Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Resident Evil series producer Masachika Kawata was interviewed by Game Informer to answer questions they thought fans might want to know about RE7 and how it's a split from the series it comes from.
More at the link.
Mostly about the identity of RE7, but this comes up so often in discussion about the game I thought this new interview waranted discussion. What do you think RE7 will turn out to be? In spirit with the rest of the series? Not your style of RE7? Has potential, have issues with it? Let's talk about RE7 and its identity as we know it now a month before release.
Spill your brains below.
GI: Considering how much of a departure the game is both aesthetically and narratively (from what we've seen), why name it Resident Evil 7 instead of calling it a reboot? Do you consider this game to be a reboot for the franchise from a gameplay perspective?
MK: If you look at just the gameplay that's been shown so far, you may think of it as a reboot at first, but the story and narrative have shaped up to fit the series as a numbered title. It is still a Resident Evil title, which draws on the series' roots of horror, exploration, puzzles, and combat while offering something new. Rather than playing it safe and sticking with what we're used to, we strived to create something new that would impact players in a different way with a more immersive, personal experience. We wanted to create a game that really pushes survival horror to the forefront and focus on what makes a game scary, while still being a fun and entertaining experience from a gameplay perspective.
GI: So far all the teasers and demos we've seen haven't been from the actual game, causing confusion from fans about how the game will play. Why has there been so much secrecy about the game and why did you choose to present it this way?
MK:In order to fully enjoy a horror title, we don't think it's good to release too much information beforehand. What's hidden in the darkness? Who are the enemies? How do I escape? These are questions we would prefer to leave unanswered before the player experiences the game, so that they can uncover things on their own. As a result, we understand some fans have questions about the contents of the game, but we assure you that we're ready to deliver a Resident Evil horror experience of the utmost quality.
GI: The series has been going in a more action-oriented direction, why did you feel now was the time to shift back to horror?
MK: We had three consecutive Resident Evil titles filled with action, and we figured this would be a good time to switch gears and challenge ourselves to do something new. The past few titles have increased to a grander scale, and as we approached the 20th anniversary and evaluated the series' legacy and roots, we were inspired to create something more personal this time around. What better way to celebrate the franchise than to return to its roots in survival horror and take it in a new direction with an immersive, terrifying experience.
GI: Will we see a return to the campiness that the first four games were known for? Or is this a more serious title?
MK: We're pretty focused on embracing the aspect of "horror." However, at the end of the day, it's still a video game designed for entertainment, so we made sure to include scenarios that will pull your emotions in all sorts of directions.
GI: Why the transition to a first-person view?
MK: When we decided on the direction of focusing on horror, we thought that having a first-person perspective would be the most effective way to fully immerse the player in the experience. By making the player the main character, we believe they'll be able to have a more personal connection to what's going on and experience survival horror like never before.
GI: Did the team pick up any best practices from The Umbrella Chronicles regarding the first-person camera and horror?
MK:They are similar in terms of both having a first-person camera perspective, but they're fundamentally two different types of games: one is on-rail shooting where the focus is shooting action that's presented to you in a way where you experience it as it comes to you. RE 7 on the other hand is a more immersive campaign where you, the player, becomes the protagonist and must experience everything for yourself with more control over your interaction with the surroundings. So, although they both use first-person camera views, they're intended to achieve different purposes.
GI: What prompted the switch to a Western writer as opposed to a Japanese one?
MK: The base script was still written by our Japanese script writer actually, but we also wanted to have an English native's perspective to have a final check in making sure the story worked for the West.
GI: What were some of the team's inspirations for this title?
MK: The team certainly looked at a wide range of all kinds of horror, including movies, books, and games. We don't want to spoil anything, and there wasn't necessarily one key influence per se. However, one of the strongest influences we can say for this game was actually the original Resident Evil games themselves and wanting to stay true to the franchise, so players are bound to pick up subtle nods and elements throughout the game.
GI: How much has the game being fully compatible with PSVR affected the design?
MK: The core game content is the same. However, we definitely took measures to maximize player comfort when playing in VR. For example, we changed the player's movement speed. We spent a fair amount of time even at the conceptual stage, trying to figure out how to make things work as best as possible in VR.
GI: Any misconceptions about the game that you'd like to clear up?
MK: At first glance, it may not seem like it, but this title will offer plenty of familiar aspects of Resident Evil, from fighting against different creatures to tense, atmospheric exploration and solving various puzzles. As mentioned previously, there are even some subtle nods throughout the game that we hope fans will enjoy discovering as they play
More at the link.
Mostly about the identity of RE7, but this comes up so often in discussion about the game I thought this new interview waranted discussion. What do you think RE7 will turn out to be? In spirit with the rest of the series? Not your style of RE7? Has potential, have issues with it? Let's talk about RE7 and its identity as we know it now a month before release.
Spill your brains below.