Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth game in the franchise. It also marks a long-awaited return to the events surrounding Raccoon City. The main characters in this new entry are Leon Kennedy, a longtime fan favorite and series veteran, and Grace Ashcroft, a relatively new character who seems to have taken the spotlight after Ethan Winters’ story ended in Resident Evil Village. This is not the first time the series has featured multiple protagonists in one game, but it may be the first time the story feels so smoothly connected between the two.
Let’s first talk about Leon Kennedy. The fan-favorite rookie cop-turned-government agent was first introduced in Resident Evil 2. He later appeared in Resident Evil 4 and 6, and now returns again in Requiem. Leon has aged and has been through many disasters, including the iconic T-Virus outbreak that devastated Raccoon City. Because of that, his return feels fitting for a game that brings the series back to that same location.
Grace Ashcroft is a relative newcomer and the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft. At the start of the game, she is introduced as an FBI analyst investigating a series of murders connected to the Wrenwood Hotel. She is shown to lack the experience and skill of someone like Leon, and her gameplay sections reflect that difference.
The story in Resident Evil Requiem focuses on the emergence of a new T-Virus strain tied to a mystery known as Elpis, Raccoon City, and a new antagonist, Victor Gideon. The game features several locations, including a return to Raccoon City in the second half, which sheds more light on what happened after the city was bombed. It brings together key lore and elements that made the mainline entries memorable for fans, but more on that later. There are also several surprises for those who have stayed with the series since the beginning.
It seems that after the events in Raccoon City, some survivors are suffering from a mysterious illness, including Leon Kennedy. This illness leads to more deaths, which explains the rise in strange cases across the United States. Victor Gideon is connected to some of these deaths. As Grace Ashcroft investigates the Wrenwood Hotel, she runs into Gideon, who takes her to his research facility. There, she meets a mysterious girl named Emily and faces several horrifying creatures.
Meanwhile, Leon tracks Gideon to the same facility and finds Grace there. He helps her escape a monstrous creature and gives her his new Magnum, called Requiem, so she can defend herself. The story shifts between the two characters, slowly moving the plot forward while offering two distinct styles of gameplay.
In Grace’s case, the experience leans fully into survival horror since she does not have Leon’s combat training. She can be killed easily and does not have enough resources to deal with every threat. Her gameplay focuses more on stealth and puzzle-solving. Her sections feel closer to the first half of Resident Evil 7 and the Resident Evil 2 Remake than to any other entry in the series.
In contrast, Leon has far more resources to handle enemies. He is a skilled fighter and can perform moves that quickly deal with most threats. His sections play more like Resident Evil 4, with a stronger focus on combat rather than puzzles. Without a doubt, his campaign delivers some of the best action-driven gameplay the series has seen since Resident Evil 6.
Grace begins the game in a weaker state, armed only with a handgun. The opening section in the Wrenwood Hotel plays out like an investigation, teaching the player the basic controls. As the story moves forward, she gains new tools, such as a makeshift knife that can also be used to break free when grabbed by enemies without taking damage. She later receives the Requiem Magnum from Leon, though its ammo is extremely limited.
Grace can also craft ammo and other useful items using blood collected from enemies or found in buckets around the environment. She starts with a smaller inventory compared to Leon, but her carrying capacity can be increased by finding upgrade pouches scattered throughout the game. The same applies to her health. While she cannot upgrade her weapons directly, she can improve her firepower.
Leon, on the other hand, can upgrade his weapons and starts with a large inventory. He also has access to a strong arsenal, including the Requiem Magnum, a handgun, shotgun, rifle, and machine gun. A new addition to his toolkit is a hatchet, which can be used to finish off downed or stunned enemies. It also works as a standard melee weapon and does not break like Grace’s makeshift knives. Leon can simply sharpen the hatchet and continue using it.
He can also use certain environmental weapons, such as a chainsaw, or throw enemy weapons like axes and spears. In addition, he has contextual melee attacks and finishers that trigger after stunning enemies. Overall, he stands out as the most action-focused Resident Evil protagonist since Resident Evil 6.
My first playthrough was on Standard difficulty, and I chose the modern save system, which does not require Ink Ribbons. However, for longtime fans who prefer the classic approach, that option is still available. The game is not overly difficult on Standard, though the early sections with Grace can feel like trial and error because of her limited combat ability and reliance on stealth.
The game places a large number of enemies in the opening areas, leaving little choice but to avoid direct combat. This may not appeal to everyone, but I found it to be a refreshing contrast to Leon’s sections, where the focus shifts to more direct and aggressive action.
Although most of the game takes place in linear areas, exploration is still rewarded. At times, players can find locked safes or drawers that can only be opened after locating a specific file or a lockpick. There are also optional areas that are inaccessible at first and can only be explored after finding certain key items. This is especially common in the second half of the game. In simple terms, the game encourages exploration by rewarding players with ammo and crafting materials, which gradually make things easier.
By the time I reached the final set of boss fights, I was fully stocked and had little trouble getting through them. Even with Grace, I had more than enough resources in the later stages, despite being forced to rely on stealth in the early hours. I assume that on a replay, with better resource management and knowledge of what lies ahead, her earlier sections would feel much easier, and stealth would not always be necessary unless the situation truly demands it.
I see Resident Evil Requiem as a culmination of what the series has delivered so far. It features several memorable boss fights, along with a few surprises, and takes players back to where the nightmare began, this time with Leon at the center once again. The game offers something for every type of Resident Evil fan, whether you prefer the survival horror focus of Resident Evil 7 or the more action-driven style of Resident Evil 4.
There is also the option to switch between first and third-person perspectives, making it accessible to fans of both styles. For my first playthrough, I followed the recommended setup, which uses first-person for Grace and third-person for Leon. That said, it is entirely possible to play the full game in either first or third-person without switching perspectives, if that is your preference.
When it comes to the narrative, the game is engaging enough to keep players invested. While the overall story may not win awards for its writing, it carries enough of the series identity to deliver a strong beginning and a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the twists and turns just as much as the gameplay itself. The variety in locations is also solid, even if most areas follow a linear structure. I have to give special praise to the map design, which stands out as one of the game’s strongest features. The map is extremely useful, as it clearly marks important items and points of interest. If something is missed, it is easy to open the map and double-check the area.
Overall, I believe Resident Evil Requiem can easily be placed among the top three entries in the franchise, and possibly even in second place behind Resident Evil 4 when discussing the modern titles. Despite playing an early access copy, I was impressed by how polished the game felt and did not encounter any major bugs. I played most of the game on a PS5 Pro using the ray tracing mode, which runs at 4K and 60 frames per second. I only noticed minor frame rate drops on rare occasions, mostly during non-gameplay scenes. There were a few small visual issues, but nothing serious, and they can likely be fixed with a day-one update.
In terms of replay value, it took me around fifteen hours to complete the game, although the in-game timer showed closer to ten hours, so it may not be fully accurate. There are many reasons to replay it, including finding all the secrets, trying higher difficulty levels, and unlocking additional achievements and rewards. New weapons can also be unlocked by earning points through in-game objectives, giving fans plenty to work toward, much like in other traditional Resident Evil titles.
Resident Evil Requiem Game Information
- Price: $69.99
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Platform: PS5 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
