Over the past few days, I have been debating whether Resident Evil Requiem will be my first 10, but the more I thought about it, it is the most 9/10 game ever.
I feel it tries to marry the two best Resident Evil remake games (2 and 4) but does stumble over itself in a few sections, which stops it from being utter perfection.
I will delve into the story without giving too much away while also discussing the gameplay and other bits and pieces that I think are important to know before you pick this up.
Story
Requiem has no real jumping off point, but you start as Alyssa Ashcroft’s daughter, Grace, in her rookie days at the FBI, and you are sent by the director to investigate another body that has turned up, this time at the site of where Grace’s mother died, the Wrenwood Hotel.
Grace gets more than she bargained for when she is captured by the sinister Dr. Victor Gideon, and thus, the plot unravels.
You then catch up with series veteran, and now in his 50s, Leon Kennedy (the developers really did craft some eye candy with this man). Leon is now working for the Division of Security Operations (DSO) to also try and find a cure for this long-term T-Virus infection.
Still with me?……Yeah, this game gets convoluted fast.
What ensues over the next eight to nine hours is what I call the very best Resident Evil has to offer, barring one section where we play a long stretch as Leon in the post-apocalyptic Racoon City that does go on a bit too long. It feels like needless busywork and padding that does take away from the tight story.
Overall though, the story is superb and takes a few turns that I didn’t see coming. and the new addition of Grace really did wonders. She starts off the game shaking a lot, especially when holding a weapon, but as time goes on, she becomes more battle-hardened, which only works in the game’s favour.
The villains of Gideon and the Albert Wesker look-alike, Zeno, are cool, with Gideon giving vibes of Heath Ledger’s Joker. The pair do complement each other well, and the payoff at the end is interesting and well worth the journey to get there. I also do like that there are two distinct endings, depending on your choice, which does add replay value.
However, while the game is awesome on the first playthrough, the second time round, the scares and the cool one-liners just don’t hit the same, making the replayability aspect weaker for me. This is a bit criminal for Resident Evil as replayability is one of the series’ biggest pluses, and this is the least replayable of the titles from my memory.
Gameplay
Due to their being two protagonists, the gameplay is also very different between Grace and Leon. Grace is all about resource management and stealth, while Leon is more action-heavy and about blasting his way through the zombies.
The gunplay is fantastic with both characters, and there is the addition of the hemolytic injector for Grace. Unlike in previous titles when you could stealth kill zombies with a knife if you timed it right, you now have a limited use weapon for Grace that has its own pluses and minuses. While it is an instant kill, it can alert other zombies in the area to your presence, so choose your moment carefully.
The Care Center is the best gameplay area as the mix of tight, claustrophobic corridors and unique areas make it a joy to go through as both characters. Leon’s arsenal of weapons is amazing, and the upgrades you can acquire through the point store in the second half of the game really do make a difference.
The other major upgrade for both characters is the titular Requiem magnum. This thing has a real kick, especially for Grace, but the bullets are in short supply, so do choose your moments perfectly.
Lastly, we have the zombies. In the Care Center, the enemies shine just as much as our protagonists. They are newly infected, so they currently still exhibit some of their human traits, like the maid who keeps cleaning, and there’s one stalker enemy called the chef who continues chopping away at you or in the kitchen. Some zombies hate noise and swing around a drip at the slightest sound, while there are singing zombies who shriek the place down to ruin your day.
The only iffy part with the gameplay, I found, is that some enemies do become real bullet sponges for no reason, especially during the Leon sections, and it feels like I am dropping a lot of bullets and have no idea why certain enemies take more bullets to put down than others.
Graphics and Sound
Now, this is one of the strongest parts of the game. The game is drop dead gorgeous (pun intended), each area of the world has meticulous attention to detail, and each character has been modelled perfectly to the point where you can really see the time and effort that has gone into designing this game.
I played the game with my soundbar on, and it really makes a difference. You will hear the little rattles of the hiding Mr. Racoon statues get ever so slightly louder as you get closer. The zombies also make subtle noises that do add to the atmosphere. The rattling of the chains on The Girl to the machine noises in the lab at the end are done expertly, and you have to have the sound turned up or have headphones on when playing this to really get the full experience.
Conclusion
Resident Evil Requiem truly is a love letter to the series, and it shows. The boss fights are challenging but fun, the enemy variety is good but not amazing (still better than Biohazard, though) and the game is chocked full of cheesy dialogue to make you laugh during tense moments. While I can’t score this game a perfect 10/10, mainly for that iffy initial Racoon City location and the maybe weaker replay value, Requiem is a game made for the fans, and if you have ever enjoyed any of the Resident Evil titles in the past, then you have to pick this up immediately.
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release Date: 27th February 2026
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Resident Evil Requiem was provided by the publisher.
