The Ideal-ist: Halloween Special

Happy Halloween from The Ideal-ist.

For this special episode, Shane Gaffney steps into very different territory with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard—the acclaimed return to horror that helped bring the Resident Evil franchise back to its roots.

Shane reflects on what makes the game so uniquely unsettling to him, from its rotting, unsanitary environments to the oppressive rural atmosphere that evokes unpleasant memories of similarly grimy and uncomfortable places. For someone sensitive to environmental discomfort, Resident Evil 7 offers almost a perfect storm of things designed to make the skin crawl.

He also explores how each member of the Baker family brings a different flavor of horror to the experience. Jack’s relentless pursuit, Marguerite’s grotesque insect imagery and body horror, Lucas’s sadistic traps, and the broader decay surrounding the estate each tap into different fears and anxieties rather than relying on a single kind of threat.

But what ultimately drew Shane into a game outside his usual comfort zone was its central villain: Eveline. Her cruelty and warped ideals of “family” gave him a strong personal motivation to push through the fear, frustration, and unfamiliar gameplay just for the satisfaction of finally bringing her down.

That sense of determination turned Resident Evil 7 into more than just a horror game for Shane. It became a personal challenge—proof that even when something feels intimidating, uncomfortable, or far outside your usual strengths, having a strong enough reason to keep going can carry you farther than you expect.

For a Halloween episode, there could hardly be a better example of horror doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: making you deeply uncomfortable, testing your nerves, and leaving you with one incredibly satisfying sense of relief when you finally make it out alive.

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