Square Enix has confirmed that they are planning on releasing I Am Setsuna as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. This means the game will be made available as a digital download on March 3rd and will feature some brand new content such as a Temporal Battle Arena where players can take their party and fight against other players’ parties to see who is best at the game.
For those who passed on I Am Setsuna when it was originally released for the PlayStation 4, the game follows the story of Setsuna, a young woman of incredible power and inner strength, and the sacrifice she must undertake to save the people of her land as she leaves her hometown.
Though evidence is found that Mia is indeed on the premise, eerie footage found in the dilapidated house point towards there being far more sinister things at foot and soon Ethan finds himself face to face with his goal but also with the deranged Baker family. Initially at their mercy, it is up to Ethan to survive the halls of the Baker’s large residence and try to save his wife, even if it means facing off against untold horrors and seemingly immortal monstrosities.
That being said, with the various notes that players find around the grounds, the haunting images that show just how things used to be for the Baker family, and some decent variety to the characters that players encounter and face off against, especially in regards to their dialogue as they chase after them, players will find Resident Evil 7: biohazard to be an unnerving horror story that occasionally dips into “cheesy” territory but in the same familiar and endearing way that the series is known for.
Traditional elements from the series return in many ways as players will need to often balance their limited (but upgradeable) item holding capabilities by using item storage boxes, taking part in tense combat situations in first person form with limited ammunition and enemies that are often more dangerous than they seem, doors that require specific keys to open, and of course puzzle solving. This element is fairly prevalent in the game and players will need to solve a number of puzzles to open pathways, including one that can be cleverly dodged much to the shock of the creator, though don’t expect anything really tricky here.
This is primarily due to the fact that the enemies, both the Bakers and the new mutated “Molded” tend to be vicious and constant when attacking the player. Between shrugging off most wounds and being able to move at basically the same pace as Ethan, most encounters rely on the player either timing blocks properly where they still receive some damage, constantly trying to keep distance between you and your target, or simply dodging them when you can. This isn’t the most effective option at times as many corridors tend to be tight as well as the game not having much in the way of a stealth system other than crouching and trying to stay out of sight and in the few dark places. Combine this with the fact that the first person perspective limits what you can see around you and you’ll often feel like nowhere is really safe when you are exploring it for the first time.
Outside of standard encounters the bosses that players come across tend to be incredibly memorable. Each of the boss’ areas are handled in different ways and have unique themes to them to give players an extra challenge while keeping things fresh. The same cannot really be said about the Molded who unfortunately come in only a few flavors and quickly become repetitive enemies that are rather unimaginative after a short time.Combine this with players having the ability to craft healing items and ammo using certain items and players may often feel like they can easily overpower a standard set of Molded.
It is interesting to note that alongside the various weaponry you can gather, Resident Evil 7: biohazard features numerous collectibles that can unlock bonus weaponry or items for use in your next playthrough as well as simple things such as antique coins that can be used to unlock bird cages containing things ranging from Steroids to permanently boot your health total, Stabilizer to increase reload time, and a powerful handgun. Between these various unlockables to enhance your next time through the game and the amount of changes and difficulty thrown your way with Madhouse mode, players will definitely feel encouraged to dive into the Baker household once again after their first run through the story.
Resident Evil 7: biohazard makes simple use of music as the title only tends to play heavy tones during dramatic and emotional moments though there is one signature tune that plays in the intro and during the credits that is thoroughly creepy. The voice work is quite fitting for the series as well, though be prepared for a couple of sequences where certain lines are repeated a few too many times if a fight wears long.
