I’ll admit, when I hear “best entry in the series,” my cynical alarm bells usually start ringing. But after spending a few hours with Resident Evil Requiem, I’m putting my skepticism on ice. I played through sections as both the newcomer Grace and the legendary Leon S. Kennedy, and this game honestly feels like the victory lap Capcom has been building toward since RE7.
The brilliance here isn’t just in the scares; it’s in the whiplash between two completely different playstyles. It’s a schizophrenic design choice that somehow works perfectly. The upcoming title is the one that finally understands why this series works and when to let different sides of it breathe.
Two Characters, Two Completely Different Games
If you enjoyed the claustrophobia of Ethan Winters’ debut in Resident Evil 7, Grace is your wheelhouse. Her combat options are severely limited to stealth and evasion. She isn’t a boulder-punching soldier but vulnerable, and her sections take place in a pitch-black hospital where combat is technically possible, but usually a terrible idea.
The game defaults to first-person here (though you can toggle to third-person if the immersion gets too intense), and the vibe is pure flight over fight. You’ll sneak past monsters rather than hunt them down. The tension is palpable with a specific brand of “butt-clenching” terror where you know you can’t just shoot your way out of trouble, so every encounter becomes a nerve-wracking exercise to stay hidden.
Leon S. Kennedy’s addition in Resident Evil Requiem is a complete callback to Resident Evil 4 and 6. He is geared to the teeth with handguns, shotguns, grenades up his sleeves, and the man still drops cheesy one-liners like it’s 2005.
Playing Leon is the cathartic release you need after the high-blood-pressure stealth sections with Grace. He wields a hatchet that serves double duty to crack open warped chests that Grace lacks, and sharpens mid-battle to serve as a brutal finisher on downed zombies. There’s even a chainsaw in the mix. It feels very satisfying to stomp an undead’s head in after blasting them with a shotgun, especially as a palate cleanser to the helplessness of the previous segment.
The tonal contrast shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. Requiem uses the back-and-forth to reset your nerves. Grace makes you scared again. Leon lets you release that tension in the most Resident Evil way possible: by shooting something in the face and stomping what’s left. It’s a smart rhythm that keeps the game from falling into the trap of being relentlessly exhausting or overly action-heavy.
Requiem Has Classic Resident Evil DNA with Modern Polish
Requiem nails the core formula: survive labyrinthine environments, solve puzzles, manage limited resources, and uncover a larger mystery. Grace’s inventory management is very tight due to limited available storage; you have to frequently make tough calls about what to keep when you’re being chased by the infected. Do you drop the herbs or the ammo? These decisions matter.
Capcom hasn’t oversimplified the systems, either. Crafting is important; you mash scrap metal into ammo and combine herbs with syringes for injectables. There’s also a new weapon called the Hemolytic Injector, which lets you stealth-attack enemies to stop them from mutating.
Progression requires legwork. You will have to collect blood samples to feed into an analysis machine (which involves a puzzle, naturally) to unlock crafting perks. There are also antique coins scattered around that buy upgrades, but in true Capcom fashion, they are usually guarded by the toughest enemies in the room. Risk, meet reward.
The Story Hook
For the lore nerds, including myself, the narrative hook is genuinely exciting. Grace is investigating the murder of her mother, who is strongly implied to be Alyssa Ashcroft from the cult classic Resident Evil Outbreak. Seeing Capcom acknowledge Outbreak in a mainline title is a deep cut I didn’t see coming. Leon’s trapped in the same Care Center facility, though better equipped to handle the situation.
The full story is still under wraps, but connecting legacy characters with new ones while maintaining the mystery-box approach looks right for the series. I’ve played every mainline Resident Evil game, and Requiem is doing something really interesting by splitting the difference between pure and action horror. When it launches on February 27, we might see a new high point for the series. Resident Evil Requiem is expected to be a greatest hits compilation of the franchise’s best eras.
