65%PC

Given the fact that Resident Evil 6 was one of the worst game I ever played, I never really bothered to take a look at the so-called glorious reboot of the franchise and probably wouldn't have at all without this website. I was wrong: Biohazard was an undeniable return to form. It has one of the strongest beginnings in the whole series with a creepy atmosphere, a true sensation of threat, and the obviously great idea to leave the RE lore alone to focus on something different (with the exception of a few welcome easter eggs). Bringing horror (terror!) back in Resident Evil can't be a subject of complain, and Capcom made it with an obvious - even sometimes impressive - savoir-faire.

That being said, this seventh mainline entry is far from perfect and more often tends towards a refreshing illusion of novelty than towards something truly new. First of all, the introduction of the first person view is far from the absolute change of paradigm offered in its time by RE4 and its TPS take. Besides amazing first hours and a brand new appeal for 'stalker survival' (a subgenre the franchise actually created in its second issue but never really explored), it's good old Resident Evil, with a lot of mechanics recycled from RE1-2 and the first person used as a coverall for simplistic riddles and fun but shallow boss fights. Then there's the terribly weak second half, both story and gameplay-wise, that feels totally unnecessary. Once again, you end up shooting things in linear corridors and the initial pledge sounds not only broken, just forgotten.

All in all, RE7 appears to be more of a beautiful package for a quite disappointing gift, already too long for what it has to offer when in fact pretty short, but like we say : it's the thought that counts. I will remember these first few hours and will remember that for the first time in a long while, Capcom at least tried to offer something enjoyable, even if uneven. I'm way more interested now in the later games or remakes and sure will play them soon.