It's safe to say Resident Evil 7 has been something of a revelation for the Resident Evil series, which is particularly interesting, considering that you couldn't say that about either of the games in the series with the word "revelations" in the title. So, while you've heard this before, Resident Evil 7, though not without it's stumbles, is largely the genuine article.
Once you're done playing it, and re-playing it for that matter, why not give a couple other horror games a shot? Perhaps those that Resident Evil 7 draws from either directly or indirectly would be the best (or the worst, depending on how easily you are . Here are 5 games, in no particular order, you should play after playing Resident Evil 7.
5. P.T.
You'll notice a lot of familiar imagery in Resident Evil 7, different horrific moments that have been burned into the horror fan's subconscious mind over years and years of gaming and movies. Resident Evil 7 manages to pay homage to these without reducing itself to mere referential horror.
Marguerite Baker, one of the main antagonists of Resident Evil 7, though armed with the ability to verbalize her sinister thoughts, is not unlike Lisa from P.T. She stalks around, has the tattered garb in appearance and, differentiating herself from the rest of the Bakers, will instantly kill you if she finds and catches you.
Though no moment more perfectly crystallizes the comparison than the image above, the left side of which is the first time you run into Marguerite (told through the eyes of Mia taping the event) and bares a more-than-coincidental similarity to any time Lisa kills you in P.T.
Of course, P.T. has been removed from the PlayStation Store for quite some time now, so you'll have to find someone who still has it installed. Boy, if you do, though … you're in for it.
4. The Evil Within
When we're talking about games that feel like Resident Evil 7, I don't know how we could avoid The Evil Within, and I'm not just saying that because it's made by Shinji Mikami, the creator of the original Resident Evil games.
If you want an example of intense, horrific combat where your enemies deal massive damage to you while absorbing your attacks like water drops to a sponge, I can't think of a better game than The Evil Within.
It will fit in just fine with your fond memories of Jack Baker running you down with a rake, or those slimey monsters in the basement who pay no mind to most inflictions of bodily harm.
3. Resident Evil HD Remaster
A lot has been made about the nature of Resident Evil 7 as a Resident Evil game. Is it a true entry in the series, or just a copy of other horror games with the RE label attached to it? Rather than listen to the rhetoric of either side, find out for yourself. Play the Resident Evil HD Remaster (or REmaster, as it's known).
This will put the decision is your hands. You'll get to determine if the familiar elements of Resident Evil 7, such as the puzzles, the user interface, inventory, crafting, etcetera, are enough to tie it into the series, or if the first-person perspective of the seventh entry turn it into a whole new beast.
What you'll also get to determine is whether or not either of these is a bad thing, which is a separate issue entirely. While you could play the 2002 Remake or the 1996 original game, I'd recommend the one most easy on the eyes.
2. Outlast
While we're at it, why not play the game with which Resident Evil 7 most often shares a sentence. Just Googling "Resident Evil 7 Outlast" reveals a fiery debate among RE fans and casual observers, either of whom fall on both sides of the issue with some regularity.
Many people credit P.T. for kicking down the door of first-person horror games in the modern day, but it's important to note that Outlast came out the year before P.T. was even a thing, and it was perhaps the perfect example of the helpless, silent protagonist in way over his head being chased by insane people and monsters alike while being trapped somewhere with the only goal being to escape.
Again, if you want to be part of the debate, and experience another truly terrifying first-person horror experience to boot, Outlast is your best bet.
1. Resident Evil 6
I know, I know. I'm actually recommending you play Resident Evil 6, a game that many (except for a few fringe apologists and RE7 haters) argue is the worst game in the series hands down. While this is true, I'm not saying that because I'm a member of the RE6 cult.
In order to truly see how far the series has come in Resident Evil 7, and to acknowledge what a positive step forward it represents in the franchise, you must see first-hand where we were just a few years ago.
The horror elements in RE6 were all but vanished, and action-shooter was the name of the game, along with meaningless plot minutia taking center stage, not to mention the game's bloated "save-the-world" narrative, which pales in comparison with the more intimate "get out of the house" approach that Resident Evil 7 takes.
Yeah, Resident Evil 7 looks like The Last of Us in comparison to RE6.
