The series that pioneered the ‘survival horror’ genre is coming back for its seventh installment. Resident Evil 7 is bringing back all that made you fall in love with the series from the start; with its complete survival horror experience that’s driven by exploration and mystery.

With the shifting setting and changing perspectives, it can look and feel totally different from the other games in the series. But at its core, it’s very much a Resident Evil game. As a matter of fact, it feels so much like the 1996 original.

So what sets this game apart? Here’s what you need to know.

Resident Evil 7 Deserves to be Part of the Series

What makes the game look different from the previous installments are the general setting and environment. But right out of the gates, the familiar elements that we’ve come to associate with RE start coming out: the green herbs to restore health, the limited inventory, the item combinations, and the weapons (handgun, shotgun, knife, and grenade launcher).

Right down to its core, RE7 felt so much like the original. All the exploration, backtracking, and puzzle solving within the confines of Baker House made it feel like you’re back at Spencer Mansion from 20 years ago. All the traps and puzzles, the foreboding doors that just beg you to open them, and an environment decorated by gore: dead scorpions, mutilated cows, and gutted snakes.

All of those elements combined is what makes RE7 a worthy successor to the franchise.

Resident Evil 7 Sets Itself Apart from the Other Installments

With the release of RE7 is a sign of how much the series has matured in 20 years. Throughout the last six games, each hero became a virtual demi-god capable of feats of superhuman strength and endurance.

But with RE7, everything changes. Unlike Chris and Jill who were elite special operatives, Ethan is simply thrown into the horrors of Baker House completely vulnerable and unprepared.

You start with an empty inventory and need to rely on quick wit to survive the opening moments of the game. Soon enough, you’ll find the first weapon, a knife. Of course, other weapons will follow, but with limited ammunition.

It’s moving away from mowing down an endless horde of zombies. Instead, RE7 creates suspense and challenges with the antagonists, the Baker Family. Each section of the Baker House is controlled by a different member of the family and offer a different challenge.

The intentional change of pace and the new way to confront the antagonists is what makes RE7 unique in the series.

Resident Evil 7 is SCARY

It is an RE game, isn’t it? Of course, it’s scary. If you’re looking for blind panic and fear in your horror game, RE7 provides that in large quantities. The enemies you face will make you frantically search for any little advantage you can get from the items in hand or from the environment.

RE7 is taking elements from horror movie classics like ‘The Shining,’ ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ and ‘The Evil Dead’ and uses all those influences to create a world that will scare the living daylights out of you.

The immersive horror world of Resident Evil is waiting on you. As soon as you get your hands on the best gaming laptop from Sager Notebook, you’re good to go! Play RE7 on ultra settings and experience the full horror!