Survival of the Fittest: 7 Tips to Keep You Alive in Resident Evil 7

The legacy of Resident Evil has always haunted me, I've never been a gamer who enjoyed horror games in the least, but with all the hype surrounding Resident Evil 7: Biohazard I had to give it a shot. Throughout the history of the franchise, Resident Evil has always had it's share of spine-chilling moments and hair-raising experiences, and the latest addition serves as both a fresh twist and a return to the horror roots that made so many fall in love with the original games.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard for the uninitiated is Capcom's latest horror survival game that resides in the main "numbered" collection, despite the franchise having dozens of Resident Evil games including remakes, spinoffs and everything in between. Resident Evil has been a gaming staple since it released in 1996, but has gone through a variety of changes since then - all the way to being a run-and-gun game that was so bloated that many fans thought the series should end. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard has returned to their roots and have given us the first terrifying game of 2017. If you're just stepping into Resident Evil then you're probably asking the same question that I was asking myself: how the hell do I survive this deliciously twisted game?

Well here are 7 tips that quite possibly could help you survive through the night in Resident Evil 7.

7. Check the corners.

I know it seems cliche, but honestly checking the corners can help you make some progress through the game. As every Resident Evil has done previously, you'll start the game with limited resources and by scouring every inch of each new room, you'll find numerous valuable items.

6. Close doors behind you.

I know, it seems counter-intuitive when you're running for your life, but quite often you'll discover that several enemies are too dumb to open doors (the loading screens even mention it from time to time). It won't work 100% of the time, but hey you gave it a shot before you died horribly.

5. Combine your items.

This ties in with 'checking the corners' because sometimes you'll find items like green herbs, gunpowder, bullets, chem fluid and much more. By taking these items and combining them, you can craft essential items like better bullets and even first aid meds. In your inventory there is a "combine" tab where you can see some of the possibilities.

4. Use your storage and saves a lot.

Wherever you find the tape recorder, you'll find a big green box. That's where you'll be able to store extra items that you don't anticipate needing immediately. Put anything and everything in storage, because it's easier to backtrack when you're running low on supplies than it is to run out of storage in the middle of a major firefight with a boss.

3. Get the shotgun. Now!

After you make your way through the garage fight, you'll find a shotgun in the main room. If you pick it up, you're locked in the room, but you can get it before the big boss fight (and you'll want to). First you'll need to find the scorpion key, it's in the processing area in the basement. You'll take that to Grandma's room on the second floor, and there will be a broken shotgun that you can exchange for a working one.

2. Put up your fists.

Normally I'd say that the first response is always to run as far and as fast as you can from whatever is coming at you. But sometimes it makes more sense to rock the block button and hope you can last through a couple attacks. It's not perfect, and you'll take damage, but it may help you get an upper hand on the situation.

1. Run like your life depends on it... because it does.

When all else fails, run your ass off, plain and simple. Utilize your map and try to remember your surroundings because it could just make the difference between life or death. Then in combination with some of the other tips you may just be able to escape whatever is coming for you and return with a better grasp on the situation.

Resident Evil 7 is brilliantly scary, and in VR it's absolutely unbearable, yet the developers seem to know how to switch up the terror for a brief moment of delight before returning you to the edge of your seat.

It's out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.