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Resident Evil 7

For random rambling. Please keep your posts tasteful and respectful.

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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 30 Jan 2017, 20:08

So, I've got a checkered history with Resident Evil. I was into the original games when I was a teenager, but the last several entries and spin-offs have either been action horror vehicles or mediocre affairs. A far cry from survival horror, anyway.

I had some reservations about this new one since it seemed like they were aping off P.T. like all these other soulless hallway walkers popping up have been trying to cash in on. But then I actually played it.

I've put in about 3 and a half hours so far and recorded about 30 minutes of some of it. Watch it only if you have no plans on getting the game, are curious only, or have no immediate means to acquire the game. Still, watching is far from playing...especially horror.

But I like that I'm just a regular guy and not a special forces SWAT operative. It feels like P.T. at first glance, but delves into a more Evil Dead meets Texas Chainsaw vibe. And despite the first person perspective, I definitely feel like I'm playing a Resident Evil game. Also, the chracter animations are fantastic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uu75oOlaxY

UB_
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 30 Jan 2017, 21:15

Horror genre is pretty much dead I believe unless developers find some new creative concepts or trying to think outside the box for a fair bit.
A good basis of a refreshing horror-type release would be one that you would never expect before playing it - too bad that's probably impossible nowadays with ESRB suspicious ratings or any sort of leak.
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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 06:47

I almost didn't even post the upload for precisely that reason. Games like this are "let's play" bait, but I know enough people who enjoy games despite watching those kinds of things, so...

In a very general way I've been indifferent to new horror. Movies and contemporary fiction in general has been weak in this genre, with the good stuff fewer and farther between. Games are always playing catch up to movies and books in terms of finding tone, imitating things the former has done but just doing it decades late. That's okay, if it's scary. But for me the style they usually go for doesn't work. I'm not a fan of "walking simulator" games in general, and when they go horror I'm usually quite bored. P.T. was a humbling exception, but a lot of that was because I played it blind. Also, the care put into it was very evident. The quality of P.T. will be the litmus test for horror games to come for a while.

I've had tense moments playing Resident Evil 7. It's been surprising and fun. I haven't had that sinking feeling in my gut like when I played P.T. but Resident Evil was always a little behind Silent Hill when it came to truly making the player uncomfortable and nervous. But I have had my share of surprising moments. What this game has been doing right is what the better Resident Evil's prior did as well; allowing me to combat my horror but at a disadvantage. I literally spend all my ammo and use most of my healing materials on everything that's attacked me so far. The game is great at making you feel like you're barely making it by, and every injury sustained feels like you're taking it with you.

UB_
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 13:43

Issue here is that horror games have just become first persion walking sims that are some of the best tools for gaming youtubers to get massive views and viewers themselves are always curious to see how the gamer himself/herself (especially this) react to the jumpscares. Everything is the same, just get some articulated scripted events that you never expect and there you go; or put in some creepy-looking location, generally an house, buildup to something crazy and unleash everything.
This is something that started since Amnesia and Penumbra, then re-invigorated again by Outlast, then by PT and finally RE7 jumped on this trend. PT also did its job trying to add new fuel to horror games and as such we saw a bunch of really shitty or promising clones (VISAGE so far fills the bill, definitely the most interesting horror thing since PT). Beyond those we're also getting some horror stuff based on "gross things" like Agony that are anything but scary - perhaps I'm not the target audience for this style. And if the preview didn't promise me anything decent already I won't waste time with the full game because it will likely not improve from what was shown.

Another issue with horror games is that they become dreadfully boring halfway through them. Because you end up discovering the mysteries early on and the devs didn't bother going beyond that with new subplots. Turns out RE7 is a victim of this
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I don't remember older Silent Hill games being also safe from the horror aspect going progressively downhill. SH1 had that weird clusterfuck of locations at the end of the game, SH2 had the hotel which I can't really recall in terms of unique things, SH3 had it possibly the best with all those really loud disgusting sounds played constantly. Other than that these games had a lot of disturbing scenes, events and symbolism that were very hard to forget and this is why they had always that permanently creepy aura around them in the way for the player to think "no I don't wanna go there anymore thanks". Which is why you don't feel these three games become more boring as you progress through them, any other horror game instead bother sitting on very basic plot foundations.
Think one of the reasons why I find RE pretty whatever as horror series go is that everything will be always of corporation's artificial origins. Maybe if it was RL, alright that'd be horrible but as a game this is ultra-predictable. No real supernatural shit going on, no fun, no methods to dip deeper into something scarier/disturbing. I'm one of those people who thought RE's peak in terms of scariness was RE1's first zombie encounter.

