"Resident Evil 7" saw the legendary franchise return somewhat to its roots with a heavier focus on horror. Guns played only a small part in the experience, as ammo was very scarce, so the seventh entry in the series could not be classified as a first-person shooter.
The new gameplay trailer for "Not A Hero," the upcoming expansion for "Resident Evil 7," seems like a departure from the gameplay style seen in the mainstream game.
Chris Redfield is back
Capcom has really taken advantage of the success resultant from "Resident Evil 7," although they have done it in the best way possible.
"Not a Hero" is a free DLC coming out next year, which will be released alongside the add-on "End of Zoe," which will bring to a close the game's season pass.
While the main game introduced a slew of new characters, including the protagonist Ethan Winters, the upcoming free episode turns back the clock and brings back Chris Redfield. Presented as pretty much a stand-alone story from the events of "Resident Evil 7," Chris is facing a whole new breed of creatures of the night which need to be put in their place.
The icon character, a stable of the franchise since the first "Resident Evil," Chris is a welcome return and perfect to transition the gameplay to a more action-oriented style. We know that Chris is a badass, so seeing him kill his way through some zombies is welcome and not too outlandish.
Gameplay
"Resident Evil 6" received a lot of hate due to the total abandonment of any horror elements, and the disjointed way the story was presented. The actual gameplay was not half bad, but everything around it lacked staying power.
Now turned to a full-blown first-person game, it makes sense that Capcom might consider returning to prioritizing action.
Obviously, this is a just a free DLC, so it is not a clear indication of where the company plans to take the series. It might be interesting to see the series focus on horror for the main games while releasing more action-oriented side-stories. In that way, those who preferred the later games would also have something to look forward to.
The gameplay video, which is linked at the bottom of the article, shows Chris shooting his way through some ghouls and is definitely gifted with a lot more ammo than Ethan. The zombies do go down pretty easily, but there might be a spike in difficulty later on. Since "Not a Hero" will be free, there is nothing to lose with giving it a try for those who already own the game.