While third-person DLC for Resident Evil Village brings it closer to these other installments, but the same effect could never be achieved with Resident Evil 7.
As a follow-up to the infamously action-focused Resident Evil 6, 2017's Resident Evil 7 is considered a return to form for the long-running survival horror franchise. Set in a claustrophobic derelict plantation, the first-person adventure reemphasizes survival horror by making exploration, resource management and enemy evasion a key part of the experience once again. Players are pursued throughout the game's rooms and hallways by the Sawyer family, who have become monstrous and practically immortal thanks to a bizarre infection. By taking creative liberties like its innovative and highly immersive first-person camera angle, Resident Evil 7 had the series' best sales and kickstarted a new renaissance for the franchise.
Resident Evil 7 Was Designed For First-Person Terror
While Resident Evil Village recently receive an optional third-person camera mode as DLC, this angle would not suit Resident Evil 7 at all. A third-person perspective requires environments large enough to fit both the camera and the player character, and the Baker plantation is simply too claustrophobic to accommodate this option. The game also relies on its first-person angle for many of its scares, with players coming face-to-face with grotesque bloodshed throughout the experience. The third-person camera option suits Resident Evil Village nicely, since that game returns to more action-oriented gameplay, but Resident Evil 7's horroric atmosphere would not benefit from the change in angle.
Many fans also consider the Resident Evil Village third-person DLC to be lackluster, making the camera option's addition to Resident Evil 7 even more unnecessary. While third-person combat may feel better than first-person to some fans, the new perspective feels more like a tacked-on addition than a valid way to experience Ethan Winters' eerie European adventure. Many animations look rough, since they were originally designed for first-person gameplay, and cutscenes just revert back to the original first-person view anyway. An official third-person mode for Resident Evil 7 would probably look even worse, considering the game's cramped environments and terrifying moments designed with an immersive first-person camera in mind.
Considering the Resident Evil Village DLC campaign Shadows of Rose is experienced in third-person, many fans are wondering whether Resident Evil 9 will be third-person or stick to its predecessors' first-person angle. Many fans seem to prefer experiencing the franchise's survival horror gameplay from a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective, but this angle simply wouldn't work for Resident Evil 7. The game is just too claustrophobic, and its emphasis on horror over action necessitates a more immersive camera. Players can now enjoy Resident Evil Village in third-person, but Resident Evil 7 is unlikely to follow suit.
