Resident Evil 7 released back in January and already marked the start of a fantastic year for gamers worldwide. The game is an important turning point for the franchise, moving away from third person action to favor up close and personal first-person action. We all loved it and we can’t get enough of it. Right at the end of the year, we can visit the thrilling world once more thanks to two new expansions. Is this the ending we hoped for?
Not a Hero
Let’s start with the first of the two new DLC expansion. First of all, it’s safe to say we’re going into spoiler territory here so if you haven’t finished the base game, it’s advised to read one of our other reviews, that is if you don’t like spoilers, of course. With that out of the way, let’s talk more about ‘Not a Hero’. This DLC is free of charge and serves as an epilogue to the original story. Right from the start, it’s pretty clear that Capcom doesn’t bother with spoilers, the DLC is meant for players who cleared the original story so there’s no need for hiding Chris Redfield, one of the main characters from older Resident Evil games. Chris teamed up with Umbrella (why is explained at the beginning of the DLC in a couple of lines) and is tasked to hunt down Lucas, who has a secret base in the mines.
Fighting Lucas offers a different approach than the original story. You’re not a scared and unprepared man, Chris prepared for combat. This means you’ll have a powerful handgun, shotgun and plenty of ammo when you first jump into the dark mines. This results in a more action-packed Resident Evil experience where you’ll gun down new and familiar enemies. This more action-orientated approach works but fans will definitely miss some of the puzzles, although there’s a Metroidvania aspect implemented where Chris can venture forward if he improves his gas mask. It’s good to see that the developers try to add some more variation.
What I like most about this DLC is the feeling of nostalgia. It’s filled with nods towards the classic Resident Evil games and being able to play as Chris once again is a pure joy (especially if you know his infamous punch makes a return). Not a Hero feels like a perfect goodbye to the old style and a warm welcome to the new style and what is yet to come. If you’ve played the classics before, you’ll be filled with joy seeing all those nods and Easter Eggs. It doesn’t offer a lot new to the story but this action-packed epilogue is certainly worth checking out!
End of Zoe
This brings us to the second and final DLC ‘End of Zoe’. Don’t let this title mistake you, Zoe Baker isn’t the protagonist here. Instead, she messed up in the swamp and got calcified. Right before Umbrella authorities could swoop her body from the scene, Joe appears and saves her body. Joe is Zoe’s uncle and will be our new hero during this episode.
Joe isn’t much of a gun lover and will face his enemies with his bare hands. This is a fun new twist that will make it even harder for you to survive. Knocking down enemies with your fists in first person is something many games tried to implement and often failed. It’s good to see Capcom finally finding a correct way to control these hands with the help of your controller. With a push of the right/left shoulder button, you’ll devastate the monsters right in front of your eyes. It’s a great new mechanic and thanks to the blocking, you’ll really feel more immersed in the story. There’s a small segment of stealth gameplay but overall, you’ll fight most enemies with your bare hands.
It’s not the best ending we could have wished for but this DLC certainly surprises us in a genius and silly way only Resident Evil games are able to. It’s definitely worth checking out!
Conclusion:
Both DLC packs offer a different and new approach to Resident Evil 7 and both add something new to the story. It might not be the best ending or most epic journey you hoped it would be, but it’s extremely entertaining until the bitter end. If you can’t get enough of the impressive Resident Evil 7, both are worth playing without any doubt. We can’t wait to see what the future of Resident Evil will bring!
