Resident Evil 7 is often cited by fans and critics as the entry that revitalized the franchise. The game is notable for toning down the action-heavy sequences that characterize the later entries in favor of a more atmospheric approach. The game's primary antagonists, the Baker family, exude a unique backcountry horror that is not often seen in other AAA titles in the genre.
With so many great ideas executed in the final product, it's interesting to take stock of what didn't end up making the cut. As with any creative process, many ideas were initially thrown against the wall, with some of them invariably being left on the cutting room floor.
6 The Creepy Twins
Much of Resident Evil 7's cut content revolves around unused enemy types, many of whom are connected to the Baker family. Alongside Jack, Marguerite, and Lucas, there were also additional members of the homicidal family that were initially considered to act as enemies. In the case of the Creepy Twins, only a bit of concept art exists to give fans some clues as to their appearance and potential role in the story.
According to the sketch, these identical twin boys are dressed the same in simple farm garb. What their exact roles in the game would have entailed is difficult to surmise since they appear to have been cut relatively early in development. It's hard to ignore The Shining vibes that these enemies tend to conjure in one's mind.
5 The Daughter
The Baker family was originally conceived as a much larger clan when the game was first being developed. Many of these family members, like the twins, didn't make it past the early concept phase, existing only as rough sketches. Nevertheless, one cut enemy, in particular, did make it further in development than the rest.
An enemy known as the Daughter was briefly considered, as many fans who played the Kitchen and Beginning Hour demos most likely remember. There was a lot of speculation at the time as to what her role in the forthcoming game was going to be.
However, it turned out that the Daughter had already been cut from the game by the time of the demos' release, and was included more as an easter egg than anything else. This original concept would be progressively repurposed into the character of Zoe.
4 Breathing Mechanic
Not everything cut from Resident Evil 7 has to do with enemy types. Games in the Resident Evil series all follow a fairly standard formula regarding gameplay, although there have been attempts over the years by the developers to experiment with new ideas. There was actually an entire gameplay mechanic that was considered early in development, built around Ethan's breathing.
A zombie enemy in the game was supposed to react to Ethan's breathing. The player would have had to hold down a button to control Ethan's breaths, represented by a gauge, to remain undetected. Failing to do so would have resulted in the enemy finding the player and grabbing him. The developers decided to scrap the mechanic because they felt it would place undue stress on the player.
3 The Baker Family's Servant
The setting of Resident Evil 7 takes place in a dilapidated countryside estate. As with any large mansion, it makes sense to assume that servants would be present at such a location. The developers initially thought the same way and made plans to include an additional enemy who served as the Baker family servant.
The Servant's concept art depicts him as a sort of groundskeeper with a lantern in his hand. Like the other intended residents of the Baker estate, the Servant was ultimately cut from the game. Interestingly, however, the Servant's lantern is included in the final product, albeit wielded by Marguerite instead.
2 The D-Series File
The Resident Evil franchise has long relied on in-game notes as a part of its world-building. Nevertheless, not every piece of lore makes it into the game, either. For one reason or another, some files are withheld from the finished product.
One such example is a note detailing the progression of the D-type series of bioweapons. It briefly summarizes the fates of various test subjects, who all ultimately proved to be failures. Only the last entry, labeled as E-001, was a success. The name of the subject is unsurprisingly revealed to be Eveline.
1 The Baker Family Dog
The final member of the Baker clan was actually the family dog. According to the developers, the dog was given the name Diane and was intended to be a companion to Lucas. It's difficult to tell the exact breed based on the concept art, its features perhaps conforming to that of a Dobermann.
Although the idea of a family dog was scrapped relatively early in development, it was initially slated to make an appearance during the dinner scene where Ethan is introduced to each member of the twisted household.