Taking inspiration from modern horror games and films, but also reclaiming aspects of its own gothic, graphic heritage, it's a return to form that can comfortably be spoken of in the same breath as series highlights like the original game and Resident Evil 4.

Though the game takes place in the same world as the ostentatious fifth and sixth entry, the story is almost wholly focused on protagonist Ethan, who travels to a dilapidated homestead in Louisiana after receiving a message from his wife, long thought dead. What follows is a series of events reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Blair Witch Project (and also the game Outlast), as Ethan finds a Mia who is not exactly the person he knew, and fights against the disgusting and seemingly immortal Baker family.

A sense of tension and disquiet permeates the game in a way I wouldn't have thought possible in a Resident Evil game post-2002. There is (thankfully) no over-reliance on cheap tactics like jump scares or gross-out visuals, but there were sections that had my hands practically shaking as I maneuvered through tight hallways and horrifyingly twisted living quarters. The use of sound in particular, and the presence of enemies you need to avoid rather than confront, evokes that feeling of creeping around your house at night when you're not sure you're alone.

It can't be overstated how much Capcom has reoriented the series back to where it should be with this game. The Hollywood visuals and certain aspects of the design (like, for example, the transforming bad guys and the hammy voice acting) ties RE7 to its immediate forebears, but the tone and structure of the game feels like it has been made by an entirely different team. A team that put aside the tone-deafness and cynicism of RE6 to instead take a look at what kinds of horror games are popular right now, and why. From Outlast to Amnesia to P.T., it's not hard to see where some of the inspiration for this change of pace came from.

That said, there's a lot here that is quintessentially Resident Evil. You're still on the lookout for herbs and other beneficial items to keep in your limited inventory, and there are still convoluted environmental puzzles that need solving to open certain doors.  Save rooms make a welcome return, offering a well-lit, comfy spot to catch your breath and break the tension. In a cute move, you save your game on audio cassette recorders now instead of the traditional typewriter.

Though the enemies and stunningly-realised filth of the surroundings makes for a legitimately unnerving experience, the Bakers also inject some much-needed theatricality that's been missing from the series since 4. The first big encounter with Jack Baker – who minutes earlier had made me jump by smashing through a wall while I skulked around his home trying to avoid him – is a mix of hilarious and terrifying that you barely ever find in video games.

Having the whole game take place inside the one huge, sprawling, puzzle-filled building draws immediate and pleasing comparison to the first Resident Evil, but it's the move to a first person perspective that's the true stroke of genius. As well as making the game playable in virtual reality (via PlayStation VR), the viewpoint slows the action and has you constantly looking over your shoulder. First-person is also the ideal format for freaking you out, as you have no choice but to stare directly in the direction you're travelling, whether you're running for your life and hearing your pursuer behind you or peering into a darkened stairwell.

Snapping back to relevancy is a big ask for Resident Evil after the generic action feel of 5 and 6. RE7 feels like an attempt to strip everything back to the fundamentals of the first two games, while adding a substantial amount of flavour from 4 and only keeping the bare minimum narrative ties to anything that followed. In addition to pleasing long-time fans, this also works to make a game you can enjoy without any knowledge of what came before.

While this is the scariest and most enjoyable Resident Evil in years, it's still essentially a first step to where I'd like to see the series go, and it seems that Capcom has been reluctant to fully commit to its new smaller-scale horror motif.

In my opinion the game still has way too much gun combat, largely thanks to characterless blob enemies that inhabit part of the Baker estate. These add little apart from annoyance and could, I think, have been removed from the game to leave combat to the inspired boss sequences against the Baker family proper. Similarly, the game outstayed its welcome a tad in a way that horror games never should. It only took me around 10 hours to get through the whole campaign, but a lot of the third act felt like video-gamey filler that diminished the illusion of danger.

In other ways, though, the game has held on to series staples that really work in the new format, such as hidden collectibles and a store through which you can access performance boosters or powerful weapons. The performances of the actors too, while so very melodramatic, are spot on.

From the swampy bayou location to the more intimate brand of horror on display, RE7 is the result of some unexpectedly excellent creative decisions for a series that has long suffered from identity crisis. It's a polished, confident horror game, and I can't wait to see more.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is out now for Xbox One (reviewed), PlayStation 4 and PC.