Review: Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition

Did you know Resident Evil debuted 30 years ago? Yep, this long-running survival-horror series has been scaring gamers silly since 1996. The latest entry, Resident Evil 9, has just launched on various consoles, including the Switch 2. It’s quite a feat for a game this big to be simultaneously released on a Nintendo platform. But while Resident Evil 9 is probably great, this review is here to tell you that you should also strongly consider playing Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition for Switch 2. Why? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Resident Evil 7 biohazard launched for various consoles in 2017. The Gold Edition followed shortly after, bringing all previously released DLC into one neat package. If you missed it the first time around, now is the perfect time to pick it up because this Switch 2 edition is terrific.

The game begins by dropping you into the middle of a gripping story. The narrative centers around series newcomer Ethan, whose wife, Mia, has been missing for three years. When a video of Mia surfaces, Ethan hightails it to her last known location to search for her. This location also just happens to be an abandoned, derelict house in the swampy woods of Louisiana. Cue the horror.

Do you like scary movies? Or scary games for that matter? You had better be somewhat partial to this genre if you want to play Resident Evil 7. The atmosphere is truly spooky, with genuine goosebumps and jump scares ready to keep your adrenaline pumping. I found myself asking, why is Ethan doing this? Don’t go in there! Sure, I was the one leading him in there, but is that really the smart thing to do in this situation?

This is a notable Resident Evil title for several reasons. Firstly, it marks a return to form of sorts by bringing back the classic survival-horror elements the series was originally known for. While Resident Evil (Evils?) 4-6 were more action-based outings, Resident Evil 7 involves creeping through dark rooms while searching for clues, keys, weapons … and a way out.

Secondly, this is the first entry to be played in first-person mode. I’m not typically a fan of that style, but for sheer immersive horror, it completely works. You mostly take on the role of Ethan, and it’s amazing how much expression you can get out of a character just from their hands. You can tell when Ethan is scared just by seeing the tremor in his wrists.

Now, don’t get me wrong; there are moments of action where shooting is required. In fact, the further you progress, the more interesting the weapons become. There’s even a grenade launcher on offer! It’s satisfying to finally be able to blow mutated enemies away after fearing them earlier in the story. While the action ramps up during the endgame, rest assured that the creepiness persists throughout the entire experience.

 The visuals are excellent. This is a fantastic display of the Switch 2’s power. The environments and textures look stunning and realistic. Too realistic? That depends on your penchant for horror. There are a few small glitches where an enemy will fall through an object, which clearly shouldn’t be possible. One person’s foot disappeared when they died because there was a block of wood there. But these are not overly noticeable and do not affect the flow. Or the terror. Everything works well across both docked and handheld modes.

Another aspect I enjoyed are the puzzles. Your goal is to move through various rooms of a house, unlocking more and more rooms as you progress. Sometimes it’s a key, sometimes a lockpick. Maybe you need to find a special piece that fits a unique lock. It’s very rewarding to solve each one. Optional collectibles also add to the replayability, with ancient coins, files, and even bobbleheads to discover for full completion. 

There are three difficulty levels to choose from, making this accessible to anyone looking for more or less of a challenge. The included DLC brings with it various special coins that boost your abilities, too. Particularly for older games, it’s nice to have a way to play through and enjoy proceedings more like an interactive movie that’s not too taxing. The horror is enough on its own!

Another inclusion that comes with the Gold Edition is interactive movies. This is a fantastic extra that immerses you even further into the game. While exploring, Ethan finds several videotapes. Playing these doesn’t simply cue a fun cutscene – there’s no reprieve from the carnage here. Instead, you take on the role of the person in the video during its runtime. In the main game, Ethan can die – but there are save points and you know he’s the protagonist, so he’ll probably survive. As for the characters in the videos … anything is possible. It’s truly terrifying. 

I’m relatively new to Resident Evil. I’ve tinkered with the series on and off over the years, but have never really dedicated my time to any of the mainline games. Although I love horror movies, I find games a little too immersive. Having said that, I truly enjoyed Resident Evil 7. It may have terrified me, but that’s kind of the point. It was a blast to play.