Resident Evil VII: Biohazard launches worldwide on Jan. 24, 2017. Based in a cannibalistic Southern plantation mansion, the game is supposedly a throwback to the series’ roots, returning to the psychological horror that originally made the franchise so popular in the early 1990s. Official concept art from Dec. 1 posted on Reddit fills in some clues as to what fans can expect when the game launches in late January. Please note, spoilers may be included.
There’s a wide range of locations, characters and situations revealed in the concept art shared with the gaming community. For one, there’s the Baker mansion and parts of its interior, some of which familiar from previous trailers shared by Capcom. There’s also storyboard scenes showcasing what appears to be in-game events, along with a first-person perspective of someone mutilating themselves with a knife. Little is known about what is shown on the print-outs, although it appears these scenes will later make it into the full version.
Concept art provides developers and producers with a mood board, allowing a team to unify their vision and figure out what the end product will look like when shipped off to players. While concept art may feature differences from the actual product, the artwork itself tends to showcase aspects of the world that later reach the full game. For that very reason, production artwork is seen as a valuable asset within the gaming community, because it can reveal in-game features, characters, settings or production goals. They’re the “deleted scenes” of the industry.
It’s hard to say what the Resident Evil VII Biohazard team has in store for fans when the game launches Jan. 24. Suffice to say, the game certainly appears to be drawing on its past, with some scenes reminiscent of the Silent Hill franchise. In the meantime, ceck back for more Resident Evil 7: Biohazard news and leaks as the game draws closer to release early next year.