Resident Evil 7 Guest House: Finding the Bolt Cutters, how to reach the Attic and win the Mia boss fight
A complete walkthrough and guide to each area in Capcom's survival horror adventure.
Resident Evil 7 begins with the Guest House, which features Derelict House Footage and more scenes that will be familiar to those who played the demo. Of course, things come in a different order and it takes you to some new places, so expect a few surprises along the way.
Looking for something else? Visit our Resident Evil 7 walkthrough for more help.
On this page:
Exploring the Guest House and finding the Bolt Cutters
Once you're out the car, proceed down the linear path ahead and check the gate. It's locked, so turn left and follow the path to the parked van. Interact with the side door and investigate the leaflet on the backseat if you like.
Continue on through the broken gate, and follow the linear path until you reach a blockade of disgusting animal legs, and tap the right stick in the crouch underneath. Continue on, drop down the ledge then investigate the bag in the ashes just ahead, and retrieve the 'Driver's Licence' by moving the bag round and looking into the top, adding it to your inventory.
When you're ready, enter the house via the door on the left. Inside, open the door and walk to the end of the corridor to the kitchen; if you're played the Resident Evil 7 demo, this will all be very familiar.
Walk through the other side, and take the steps up, and collect the 'Derelict House Footage' VHS tape item and a chance to save at the table on the right.
Head downstairs, and at the end of the corridor, go through the door on the right. There are photographs strewn around you can investigate, then use the VHS player in the corner; select the 'Derelict House Footage' you collected upstairs.
Derelict House Footage
You'll be transported into the video tape, playing a flashback as someone named Clancy. This is your chance to get the game's first Antique Coin; as soon as you begin, step backwards two steps and look down to find a Lockpick.
Watch the scene play out and follow the two men. In the kitchen, open the locked drawer with the Lockpick to find a photograph - but remember this drawer for later, as in the present it'll contain a Antique Coin. After the scene in the kitchen, follow Peter through to the same room you entered the tape, and he'll open a secret passage using a lever in the fireplace. Crouch through and follow, then head down the basement, and walk onwards.
Find the Bolt Cutters
Once the videotape ends, activate the same switch in the fireplace and head down the ladder into the basement. The route onward is linear; crouch and go through the submerged corridor into the basement proper, walking round the cages, until there is a table on your left and a gated cell ahead.
Investigate the table and read the file you can pick up on both sides to log the 'List of Names (Front)' and 'List of Names (Back)' Files, then collect the 'Bolt Cutters' and use them on the gate to enter.
After the scene with Mia, follow her out the cell to the right and follow her through the basement. Once you go through the door, console her as she sits down. Walk through to the other room and investigate the doll on the floor, and you'll hear a disturbance behind you. A path has opened in the previous room, which you can take upstairs.
Once up the stairs, go past the phone on the table and investigate the drawer of the table that follows and collect the 'Guest House Map', fleshing out your map screen.
Go through the left door that follows into the bathroom, and collect the two First Aid Meds - one on the side, the other in the drawer. Return to the corridor, attempt to open the end locked door, then work your way back to the basement.
After the cutscene, to resist Mia's attacks, hammer the right trigger. Once she is down, then crouch over and investigate her body. After another cutscene is a fight where you're equipped with an Axe. There is no real strategy here bar hammering the right trigger in this initial fight, and do so until you've won.
The phone back out in the corridor will ring, informing you to reach the Attic. Continue down the corridor and turn right into the room where had the fight, where the corpse has disappeared; collect the 'Axe' and you'll automatically equip it. The door at the end of the corridor will be unlocked; if you look at your map, you will now be back outside the Living Room where you played the VHS tape.
How to reach the Attic
To reach the Attic, you'll need to activate a fuse box in the Living Room. To get the Fuse, run back to the kitchen, and as soon as you leave the other side is a chained wardrobe. Use the 'Bolt Cutters' to find the Fuse.
Run back to the Living Room and use it on the fuse box on the right wall. Leave the room towards the stairs, and after the cutscene, collect the 'Hand' from the floor then proceed up. Hit the button that's just ahead of you when you reach the top to lower some stairs to the attic.
Go through the door on the right and collect the 'M19 Handgun' and ammo from the desk, as well as the Med Kit. Leave, go right and through the door at the end to enter the attic proper. Get more ammo from the left corner, and more through the door on the right, then start to climb the ladder in the attic.
Want more help? Our Resident Evil 7 walkthrough provides step-by-step instructions on how to survive the main story, as well as finding the Shotgun, Grenade Launcher and the game's many Lockpicks and Treasure Photos. Meanwhile, our Antique Coins locations, Mr Everywhere statue locations and File locations lists will help you find every available collectible on Normal and Easy difficulties.
Mia boss fight
Once you start climbing, Mia will chainsaw through the doors above. Immediately retreat and back off into the middle of the room, and start firing rounds into her by aiming with the left trigger.
To slow her advance, but the wooden beams between you and her whenever you can - though she has a tendency to saw them down - and continue firing off rounds. After around 10-15 shots, she should be done for.
If she's not done by then, switch to the Axe. When she is about to attack, hold L1 (or the Left Bumper) to block. While you'll take some damage, you should be still standing, and she'll be open to attack. Swipe away at her head and move round the back of her, and keep blocking and attacking this way until she's done for.
Once the fight is over, attempt to leave the way you came and a cutscene will play, taking you to the Main House, which is the main setting for the rest of the adventure.