Resident Evil Requiem Review

Resident Evil Requiem feels like a callback to Resident Evil 2 the way Village is clearly an ode to Resident Evil 4. Requiem is a phenomenal survival-horror experience that expertly combines all the best elements of previous entries. I hold it as the gold standard for Resident Evil titles and a must-play for survival horror fans—and of course, Resident Evil fans. My only caveat would be that this is arguably the worst entry point for newcomers, solely from a narrative perspective, as it makes a lot of references to and plot continuations from existing and classic titles.

Gameplay

The gameplay is sublime! Exploration is as addictive and rewarding as ever, and combat feels great. Both melee attacks and gunplay feature super smooth animations, and both playable characters feel fantastic to control. The standard Resident Evil gameplay loop is here and just as satisfying and gripping as ever! Capcom expertly balances stealth, action, survival, and horror elements in their signature RE style, which they've only perfected in this entry by building on the strengths of the franchise's forerunners.

The character switching is expertly handled—both characters are distinctive with their own unique feel and playstyles. Neither ever outstays their welcome, and the pacing stays very much on point!

Grace is clearly the less experienced and less capable protagonist. She's there to make you feel vulnerable and ramp up the tension, and the developers have done an excellent job! Setting her up as an average survivor—borderline liability—akin to Ethan in RE7, you always feel on edge playing as Grace, with gameplay focused on horror: sneaking around, hoarding resources and key items, while generally avoiding combat. Grace isn't completely defenceless, though—she's capable of defending herself and gets caught up in her own fair share of enemy encounters and confrontations despite how conservatively you play. Combat encounters with Grace, though more tense and poorly resourced than those with her veteran counterpart, are still thoroughly enjoyable due to the game's excellent gunplay, controls, and general design.

It's also worth mentioning that I played the entire game exclusively in third-person and don't feel it diminished the tension of Grace's perspective. It's definitely worth playing as Grace in third-person to appreciate the scope and detail of her animations, especially her panicked sprint. Those animations had me torn between tears of amusement and terror as she bounds and stumbles away from grotesque, mutated monsters. Grace acts as a clear and intentionally stark contrast to Leon, and it works extremely well!

Playing as Leon often feels like a breath of fresh air, or a reward after the persistent tension of Grace's segments. You always suddenly feel safe when Leon shows up in a cutscene or when you switch to his perspective. Playing as Leon is clearly more centred around action—he's rarely short on resources, and his inventory space makes Grace's look like a joke, especially in the early game. Leon feels well-equipped for each of the scenarios he finds himself in throughout the events of the game, and his gameplay really drives home his role as an experienced veteran. Tension in Leon's segments is ramped up via balls-to-the-wall action and some narrative beats I won't spoil for you here.

It really is the best of both worlds and the most we could ask of a series like Resident Evil, which has always strived to offer a well-balanced action/horror experience.

The combat feels like a natural evolution of previous entries, blending the action focus of classic RE4 with the modernised, more intuitive control scheme of the remakes, RE7, and Village. Leon's hatchet is so much fun to use, and picking up enemy weapons adds some nice variation to the action—being able to wield a chainsaw is some truly exhilarating and rewarding fan service. Gunplay is snappy and satisfying; all the guns feel great to use, with satisfying kickback and recoil, especially from more powerful weapons like the Requiem and shotguns. The visceral effects of enemies getting knocked back as fountains of blood spurt out, and the real-time deformation of zombie flesh, only enhance the satisfaction of each shot.

The enemy encounters in this game are a lot of fun, and the new zombies have real character. They seem to have held on to more of their lingering personas and still carry out routine tasks—like singing, cleaning, obsessively turning off lights, and responding violently to noises. These zombies all offer unique interactions and unexpected scenarios.

Bosses offer a nice change of pace, focusing on retreat and avoidance as Grace and facing foes head-on with all your firepower as Leon. There are some cool surprises and references to earlier titles as you progress.

Resource management is an important part of the game, especially when playing as Grace. The early game harkens back to Resident Evil 2, where you really had to consider how best to stock your inventory while frantically checking the map to return for items you can't currently carry. Once you unlock some inventory upgrades this does improve, but you still feel compelled to use rather than hoard resources as both characters—Grace because she can't carry much, and Leon because he never really feels short on anything in comparison.

Coming from someone who often lacks patience with puzzles in games, these are really well done. Especially early in the game, in the Care Home, navigating the environment was like an extended puzzle in and of itself. I was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed exploring the environments and piecing together where I needed to go next and what items I'd need to progress. I often found myself naturally putting the hints together without any real frustration or confusion. I didn't use any guides throughout my playthrough, which is honestly rare for me and a genuine testament to the game's brilliant environment and puzzle designs.

Story

I'm going to keep this section relatively brief and intentionally vague, as RE9's narrative is very difficult to discuss in depth without spoiling things—and that's the last thing I want to do. Also, despite the fact that I strongly advise against it, I know a lot of people will be introduced to RE through Requiem, so I won't spoil any story beats from previous titles either, which makes this even more difficult.

