The PlayStation event at E3 2016 shared VR gameplay of Capcom's Resident Evil 7 for the first time. The latest installment of the iconic horror survival franchise was brief, but the tension in the audience was real: Resident Evil is going to be a hit among the spook junkies.
This week, a Resident Evil 7: Beginner Hour teaser demo is now available at the PlayStation Store exclusively for PlayStation Plus members. Although I downloaded the trial this morning, I have to come clean: I had to put down the controller after 20 minutes because I got way too stressed out.
Impressions from the demo alone is enough to convince us that Resident Evil 7 knows how to delivery anxiety. It's difficult to become fully aware of my surroundings when the character I play is only holding a shitty flashlight in an old and decrepit home. But what I can see is pretty freaking terrifying: moldy wood; dirty rugs; a putrid kitchen with decaying unidentified meat inside the refrigerator. The sound design is equally immense. White noise from the broken TV washes out every other sound in the room, which means someone/thing could be lurking right behind me and I wouldn't even know. Exploring the home is stressful as hell as creaking wood and scattered debris betrays my desperate attempt to move stealthily. The subtle rumbling of the force feedback from the dualshock controller only heightens my stress levels.
I made it as far as watching the tape found in the cabinet and identifying that a handle underneath the fireplace triggers a trapdoor that leads to an ominous hole underneath the house. NOPE. No thank you. Have a nice day.
For the readers out there that are curious about the full Resident Evil 7 demo gameplay, watch the complete playthrough below:
