'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard' release date, news: producer Masachika Kawata explains change to first-person perspective

Previous titles in the main "Resident Evil" series have always been third-person shooter games, but Capcom took a different approach with "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" when they decided to shift to the first-person perspective.

In an interview with Game Informer, producer Masachika Kawata explained that they decided to make the switch in order to give players a more immersive and personal experience.

"When we decided on the direction of focusing on horror, we thought that having a first-person perspective would be the most effective way to fully immerse the player in the experience. By making the player the main character, we believe they'll be able to have a more personal connection to what's going on and experience survival horror like never before," he stated.

Well, there's no denying that the game is going to be different from its predecessors. Aside from the change in camera angles, "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" will also have a more horror-centric gameplay. Furthermore, the game will feature a new cast of characters.

Some fans have been wondering why they decided to call the game "Resident Evil 7," because it looks more like a reboot. But Kawata explained to Game Informer that despite the fact that a lot has been changed gameplay-wise, the narrative still fits in the series and it's a true sequel. "It is still a Resident Evil title, which draws on the series' roots of horror, exploration, puzzles, and combat while offering something new," he said.

Meanwhile, reports say that recurring antagonist Albert Wesker may appear in the game. Dataminers have revealed that there were several files in the game's code containing the name "Albert," ever though the last name is not mentioned in the code, they believe that Capcom probably won't create another character with the same first name to avoid confusion.

"Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" is scheduled to come out on Jan. 24, 2017. The game is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.