Resident Evil 7 rebooted the iconic horror franchise back in 2017. Ever since the Beginning Hour Teaser for the game was released, fans grew excited to get their hands on the full game. The demo showed a first person perspective, a dimly light environment, and an overall terrific atmosphere — it was the stuff that gives you spine chills.
Interestingly, this installment seemed to be a far departure even from the established canonical lore surrounding the previous couple of games. Where are the zombies? What happened to the T-Virus? Where is Leon and the rest of our beloved cast?
Updated June 6th, 2021 by Francesco Luisi: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard does a great job at masking its connections to the rest of the series, and it just so happens that Resident Evil: Village shed some light on even more ties between Ethan's storyline and the overarching saga. Thanks to these revelations, we now know more about how Biohazard affects the Resident Evil universe as a whole, and some of these bits of information are quite shocking.
11 Chris Redfield
The most obvious connection between Biohazard and the rest of the franchise is best illustrated by Chris Redfield's appearance in the game. The fact that he shows up clearly shows that this title is a sequel to the rest. Had there been no connection whatsoever, we surely wouldn't have seen any old characters return to the scene.
Chris rescues Ethan Winters at the end of the game, and then proceeds to apprehend Lucas Baker in the subsequent DLC. Chris still works to fight against Bio-Organic Weapons, just like he has been doing for the entirety of the franchise. In the Not A Hero expansion, Chris is tasked by Blue Umbrella with apprehending Lucas because he possesses a Mold bioweapon (the thing that turns everyone into a creepy black, gooey monster).
10 Blue Umbrella
The Umbrella Corporation masterminded the research that produced the infamous T-Virus, the original catalyst to the events that unfold in the entirety of the Resident Evil franchise. Notably, Umbrella makes a comeback in Biohazard, but its logo is blue rather than red, and it signifies the company has "turned good."
Following the events that happen in previous games, the red Umbrella Corporation eventually goes bankrupt, well before Biohazard takes place. Once the threat of bioweapons spreads worldwide, thanks to the company's past evildoing, Blue Umbrella is formed to provide assistance to organization's like the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance. This reincarnation of the corporation aids Chris Redfield during the ending and DLC events of Biohazard.
9 Racoon City Reference
While playing as Mia on the sunk tanker in the swamp, a little exploration reveals an interesting discovery. In one of the rooms within the ship, you can find a magazine that reads: "16 years since the nightmare of Racoon City, the survivors are still suffering."
Although brief, this is a nod to the events of the original Resident Evil games set in the Spencer Mansion and Racoon City. The incident specifically took place in 1998, so you can guess that Biohazard is set at least 16 years after that, if not more. Considering this timespan, it makes sense that a new bioweapon, known as Mold, was developed and showcased through Resident Evil 7's storyline.
8 Familiar Views
The Baker estate is riddled with junk, but you can occasionally stumble upon something revealing. Near the metal door in the Main Hall, you can find a framed picture of a beautiful landscape adorned with trees — the Arklay Mountains.
Arklay is the county that houses Racoon City. The Spencer Mansion, setting of the first Resident Evil, is located in these mountains. Dr. Oswell E. Spencer, who lived there, was one of the original founders of Project Wesker, a eugenics research that would exploit the T-Virus to create a race of perfect humans and a utopian society.
7 House Of Terror Vibes
Resident Evil 7 was so successful because it returned to its roots: survival horror, with a focus on puzzle solving and exploration. The similarities between the Spencer Mansion, found in the original Resident Evil, and the Baker Ranch might not be just coincidences.
It's no secret that both of these locations are filled with puzzles that unlock secret passage ways or other rooms. In the attic above Lucas's bedroom, you can find a old invoice for a renovation contract. The receipt shows that Jack Baker commissioned an overhaul for the estate, hiring Trevor & Chamberlain Construction. George Trevor designed the Spencer Mansion, and it's entirely possible this company is tied to him.
However, Trevor dies before the events of Resident Evil, after having discovered the secret lab underlying the mansion he was building. Perhaps he owned this company that retained his name even after his passing.
6 Remember This Guy?
One of the earliest clues you can find that tie Biohazard to the rest of the franchise, is a book titled "The Unveiled Abyss." You can find it in the Baker's dining room, as soon as you are able to explore it without getting chased by Jack.
Notably, this text is authored by Clive R. O'Brian, the director of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, who employs Chris Redfield. O'Brian is mostly prevalent in Resident Evil: Revelations, so it's nice to see Biohazard being connected to the extended universe of the series.
5 More Names From The Past
Another easy-to-miss reference to previous Resident Evil titles, is showcased by a newspaper you can find near the first Shadow Puzzle. The featured article talks about the mysterious disappearances of, at least, 20 people in South Louisiana, over the course of 2 years.
At the end, the author signs her name: "Alyssa Ashcroft, Jan. 19, 2016." Alyssa is an investigative reporter who originally appeared in Resident Evil Outbreak and Outbreak: File #2. She was one of the few people to escape Racoon City, and her work focused on exposing the Umbrella Corporation.
4 Nice Gun
During the final boss fight of the game, before his imminent death, Ethan gets a strange message on his smart watch that tells him to use a handgun that dropped from a little case. While Ethan crawls with the last bit of his strength towards the weapon, you can read its name just before picking it up.
The Albert-01 looks very similar to Albert Wesker's custom Samurai Edge from previous games. The fact that it bears his name doesn't seem like a coincidence. This gun is the most powerful and ammo efficient in the game, so it makes sense that the developers saved it for the very end (but you can use it throughout any playthrough after completing the game once).
3 Ethan (Actually) Dies In The Prologue
In Resident Evil 8, Ethan has a fever dream involving Eveline, in which she tells him that he is actually a walking Mold being. She points out his blatant ability to resist mortal blows and literally piece his limbs back together. It turns out that Ethan, as a human being, died shortly after arriving at the Baker Estate back in Resident Evil 7.
All this indeed makes sense. He was infected with Mold by Jack Baker, but for some reason he didn't become a mindless monster. It's a good thing that Village did such a good job in tying up the various loose ends raised by its predecessor. Seriously, seeing Ethan putting back his hand like a Lego was rather hilarious without a proper explanation.
2 Eveline Is Like Rosemary (Sort Of)
Eveline from Biohazard and Rosemary from Village are like two versions of an iPhone, the former being the precursor, and the latter being the new and improved model. Eveline could control the Mold back at the Baker Estate, and used it to build a pretend family to fulfill her need for affection. Rosemary doesn't actually show any abilities in Resident Evil 8, but her body does get split up in pieces and is able to recompose itself.
At the end of the game, during the post credits scene, a grown Rosemary visits Ethan's grave. In an exchange with one of her tutors, she reveals that she has abilities that even Chris doesn't know about. Whatever that means, all this is surely going to be explored in the next chapter of the series.
1 The Mold Existed Before The T-Virus
Resident Evil 7 was such a far cry from the established lore that it seemed like a different game altogether. How on Earth did zombies eventually become weird, black monsters? It turns out that the mold is actually a different type of bioweapon altogether from the infamous T-Virus, and that it existed long before its counterpart.
By the end of Resident Evil Village, Chris finds Mother Miranda's secret mad scientist laboratory. Here he also happens to find a letter from Oswell E. Spencer, the original founder and CEO of Umbrella. In the letter, Oswell thanks Miranda for all the time spent together and the knowledge shared about the Mold. It's very possible that he took back a sample with him after he left Miranda, but perhaps that's not going to be a part of any future Resident Evil title.