Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Review - Gold Edition

nehashetty (58)in #gaming • 6 years ago (edited)

A year ago, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was released. It marked the return to quality that made the series great thanks to the emphasis on survival-horror, where they abandoned the action-oriented style that the more recent parts gave in and this time more about the atmosphere and tension (read more about this in our review). Now the Gold Edition of the horror game has appeared, including all the dlc that the game has seen in recent months. The perfect time to look back on that added content and to see what this adds to the experience we have enjoyed so much in the past year.

Before we start we have to report that some added content requires knowledge from the end of the game. From here you can also read spoilers.

The first dlc package that we received at the end of January 2017 was Banned Footage Vol. 1, which added two new isolated episodes - Nightmare and Bedroom - and a new game mode. All the Banned Footage episodes had to provide insight into the characters we saw in the main game, including Baker's prisoner Clancy, and also give small extra details that fit nicely with the main game.

In Nightmare, first of all, we see Clancy locked up in the cellar at night and he has to survive until dawn by fending off terrible monsters we know from the main game. By these the dead you get points and at the same time you also have to collect 'scrap' to 'crafty' objects. It is, as you know, an important element to survive in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard by collecting enough tools. As the number of enemies grows, you have to rush from place to place on every wave, meanwhile you drop and collect your help while fighting for your life. It is an exciting affair for an entertaining mini-game and you learn to get better and better with every failed attempt to survive (it is not called Nightmare for nothing).

Bedroom, however, offers a slightly different challenge. Here you still play as Clancy, but this time Marguerite has put you in a bed and you are fed all sorts of dirty things. The goal here is to try to escape by using a series of objects that she leaves behind in the room. However, there is a twist: she comes back to the room regularly and when she discovers that something is out of place she becomes extremely angry and you are punished. That is why it is not only a puzzle how you escape, but you also have to ensure that you know all your traces. It is a frustrating affair and makes you sweat while hastily searching for the right solution in the short periods, but it is more of a braint in comparison with Nightmare's action-packed chaos.

Banned Footage Vol. 1 also introduced a new game mode called Ethan Must Die. This is a pretty 'hardcore' mini-game in which you start outside the Baker house with minimal resources. You have to navigate through the house and survive to meet the final boss at the end. Death is permanent here and there are no checkpoints. In combination with the fact that there are traps everywhere makes this a very challenging. The only thing you can build on are the random crates that give you items and statues that stay behind when you die. They also give you one random object from your previous play session. It may not offer that much substance, but if you've enjoyed the more combat-oriented parts of the main game, you'll enjoy it as much.

The second Banned Footage dlc collection appeared a month later, with the same set-up: two separate episodes and a new game mode. We first discuss the game mode, Jack's 55th Birthday. This can best be described as a 'mod', but one that does not follow the line of the original story. Do you remember that guy who was chasing you all the time in the house in the main game? This time you are a guest at his birthday party and you have to run through the house to collect food for him while you fight monsters with crazy hats. It is a bit ridiculous, funny and actually a pleasant change compared to the grubby rooms that we normally end up in.

21 is, however, an episode that is entirely in sign of the eponymous card game. This time, poor Clancy is stuck in a room opposite another prisoner and he must be of Luke 21. The catch is that when you lose a game you lose a finger - the same applies to his opponent. That's it, so if you like a card game with an increased risk, you will enjoy it too. Again it is an isolated and inconsistent chapter in the bigger picture, but it is good for players who enjoy the atmosphere and want to gain insight into the twisted spirits of the Baker family.

Daughters is by far the best dlc in the Banned Footage collection and helps you understand the story better. Here you play as Zoe Baker, prior to the events in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and you see the normal family life for Jack introduces a girl named Eveline. When you finish the game you know that this ends badly for the family and for Zoe. From a narrative perspective, this offers a totally new perspective on the whole family. One that makes nuances, makes them (a kind of) less monstrous and also explains somewhat what went wrong in the first place.

After those two we had to wait for two more dlc chapters, one of which was Not a Hero, which appeared as a free update. This free update served as a direct continuation at the end of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Chris Redfield appears and follows Lucas, who, as you expect, has placed a lot of traps to trip over. Many players found the third part of the main game the least, because the focus was on action and here this is the case again: you play as a soldier with guns and explosives. You must try to save your team and stop Lucas at all costs. With just over an hour of playing time (we've played this in the stream below) it does not feel like a very catchy or memorable experience, but it does give some closure to the story of Lucas. Chris Redfield is not exactly a welcome addition to the story and serves more as a dumb soldier without any depth.

End of Zoe is another epilogue that has only recently become available. One that lets us play as Joe, the brother of Jack Baker, however, it costs 14.99 euros. This dlc follows the assumption that the players have chosen Mia over Zoe in the main game. You also find Zoe calcified and unconscious and have to find a cure for her. That sounds reasonable right? We also thought that when we watched the narrative opening film, in which we use some violence to extract information from the military forces. Then, however, the actual fighting begins.

Actually, the lion's share of the dlc consists of using your fists to beat people together. We did not really find this strange setup at the tone of the first steps, but at the beginning it is still somewhat entertaining. Eventually, however, it becomes annoying. There is a reason that fighting with fists is not often used in first-person. Once we got to the stronger enemies and bosses in the dlc we were soon frustrated by trying to hand out a lot of damage on such a short distance. It is not just the use of your fists, there are also bombs and spears, but for the most part it is simply a bizarre story about revenge. One that, we have to admit, contains a great scene.

Most of these dlc provide brief background insights and details of the story that compliment the main game. However, no one leaves the same impression. Where other games might opt for an extended episode that offers hours of gameplay and an experience that comes close to the size of the original (such as Dishonored: Death of the Outsider), we get demarcated and varied bite-sized mini-games. Pieces that simultaneously introduce new and interesting elements and fit very well with the main game.

If you look at it in this way, each is a unique piece with its own appeal. However, if you expect more extensive content, you will not find it here. That said: the Gold Edition gives you value for money and offers the most complete narrative experience, with everything that supports the strong experience of the main game.

➕ Extra story strengthens the story; entertaining and isolated mini-games; more of the same atmosphere of the main game.

➖ Nothing stays with you for a long time; some parts, such as fighting with your fists, moderately executed.

Thanks for reading.