Resident Evil 7 brought back the horror genre in a refreshing way. Following the letdown that was Resident Evil 6, Capcom knew that it was time for a revamp. A new story and characters were only a part of the mix-up, as a shift to a first-person perspective and original mechanics were introduced, changing how the franchise would be remembered and played going forward. Resident Evil 7’s influence on subsequent entries, including Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil Requiem, cannot be denied, and like those two sequels, it can now be appreciated once more on Nintendo Switch 2.
Ethan receives a message from his wife, Mia, that he needs to drive to Louisiana to pick her up from the Baker farm. The problem? Mia has been missing for the past three years. The house Ethan arrives at feels almost abandoned, but it doesn’t take long for the fear to settle in. The darkness, the eerie silence, not being able to see what’s around the next corner; the atmosphere from Resident Evil and its Spencer Mansion is evoked, bringing with it the same sensations of dread.
The first-person viewpoint does wonders for the sense of anxiety that the series used to so successfully draw out of its players, and while zombies are replaced by the rather bland Molded, they serve a similar purpose, crowding tight corridors and forcing Ethan to make rational combat decisions.
Blocking is vital for survival, reducing incoming damage as the protagonist raises his arms up to brace for impact. It is not just about wildly shooting the enemy but finding ways to sneak around to escape. The survival horror aspects so blatantly absent from previous entries are front and centre in Resident Evil 7, with scarce amounts of ammo and limited health pickups meaning every bullet counts.
The three members of the Baker family – namely Jack and his wife Marguerite – are where some of the tensest situations occur, as their roaming around their designated areas of the Baker Estate necessitates a stealthy approach… which turns into frightful sprints if they catch a glimpse of Ethan. Boss encounters are equally nerve-wracking, although a sometimes-cramped environment can be a frustration that will result in a few game overs.
As this is the Gold Edition, the Switch 2 version of Resident Evil 7 includes all previous DLC. While some packs such as End of Zoe and the more action oriented Not a Hero provide additional story elements, others are meant to offer a bit of fun and extra challenge.
In Ethan Must Die, players must survive with the allowance of only one hit, creating some of the most stressful situations imaginable. On the flipside, Jack’s 55th Birthday forces players to keep a score multiplier going within a fixed time limit, bringing food back to the hungry birthday boy. Wearing its humour on its sleeve, the monsters wear party hats, and yes, trash is considered food.
While some of the DLC, such as Daughters, delivers a fresh perspective for Zoe, so much of it is lacking the material expected. It may tie up some loose ends after the main quest ends or even answer questions about how the story first began, but it falls flat. Still, it’s hard to moan about additional content that comes bundled into this edition regardless.
Compared to the Nintendo Switch cloud version, the difference between that and Resident Evil 7 on Switch 2 is night and day. There is no reliance on a solid connection to maintain stability, with the game running extremely smoothly and looking stunning. Brightness may need adjusting depending on TV set, and there are some questionable textures here and there, but there is little to complain about with such a good-looking portable survival horror that meets Capcom’s consistently high standards.
