the older entry in the series tried to wow with an approach to action not unlike a Michael Bay movie, with bombast, big explosions and frantic gunfights, it had all but ditched its previous horror influences in favour of an experience that simply did not feel like it belonged in Resident Evil. The truth of this is clear in how the game was received; many thought that while it was a well-polished, functional videogame it just was not what the series needed, and I think this is because it was lacking that undeniable element universal in Resident Evil; authenticity.
In 6 there were goofy moments, certainly, but the goofiness came from the game simply trying too hard to be something bigger than it was, not from understanding where it had come from. Trying to think back to Resident Evil 6, it just did not feel as hands-down memorable as other entries in the series; at least 5 had boulder-punching, after all. There simply wasn't a singular sense of feeling in the game; the adventure offered was set in a wide variety of locales, but none were allowed to stick, to show off how and why the atmosphere was creepy. It's telling that my favourite location in the game was also the one that seemed closest to a scene in Resident Evil 4; the scene in the church in Leon's campaign. The atmosphere became grim and the design of the levels at this point were excellent and felt truly in the style of the series. It is only a shame that the game was not confident enough in this vision.
However, 7 succeeded in all the areas where its predecessor fell flat. Right from the start there was an excellent sense of place; the swampy, ramshackle map where the game is set just bleeds atmosphere and feels strongly like approaching the village of Resident Evil 4. Particular attention is paid to the environment, which is dilapidated, dirty and broken, perfect for a horror setting.
Then the rest of the game's character set in; when compared with the over-the-top action of Resident Evil 6, 7 feels claustrophobic, slow and plodding. The difference is like night and day, especially as day turns to night in the game and you are acquainted with the Baker family; a group of people torn from all the negative stereotypes of the South of the USA. Much like the great villains of 4, Salazar and Saddler, the Bakers, Jack, Marguerite, and Lucas, are allowed to chew the scenery to their heart's content; their overacting adding to the general sense of unease and terror surrounding them. Even just looking at the characters there is something off-putting about them, a design decision that is almost certainly deliberate.
The storyline of the game shows that the developers understand where Resident Evil is at its best; aping and translating B-Movie horror tropes into videogame form with a sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-terrifying sense of character for added effect. Influences from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hallowe'en, Evil Dead et al. are clear from the outset. Jack Baker, in particular, apes a perfect horror movie villain; overacting in a way that is almost comical in his every movement, but then when he is threateningly bearing down on you there is a massive sense of panic that will certainly get your heart beating faster. The disconnect is meticulously paced, showing far more refinement than even the scene described in the first paragraph. It is undeniable that a sense of authenticity, the 'feel' of Resident Evil, has returned triumphant in this game.
Special honours go to Lucas, whose conversations with the player are a great send-up to the sharp radio dialogue between Leon and Salazar in Resident Evil 4, the villain allowed to go all-out in how much of an asshole he is, and the protagonist simply trying to make quips and one-liners as the 'straight-man' in all of this insanity. For this reason, I think Lucas' dialogue perfectly fits the tone of the game, and demonstrates the singular commitment to the vision of Resident Evil 7.
While I can get away with simply saying that Resident Evil 7 was excellent because of its commitment to horror, I believe that when you look deeper into what has changed between this game and its immediate predecessor is its commitment to Resident Evil, the series and the tropes associated with it. While 6 tried to evolve the series into something new, 7 looked precisely at what the series was, and through its tone, authenticity of character, embracing its B-Movie tropes, and allowing its world to exist in its totally-illogical way, perfectly recreated an experience that is truly, genuinely Resident Evil.
The reason for the series' wackiness is, in my opinion, all about authenticity. In creating such ubiquitous insanity, Resident Evil has crafted its very own niche and offers deep, albeit nonsensical immersion into an experience that is truly its own. It creates its own rules and sticks to them, even if the rules don't make much sense. This wackiness gives the series a definitive 'flavour', such that if you pick up and play any game you can instantly recognise that you are playing a Resident Evil game.
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