Way back in 1996 I raced home from Walden Software with my “big box” copy of Resident Evil for the original PlayStation. Dubbed a “survival horror” game, the new title from Capcom was winning a lot of critical praise from gaming publications, and I couldn’t wait to experience it for myself. I was hooked near immediately, despite the dogs making me jump out of my seat as they did everyone else. The mix of fright, mystery, exploration, and story-telling engrossed me and, save for a few hiccups along the way, Resident Evil has continued to do that for generations.
Fast-forward thirty years and Resident Evil is a global, legendary IP that’s arguably stronger than its ever been. We previewed Requiem last year, and with Capcom selling us on new horror elements, the return of Leon Kennedy, and a return to Raccoon City, I couldn’t have been more excited. So does it deliver everything fans could want to celebrate thirty years of the franchise? Let’s find out.
And in case you were wondering, yes. I still own my original, big box copy.
Give Us Grace!
Resident Evil Requiem takes place in late 2026, nearing thirty years after the destruction of Raccoon City in 1998. You initially take the role of Grace Ashcroft, an F.B.I intelligence analyst and daughter of Resident Evil Outbreak character Alyssa Ashcroft. Tasked with investigating mysterious new deaths, you head to the hotel where your mother, Alyssa, was killed eight years ago.
Throughout Requiem, you alternate between Grace and Leon, each having a distinctly different playstyle. Capcom was clearly trying to appease the entire franchise fanbase by including both the survival-horror sections alongside the more action-packed gameplay. And generally speaking, they succeed on all fronts, with a few caveats.
Playing as Grace, you feel vulnerable. She’s clearly not a soldier, and as such, is generally terrified and confounded at the events unfolding in front of her. Not only is it a stark contrast to Leon, but to nearly all of the protagonists of the mainline Resident Evil games. This adds to the tension of playing as Grace throughout which is further highlighted by spectacular voice-acting. I can’t express how genuine Angela Sant’Albano‘s work comes across in the role. It’s a prime example of the power of quality voice-acting and it helps to make Grace one of my favorite new characters in some time.
Leon, as you would suspect, is the other side of the coin. The Leon we find in Requiem is chiseled, seasoned, and gruff. Now 51 years old, Leon has been battling against the fallout of Umbrella and his own demons for decades. Killing dozens of zombies and attempting to unravel further mysteries is just another day on the job. And don’t panic, he still lays down his signature quips along the way.
This dichotomy works well throughout. While the transitions happen in quick succession early-on to lay the foundation, Requiem eventually falls into a stronger pace that allows you to more fully engage with each character and their unique playstyles. The core part of Grace’s story is a hearty homage to the original Resident Evil games and the strongest part of Requiem. It’s extremely well designed, and brought back memories of first exploring the Spencer mansion. Limited ammo and resources are at your disposal as you attempt to avoid combat whenever possible. Subtle details with Grace add to the tension, from hearing her breath quivering to her hands shaking when enemies get near. Oh, and you’ll likely join her as you work to avoid things like this:
Meanwhile, as Leon, your return to the remnants of Raccoon City is filled with memories but also a lot of zombies. A lot. In fact, so much so that the mechanics borrow heavily from the prior Mercenaries modes, with currency offered for kills and numerous upgrades for your weaponry.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey and appreciate that Capcom managed to include nearly all aspects of Resident Evil as a thirty-year old franchise that has had countless variations. In parallel, they also pull on the nostalgia strings so hard by the end that they essentially tear. And in doing so, they created an overall gameplay package should please even the most jaded Resident Evil fan.
Grace’s sections are more well refined, however, and if I have one major complaint with the structure it’s that Leon’s core area feels bland in comparison. While the return to Raccoon City is great for nostalgia, it turns out a dusty, decimated city might not be the most interesting from a gameplay perspective especially when the combat style removes nearly all sense of fear.
Implementing the ability to change from first-person to third-person perspective at any time is a fantastic addition for the series. After years of endless debating in the community, Capcom managed to squash it in one fell swoop. While Requiem defaults to Grace in first-person and Leon in third, you can change them at any time you like. Personally, after dabbling with both, I found that first-person was more enjoyable and immersive to me. But play as you wish!