Resident Evil's story draws you in immediately with its mystery and intrigue as FBI Data Analyst Grace Ashcroft is asked to investigate a new case at the Wrenwood Hotel, where she witnessed her mother's murder 8 years prior. An HR nightmare waiting to happen, in my opinion, but we move. As I mentioned earlier, Resident Evil Requiem is very well-paced with never a dull moment, and this counts just as much for its narrative. You are constantly drip-fed hints of a wider conspiracy while the game does a great job hopping from new storylines to expanding on and reintroducing existing plot threads from previous titles.

Grace is a great new heroine, and she grew on me quickly. You can't help but empathise with her fish-out-of-water quandary and admire her sheer determination and bravery as she strives to survive—and save others—at all costs. There is some excellent character development here, but I can say no more without spoiling elements of the plot I think are best experienced firsthand.

Leon is still Leon: cool, calm, and collected, with no shortage of witty/corny one-liners to break up the tension and throw some levity into the mix. They've made Leon understandably more mature and grizzled, both visually and characteristically. Long gone is the plucky, brave young optimist from RE2; now we have an even more experienced and pessimistic version of RE4's Leon. There is also an element of vulnerability to Leon's character in Requiem—I won't spoil it for you, but it does play a notable role in his presentation and further development throughout the game.

Visuals

As is to be expected of Capcom and the RE Engine, Resident Evil Requiem is stunning to look at. The level of detail in environments, character models, expressions, and gore is consistently impressive. Every flicker of emotion on Leon's face is captured and conveyed perfectly, and the sheer terror and panic Grace experiences is written in painfully accurate and clear detail—from her jittery movements down to the glistening sweat on her brow.

Enemy designs are just as you'd expect from a Resident Evil game: creepy and gross. The new zombie designs are probably the creepiest to date, as they are the most human-looking both visually and in their animations. As I explained earlier, RE9's zombies have held on to more of their humanity than those in previous titles, and this is made just as evident in their visual design. Their outfits and presentation often perfectly convey—without any further context needed—what each zombie was doing before infection.

Boss designs are no slouch either, with some truly grotesque and terrifying designs attributed to more heavily mutated enemies. There are a lot of callbacks to familiar designs from previous entries. The gore is crazy in this game—every connecting attack is evident on enemy models as chunks of flesh are blown off and deteriorate in real time.

Environments also tell violent stories, whether after combat encounters or as the result of events preceding the player. As you venture throughout the Care Home early in the game, you'll come across your fair share of blood splatters and destruction as you piece together what took place ahead of your arrival—and make some messes of your own. The game also offers a fair amount of variation in environments, ranging from the decadent, pristine architecture and furnishings of the Care Home and Umbrella lab facilities to the abandoned, ramshackle remains of the Wrenwood Hotel to the full-on decimated ruins of Raccoon City. The environments of Resident Evil Requiem are expertly realised, with immersive details and sharp visual fidelity.

Sound

The audio design in Resident Evil Requiem is top-tier and does so much heavy lifting for both horror and immersion. The soundscape is incredibly atmospheric: distant moans, creaking floors, flickering lights, and those subtle environmental cues (like a zombie humming a tune or obsessively flicking a switch) build dread organically, especially in Grace's sections where silence often feels oppressive. Footsteps crunch realistically on debris, and the way audio spatialises in third-person (or first-person if you switch) makes every approach feel threatening.

Combat audio is punchy and satisfying—gunshots have real weight, with distinct echoes in different environments (the Care Home's tiled halls vs. the ruined Raccoon City streets). Melee hits feel visceral, from the wet thuds of Leon's hatchet to Grace's desperate struggles, peppered with gasps and whimpers. Voice acting is excellent: Grace's performance conveys genuine panic and steady growth, while Leon's delivery nails that grizzled, world-weary sarcasm without feeling forced. The score is understated but effective—tense strings during stealth, swelling orchestral moments in action beats, and some clever callbacks to classic RE motifs that hit hard for longtime fans. Overall, the sound elevates every moment, making the game's highs feel euphoric and the lows genuinely unnerving.

Performance

I had no issues running Resident Evil Requiem on my base PS5—it ran smoothly with no crashes or technical issues. Frame rates stayed locked at 60fps in Performance mode, with crisp visuals and quick load times (often under 10 seconds between areas or deaths). Even in the denser, gore-heavy scenes or the more open expanses of the Raccoon City ruins, there was no noticeable stuttering or drops. Textures loaded instantly, and the RE Engine continues to shine here—lighting, particle effects (blood mist, smoke), and dynamic destruction all held up flawlessly. If you're on PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X, or a high-end PC, I'd expect even more headroom for ray-tracing or higher resolutions, but on PS5 it's a rock-solid experience that never pulled me out of the immersion.

Summary/Conclusion

Resident Evil Requiem is Capcom at their absolute peak, distilling three decades of Resident Evil into what might just be the series' finest hour. By expertly weaving Grace's raw, vulnerable horror with Leon's high-octane veteran action, it delivers the best of both worlds—tense, resource-scarce survival punctuated by empowering, cathartic shootouts—without ever feeling disjointed. The gameplay refinements, stunning visuals, creepy new zombies, inventive puzzles, and that signature blend of dread and over-the-top gore make every moment gripping.

Satisfying and polished, it's a triumphant celebration packed with callbacks, fan service, and genuine evolution. For survival horror fans, it's a masterclass in tension and payoff. If you're even remotely into the genre or the series, this is a must-play—easily one of my favourite games of the year so far and a new gold standard for the Resident Evil franchise.