Well, when the fans told Capcom they wanted less guns and action in Resident Evil 7, the developer clearly took it to heart.
The horrifying (in a good way) new demo for Resi 7 is currently available for PS Plus subscribers to download and play, and it’s absolutely nothing like the Resident Evil we’re used to.
Naturally, this has some fans in a bit of state. They wanted less action, sure, but the new demo depicts a game that’s more like (see also: pretty much exactly like) P.T than the original Resident Evil.
Combat is essentially nonexistent, and there isn’t a herb to be found anywhere. You’re simply stalked by a ghostly presence as you wander through a dark house.
However, Capcom recently confirmed to Eurogamer that the demo won’t be part of the final game. Can the hardcore Resi fans finally un-clench their cheeks?
I’m not sure, because while the demo won’t feature in the game, it’s still not clear just how different the final game will be from the demo.
Eurogamer reported that they managed to find an axe hidden away in the demo, along with an attack button. That suggests there’ll be at least some combat, which would bring it more in line with the traditional Resident Evil experience. Herbs will also play a part.
But while there might be axes and combat of some kind, Resident Evil 7 director Koushi Nakanishi has explicitly told fans not to expect an FPS:
If anyone out there has a bloodlust for holding a gun, check out Umbrella Corps. We are separating these aspects out into different titles where that gameplay can come to the fore, and makes the most sense for that title. [Resident Evil 7] is not going to be a gun fest.
Note that Nakanishi doesn’t rule out guns entirely. Remember, the original Resident Evil was so terrifying in part because of the limited weapons and scarcity of ammo.
As such, I reckon there’s a good chance we will run into a handgun or two, and it’ll feel like the lifeline it’s supposed to in a survival horror game – at least until you waste all your bullets on shadows.
Nakanishi continued:
It’s a normal person protagonist. We’re getting back to basics – in Resident Evil 1 Chris was not a comic book hero, he was a special forces agent but he wasn’t as advanced a fighter as later in the series.
Resident Evil 7 will pick up where number six left off, but will presumably deal with how you’re meant to survive in a world filled with zombies when you haven’t got crates of ammo and a shotgun that never seems to run out.
It certainly looks like a much more claustrophobic experience – and if herbs and weapons play a part in the final game, then I’d say we’ve got the makings of a classic Resident Evil title (just in first person).
Resident Evil 7 will launch on January 24 for PS4, Xbox One and PC, along with full support for PlayStation VR (if you’re brave enough).
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.