If inventory and save management seemed hard in the easier difficulty levels available to the player in Resident Evil 7, they are in for a rude awakening when they finally have the courage to pursue a Madhouse difficulty run.
It's absolutely grueling if the southern gothic atmosphere didn't clue players in on how gritty it could get. In every way, the game is seen to get more difficult. There are fewer supplies, enemies hit harder and take more damage to kill, and to make matters worse, almost all of the autosaves are removed. Not only that, but the only to save is if the Cassette Tape is in the player's inventory. All things considered, there are a few things you can do to make it through this psychopathic homestead alive.
Play Other Modes First
This one should really go without saying, even though there are many changes to Madhouse mode that will make it drastically different from running the game on other difficulties. The most important thing here is that playing the game on other difficulties, even if you unlocked Madhouse from the start with a preorder bonus, you should familiarize yourself before playing. One of the biggest parts of playing the game well is knowing the order in which things happen.
By The Shotgun
While it might sound like it's a great idea to replace the broken shotgun in your inventor with the glittery and new shotgun that can be found near the living room, it's not. Instead, grab the repair kit that can be found in the yard and repair the broken shotgun found in Grandma's room. That will prevent the need to solve a puzzle and cut down on time and help, avoiding some seriously dangerous encounters with the family's patriarch.
Unlock Everything You Can
Although it might feel unnecessarily painstaking to run through the game so many times before attempting Madhouse, it's important to do at least two runs. First, players should play the game on easy or normal to unlock the running shoes (which will help one beat the game in less than 4 hours).
The reason this is almost entirely necessary is that it will unlock the circular saw, which makes quick work of most of the game's bosses, even on Madhouse.
The Magnum Matters
While it might be easy to spend antique coins willy-nilly, it's imperative not to do so. Instead, they should be spent on unlocking the Albert-01R as soon as possible. Otherwise, there's really no way to take out some of the tougher enemies quickly. Other than that, steroids are a good investment since they will increase maximum health and fully heal the player. Other than those two caveats, spend the antique coins on whatever suits your playstyle.
Make Sure Aim Is On-Point
This is true of any survival horror title, but it's especially important when it comes to a game as difficult as RE7 on Madhouse. Playing the game fast and loose can be fun, but it's not going to work here. Instead, be sure to realize that headshots will keep enemies down and put them down quickly. Only use the Burner when an enemy isn't already on fire. This specific tip is especially important in close-quarters.
Animation Cancel Is Invaluable
One of the most important things there is when it comes to first-person shooters is planning your time. A badly-timed reload or heal in a survival horror game can absolutely ruin a run.
When healing or reloading, it's possible to block, which will cancel the time it takes to perform those actions completely (which means that those pesky frames aren't a problem anymore). That will come in handy more than a couple of times throughout the madhouse run.
The First Mia Fight Is A Lot
Even though she's essentially the first boss in the game, she isn't easy. Ethan's estranged wife, Mia, has been more or less held captive at this swampy estate, and she might not be who she appears to be.
It's imperative that before the player tackles this fight, they scrounge around literally everywhere for any handgun ammo they can find. If not, climbing the ladder and triggering her entrance early makes the fight nearly impossible since it requires almost every bit of ammo available at this point.
Inventory Management Is A Must
A good rule is that the inventory of the player should be taken up mostly by health items and ammo, although they will need to make room for key items that allow them to progress through the game.
The most annoying part of playing on Madhouse difficulty though is that a player will also need to keep a cassette tape in your inventory to enable saving, (which can be a major pain). This is where saving separation agents come in handy. They will allow players to break down items they don't need into their component parts for crafting.
The Circular Saw Is Your Best Friend
There really isn't enough that can be said for the utility of the circular saw. Struggling with a boss? Hold down the shoulder buttons and use this weapon on them. Having an issue getting through the basement, which has been overtaken by gross ichor monsters? Circular saw time! While it's difficult to obtain, it's absolutely the most necessary item in the game for this type of run. Have it in the inventory always.
It Might Be Best To Cheese Marguerite
While Marguerite might have given the player trouble in the normal difficulty run-throughs, Madhouse Marguerite is an entirely different threat. Pretty much the only thing to do is to keep on her throughout the duration of the fight, stopping her from installing bug nests that will spawn insects who eat through health like it's nothing. There's also the strategy of camping in a corner, but if using the circular saw, it's absolutely not a problem.
