Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Switch 2 Review – Peak Tension

It feels like it was only recently that the developer kickstarted the revival of the Resident Evil franchise with Resident Evil 7, one that has spawned a litany of excellent follow-ups and remakes in the time since then- but it’s been almost a decade since the acclaimed 2017 survival horror title launched. Now, to align with the release of Resident Evil Requiem, the developer is also bringing Resident Evil 7 (and Village) to the Nintendo Switch 2, marking the first time that the acclaimed horror title is available on a Nintendo platform (barring a cloud-only release for the original Switch that, let’s face it, is best left ignored).

To no one’s surprise, the game very much holds up nine years on from its original launch. Since it came out, Resident Evil 7 has been frequently called one of the best entries in the franchise, and going back to it on the Switch 2, it’s easy to remember why. RE7 still delivers the same intensely horrifying and immaculately designed classic horror experience that won hearts in 2017, while managing to largely maintain its visual and technical heights with its Switch 2 ports, barring some rough edges here and there.

"Combat is, as is usually the case with Resident Evil, another one of the game’s strengths."

Taking a clean break from the larger story that its predecessors had collectively told, Resident Evil 7 places players in the shoes of everyman Ethan Winters, who travels the dilapidated Baker residence in the bayous of Louisiana after receiving a message from his wife, who has supposedly been dead for three years.

When he arrives at the mansion, it quickly becomes clear that things have gone horrifically wrong, and are only going to get worse. And so begins Ethan Winters’ night of terrors, which sees him navigating the haunting corridors of the Baker residence, dealing with the crazed inhabitants of the estate, and having to fight monstrous creatures known as the Molded.

After the disappointingly high-octane, globe-trotting, action-driven experience that Resident Evil 6 delivered (in the process nearly killing the franchise), Resident Evil 7 was envisioned as a return to form for the series- a back to the basics venture that would take the series back to its survival horror core. RE7 excels at that, delivering a near-perfect survival horror experience in all the ways that genre fans would expect. The Baker residence remains one of the best settings in a horror game ever, and slowly unlocking its secrets and getting past its obstacles feels as satisfying as ever.

A lot of that is down to incredibly layered, interconnected level design, which evokes all the heights of the Resident Evil franchise (and in particular, the original Resident Evil’s Spencer Mansion) in all the best ways.

"Though the Bakers and the boss fights do throw some much needed variety into the mix, the fact remains that, for the majority of the game, Ethan is going up against very few kinds of the Molded, which can get pretty monotonous."

Puzzles are also smartly designed, making exploration feel that much more engaging, while also exhibiting impressive variety, as is often true of Resident Evil games. Meanwhile, just as crucial to making the Baker residence such a compelling setting is the game’s strong sense of atmosphere- the wind whistling beyond the grimy windows, wood creaking under unknown footsteps in the distance, the suffocating darkness that Ethan often finds himself in- in more ways than one, Resident Evil 7 expertly immerses players in its world.

Combat is, as is usually the case with Resident Evil, another one of the game’s strengths. The game boasts unforgettable boss fights, excellent weapon feel, and meaningful upgrades and progression, with every encounter that Ethan finds himself in feeling suitably tense, especially given the near constant lack of ammo and resources that Ethan has to contend with.

Of course, Resident Evil 7 is not flawless in this department- a lack of enemy variety was one of the game’s few prominent issues highlighted by players when it first launched, and that obviously remains true. Though the Bakers and the boss fights do throw some much needed variety into the mix, the fact remains that, for the majority of the game, Ethan is going up against very few kinds of the Molded, which can get pretty monotonous.

On the technical front, Resident Evil 7 on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a solid port. Roughly, you can expect the game to be on the same technical level as its original PS4 release, especially in terms of things such as visual quality, texture quality, lighting, and shadows. Impressively, the game also maintains a consistent 60 FPS frame rate, which is a significant boost to the gameplay experience.

"Resident Evil 7’s Switch 2 release also comes pack with content, as you’d expect from a Gold Edition launch from the developer."

There are, of course, some rough edges here and there, just as there were in the original release, from occasionally bland textures to some wonky animations and more, but by and large, this is still a good looking game- even if it doesn’t quite compare to, say, Resident Evil 7 running on a PS5 or a powerful PC.

Resident Evil 7’s Switch 2 release also comes pack with content, as you’d expect from a Gold Edition launch from the developer. In addition to the 10 hour long main story, it also includes all of the game’s post launch content, including, notable, End of Zoe, Not a Hero, and Banned Footage, all of which collectively add another 6-8 hours of additional content (or more, depending on how deeply you engage with the optional stuff).

For the most part, the DLCs don’t quite reach the incredible highs of the base game (with some sequences and moments that prove to be notable exceptions), but all in all, RE7’s Switch 2 Gold Edition launch offers plenty of bang for your buck.

Whether you’re someone who is looking to re-experience Resident Evil 7 on the Nintendo Switch 2, or someone who is looking to jump into the game for the first time ever, its latest re-release on Nintendo’s current-gen platform is an excellent excuse to do just that.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.