Skip to main content

'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard' may see the return of a classic villain

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a radical departure for the horror series, eschewing its most recent action-heavy gameplay as well as the protagonists fans have expected to see since the series first began in 1996. But it appears that at least one familiar face will be returning for the scare-fest, and it’s a character we didn’t expect to ever see again.

Warning: Spoilers for Resident Evil 5 to follow!

Recommended Videos

In a recent interview with Game Informer, Resident Evil 7 producer Masachika Kawata was adamant that the game isn’t a reboot for the series, though its first-person perspective and renewed emphasis on terror could leave one to think that.

“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,” Kawata said.

Just how will it connect to the previous games? If a recent datamine of the Resident Evil 7 demo is to be believed, it will see the return of antagonist Albert Wesker. His last name is never mentioned directly in the code, but his first name is mentioned repeatedly and one of the files contains the line “LastBossGetAlbert.”

This would seem unlikely from a narrative perspective, as Wesker turned into a giant monster and was then blown to bits with a rocket launcher at the end of Resident Evil 5, but in a world filled with mutating pseudo-zombies, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, and Jill sandwiches, anything could be possible.

Wesker could be joined by another returning character, as well. Back in October, the Resident Evil Twitter account released a short video containing a female voice — though it’s not immediately clear if it belongs to a previously seen character or someone created specifically for the new game.

For more on Resident Evil 7, check out our own interview with Kawata at PlayStation Experience 2016. The game is out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on January 24, 2017.

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
You can play as Resident Evil 4’s Leon Kennedy in Tekken 8 … sort of
Leon Kennedy in Tekken 8

Tekken 8 has only been out for a few days, but folks on the internet have already found a way to make some incredibly convincing recreations of some of their favorite characters from other properties. Perhaps one of the most impressive seen so far is a version of Leon Kennedy that closely resembles his appearance in the recent Resident Evil 4 remake, giving players an opportunity to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament as a zombie-slaying brawler ... well, sort of.

As shown by YouTube creator Dan Allen Gaming, it's entirely possible to replicate Leon Kennedy's look to quite a shocking level using Tekken 8's detailed character customization features. Everything from his iconic leather bomber jacket to his quintessential '90s haircut is nailed perfectly here by using popular fighter Lars as a base for the customization due to his similarity to Leon in frame and stature.

Read more
Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding barely miss a step on iPhone and iPad
El Gigante raises its foot over Leon in Resident Evil 4.

Just two months ago, I had my mind blown when I saw Resident Evil Village running on an iPad. While I expected a very compromised experience, I was shocked when I saw how the horror game barely lost a step on the device. I pushed its settings to their limits and still came out with a fairly smooth experience capable of hitting high frame rates. Suddenly, the idea of playing a console quality game entirely on a mobile device didn’t seem like a far-fetched idea.

That was an impressive feat, but Resident Evil Village was built for the PS4 generation. The bigger test would come from more technically ambitious games that are either exclusive to new consoles or rebuilt with them in mind. I wouldn’t have to wait long to see that in action. At a recent Apple gaming showcase, I went hands-on with both Death Stranding: Director’s Cut and Resident Evil 4 running on a bevy of Apple devices, from the iPhone 15 Pro to a Mac Mini.

Read more
Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways leaves me hopeful for a Resident Evil 6 remake
Ada Wong holds a gun in Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways.

This year’s Resident Evil 4 remake was an important victory for the horror series. Not only did it successfully reimagine a beloved classic, but it finally concocted the perfect action formula for the series at large. That’s an important milestone considering that Resident Evil has historically run into trouble when fully dropping survival horror in favor of blockbuster action (see the misunderstood, but undeniably sloppy Resident Evil 6). The remake paves the way for Capcom to once again evolve its series, taking another crack at the third-person shooter genre it struggled to nail.

In that sense, Resident Evil 4’s new Separate Ways DLC feels like a taste of what’s to come. Capcom uses Ada Wong’s solo chapter to push its action formula even further, weaving in some exciting new tricks that are already leaving me hungry for a true spinoff. It’s not the series’ finest DLC, playing more as an asset-reusing victory lap, but it gives me hope that Resident Evil’s second decent into pure action will be much more successful this time.
Grappling forward
Separate Ways follows Ada Wong, the anti-hero mercenary on a quest to retrieve a Plaga sample for Albert Wesker during the main game. The lengthy bonus episode is a remake in itself, but it's perhaps even more radical than the base game’s reinvention. Right from its completely new opening scene, it's clear that Separate Ways is diverting pretty far from the original DLC. That’s a sensible decision considering how much the new version of Resident Evil 4 reworks Ada Wong. She’s no longer a careless hired gun, but a nuanced character struggling to balance her professional responsibilities with her moral ones.

Read more