Tentacles and Eyeballs, Eyeballs and Tentacles
With modern remakes of Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 alongside updated versions of Biohazard and Village, a lot of praise has been given to the RE Engine. Rightfully so, as those games feature some of the most impressive visuals and effects for horror titles ever developed. It’s no surprise, then, that Requiem builds upon that even further.
The presentation on display throughout Requiem is staggering. The character models are detailed to a spectacular degree, and rather than just show up in cinematics, they are just as impressive in motion. When combined with extraordinary use of lighting, shadows, and environmental touches, Requiem is simply a joy to behold.
Taking it another step further is the sound design and direction. Supporting full 3D audio and directional sound, you can hear every groan, every step, and in Grace’s case, every trembling breath as she navigates the horrors presented to her. It’s remarkable. And when you have giant monsters roaming about which you must be aware of positionally, it not only helps the player, but creates an additional layer of tension. I frequently comment on sound in games as I feel it can add so much to the experience and Requiem is absolutely a recent highlight.
It makes sense that the sound design is so well implemented, then, as the beasts and monsters you’ll face will certainly let you know they mean business. Beyond the zombie groans we all know so well, the grunts, screams, and guttural bellows that echo the halls will certainly make the hair on the back of your neck stand to alert.
Monster variety is another high point in Requiem with a range of unique enemies and advanced, location-based physics at play. There’s a scene early in the game with Leon where a chainsaw comes into play alongside a group of zombies. And let’s just say, you know right away this is going to get messy…
Making a zombie’s eyeball pop out of his head for the first time had me yelling “oh damn!”, while all the classic moves are here including dropping them with leg shots, popping heads like balloons, and even unique kill animations for Leon’s arsenal. While it doesn’t seem to feature destruction as detailed as Resident Evil 2 Remake, I’ll say two words: blood splatter. The sight of some of the rooms when I was finished with my rounds would have have made Dexter blush.
There is one caveat again, however, to the combat throughout Requiem. Because Leon’s main section is structured like Mercenaries where you want to kill hordes of zombies, each kill feels less visceral and meaningful than in the other sections of the game. Whereas the early parts of the game with Grace feel intimate and and each kill meaningful, Leon’s section can often feel more like an arcade shooter. I found this to even be a departure from, say, Resident Evil 4, as while you had ample ammo and enemies to dispatch in 4, each kill still felt more weighty than it does here.
It’s also worth calling out that the traditional “monster who cannot be killed but hunts you relentlessly” model is more refined in Requiem. While there are a few variations of these style of enemies, they are much more fun to engage with than Mr. X from Resident Evil 2 (who I despise).
28 Years Later
Returning to Raccoon City to discover the truth behind Grace and the remnants of Umbrella is an adventure with all of the twists, turns, and over-the-top, anime style events you could imagine. With returning characters and enemies, and endless references to the original trilogy, it’s a nostalgia smorgasbord for long-time fans of the series.
In fact, it throws so much of the series’ kitchen sink at you that at one point I audibly said “You have got to be kidding me.” It doesn’t necessarily detract from the overall experience, it’s merely a bit over the top. But then, it is Resident Evil, so after thirty years of nonsensical absurdness, you learn to just kind of roll with it.
Tying together modern-day with the events of the original game was a smart move by Capcom as, along with the obvious throwbacks, it connected a lot of plot elements together that have existed for years. In the end, Requiem does as the franchise typically does. It closes one chapter while opening the door for another during the ending sequences. And as always, I’ll be chomping at the bit to see what Capcom cooks up in the future.
A Requiem for Resi’s Sins
I could have never imagined that thirty years after that young, naive geek came home with Resident Evil for his PlayStation he’d be sitting at a computer writing his review of the latest installment of over 30 games with the moniker.
Resident Evil Requiem represents another excellent entry into one of the most celebrated franchises in gaming. It’s a technical marvel, and the best the series has ever looked or felt. It’s a celebration of the series, and pays homage to nearly every aspect that fans love. It introduced an outstanding new protagonist in Grace Ashcroft while simultaneously returning arguably the most recognized character in Leon Kennedy to the spotlight. And it manages to blend the varying gameplay styles in the most effective way we’ve seen yet.
In the end, Requiem is everything I wanted out of the next mainline Resident Evil and yet another notch on Capcom’s long-celebrated belt. And you should spend more than 7 minutes playing it.
Thank you to our PR partners and Capcom for providing us review access to Resident Evil Requiem. You can find Seasoned Gaming’s review policy here.