I don't think it's a good idea to copy Silent Hill if you want to do some ambitious new horror work, it doesn't seem to ever work. Now for example Outlast 2's demo made literally no sense with the school interlude all of a sudden (Outlast 1 had nothing of that weird shit and it worked decently enough) and this is what I mean with devs trying to inject SH-tier shit into their horror games/movies without some clear idea of what they're trying to do. Even if they had a good idea it still feels fake, depending on how it's presented.

I think what would awesome is using the SCP strat. SCP articles are generally independent from each other, the better ones aren't long and in few words they give you an idea of something seriously creepy and extremely dangerous. There have been quite successful free games based on the SCP content but they're part of the horror walking sim universe so I'd ignore them. Either way since horror games suffer from this decay issue I'd like then instead having a collection of short horror stories with possibly different gameplay style for each, and as well a different writer for each to avoid quick idea burning-outs. This style has been probably done for some TV series but for this one I'm gearing excessively toward more tryharding horror stuff and that's never the same between stories (THINK OF BASICALLY ANYTHING INSTEAD OF JUST MONSTERS) and not with always the same type of ending. If that does fail, I'd like to see then horror used as an unexpected sub-genre incorporated into something not exactly related.
I don't know if people may realize but when you play a game that already tells you "THIS IS A HORROR ONE" it kind of kills already expectations because you already know this shit you're playing or watching at will have scary bits and you are already prepared.

The best horror is when you are caught as unprepared as possible.

User avatar Semfry
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 13:48

I put your second paragraph in spoilers because it kind of reveals some stuff.
Formerly Mman

UB_
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 14:14

Semfry wrote:I put your second paragraph in spoilers because it kind of reveals some stuff.


Alright, it's why I didn't bother speaking about the game because of spoilers
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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 22:08

I can't say for sure how far into the game I am now. I've dealt with two members of "The Family" and if my stat item collections (those antique coins and the bobbleheads) are any indication I'm about halfway through them.

So far the game has been pretty steady. I have more weapons now, but I like that they are situational. I feel like It may be short experience at this rate. I borrowed this copy so it's hard to put into terms if it's worth a purchase or a rental until I actually complete it. But this has been the most fun Resident Evil that I've played in years, so far.

UB, we more or less agree on the state of horror games. I do believe, based on your comments, that you seem to be one of those people that watch instead of playing first, which could definitely spoil the experience. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, that is the impression I'm getting. Full disclosure, I never watched a trailer for this game, never played the demo, never watched anything or seen a screenshot before I started playing. I'm glad I didn't. There are plenty of "walking horror" stuff I could criticize, but I'm happy to report my experience with Resident Evil 7 has not been among them.

UB_
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017, 23:07

Mister_Prophet wrote:UB, we more or less agree on the state of horror games. I do believe, based on your comments, that you seem to be one of those people that watch instead of playing first, which could definitely spoil the experience. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, that is the impression I'm getting. Full disclosure, I never watched a trailer for this game, never played the demo, never watched anything or seen a screenshot before I started playing. I'm glad I didn't. There are plenty of "walking horror" stuff I could criticize, but I'm happy to report my experience with Resident Evil 7 has not been among them.


Not exactly sure if you're referring to having seen the released game itself at first because my access to the game is restricted to my friend living next to me with a PS4, where I all experienced RE7 wholly there but overall it was impossible for me to dodge the marketing of RE7 and of the demos and almost any streamer I came across played it. Doesn't have to do with RE7 itself but another big issue with horror games I forgot to mention is how they don't offer anything new past the first playthrough. I understand that event randomization is hard to pull off but I'd like some dev actually trying for it (for the record, I'm strictly referring to high-profile releases, not minor indie stuff).

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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 01 Feb 2017, 01:48

I just cashed in 9 antique coins and bought the Magnun, only to see it has one round in the chamber. Lol, I guess that's going into the box until the end of the game.

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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 04 Feb 2017, 16:08

The best horror I've ever experienced, in a game or movie or anything else, was in SOMA, and it wasn't because it was scary. The philosophical, psychological, and existential implications in that game are out of this world terrifying. So, so good. I wish more games were like that, but also with solid gameplay (SOMA was just hide and seek and some panel activation sequences, not even puzzles).
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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 11 Feb 2017, 22:24

I actually finished this not too many days after my last post, but I've been busy. I've already moved on to other games like Nioh.

The game wrapped up conventionally for a Resident Evil, in that the last arc plays out in a familiar way and also because Resident Evil games never end as well as they begin. The last "fight" sort of rolled up on me and then it was over.

I still say it's a very enjoyable game. The best main series entry since 4, in my opinion (5 was a COOP campaign and 6 was....well...) and gets to the tone of how the original game made me feel in a lot of ways despite the fact that the impression it gives in the beginning is so much of a detour.

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UB_
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 11 Feb 2017, 23:56

Mister_Prophet wrote:
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User avatar Mister_Prophet
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Subject: Re: Resident Evil 7

Post Posted: 12 Feb 2017, 01:02

UBerserker wrote:
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