Resident Evil VII: They’ve Done It Again
I may have only just posted a list of the best moments of my gaming history wherein not one but two were dedicated to Resident Evil. But update that list I must because after today, the official launch day of Resident Evil VII, a third entry is a must.
Of course, that means we’ll descend into spoiler territory. But I’m only the first half hour in.
So when I find the love of my life locked in a cell, of course I release her. But rather than going back the way I came…clearly a better choice would be to follow this deranged girl. One thing leads to another and she’s gone again. But when she returns, the events that transpire truly were among the most impressive I’ve ever experienced in gaming. No doubt about it.
First she comes at me and attacks me. I am without weapons and I don’t really even know which button to press but press them I do, frantically, trying to get this woman off of me. She stabs me in the hand, it’s insanity. She wakes up from her zombie-like state and then knocks herself out.
Second she wakes from her self-induced slumber and performs some ninja handiwork, smashing me through walls and now, with a trusty axe, I strike her down…killing my videogame wife. Tragic indeed. Until…
Third she disappears, resurrects and comes at me brutally. She nails my left hand to a wall with a screwdriver. I press buttons trying to get out. I have to do something. This is friggin’ madness! And what then? She chops that hand off with a chainsaw. OMFG!!!
Fourth, because that clearly wasn’t enough, she bursts through a window and slices me in half, belly up, with said chainsaw, thus ending one of the most dramatic gaming sequences I can ever recall.
That entire thing impressed me the way few games have. I’m 40 now, feel like I’ve seen it all. But as that sequence ended, I was aghast…mortified, shocked and pleasantly surprised. The intensity can be rivaled by few games in memory. I don’t know how I would react to this in VR. And while I know the rest of the game simply cannot live up to that, it’s shown me that Resident Evil has morphed yet again. So far, I like what I see! Please don’t tell me there’s a fifth encounter!!! :D