'Resident Evil 7' release date, news, rumors: Leon S. Kennedy not part of the sequel; New character, weapons revealed

Capcom has released a full synopsis for the upcoming thriller video game "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard." Not much has been known regarding the new installment's gameplay contents and characters, although the Japanese game developer company already released a few trailers and demos to give fans the first experience of the game.

According to VG 24/7, the players will take control of a character named Ethan. He is a man searching for his wife in a mysterious and derelict mansion. He has no hints that what's inside the mansion is more than what he could take. The inside of the house appears as hideous and terrifying as what it is hiding. To help him in his dangerous quest to retrieve his loved one, Ethan would need to load himself up with a variety of weapons. The players can use handguns, shotguns, explosives, flamethrowers, or a chainsaw to fight off the evil creatures inside the mansion.

Moreover, the players can expect a few cut scenes as the game progresses, revealing some sequences with heavy violence and gore. There will be severed hands, limbs, and corpses impaled by a shovel as the players inspect around the house.

It is confirmed that "Resident Evil 7" will indeed steer the "Resident Evil" franchise back to its horror roots, although many fans noticed from the recent demos that there is less action compared to the other titles. Game producer Masachika Kawata stated that combat is still present in the upcoming game, although its action will not be as packed and fast-paced as the previous installments.

Moreover, Kawata said that the VHS footages scattered in the game will help in building the story of "Resident Evil 7." It will also add to the eerie atmosphere of the game, as the players look for answers to their questions by watching the horrifying videos.

"So in the main game you're playing as the main character," revealed by Kawata in an interview. "These videotapes are a chance for you to experience the events of the storyline from different characters' perspectives, maybe even fill in story gaps. They act to break up the main narrative in an interesting way." 

Meanwhile, Matt Mercer revealed in an interview with Game Spot that his character in the previous "Resident Evil" installments, Leon S. Kennedy, will not be included in the latest game title. 

"As far as 7 goes, I think they're scaling back a little bit on throwing in all the classic cameos," said Mercer. "I can say that I don't have any involvement in 7 directly."