Resident Evil Requiem review: the best of both terrifying worlds

Resident Evil has always been a strange creature: Like many of its most notable monsters, it has shifted and evolved into various forms. From its blocky days of tank-controlled Z-list actors to first-person fright fests, the franchise’s identity is not so much tied to genre as theme: zombies, viruses, very ugly monsters. Now, with Requiem, we have its first proper chimera, mixing the first-person horror of the latest installments with the fan-favorite action of Resident Evil 4.

Along with this are two playable characters that embody these two very different styles, with beloved Leon S. Kennedy returning as a middle-aged action hero alongside newcomer Grace Ashcroft. The pair come together for a Resident Evil that seamlessly shifts between tone and view to create yet another terrifying evolution for the franchise.

Requiem sees Grace, an FBI analyst, investigating a series of strange murders. All the victims are survivors of the 1998 Raccoon City Incident, the inciting event that’s central to much of Resident Evil’s history. Grace’s section begins in 2026 in a burnt-down hotel encased in a rainy urban environment, which reminded me of the cold, wet horror of David Fincher’s Seven. She navigates the dark hotel, armed only with a flashlight, before realizing she is not, in fact, alone. She soon finds herself in the hands of the main villain, Dr. Victor Gideon.

The game lets you swap between first- and third-person views, but also recommends a particular view for each character. Much like the two previous entries, Biohazard and Village, Grace’s section is designed with a first-person viewpoint in mind. With her limited ammo and inventory space, low health, and tiny frame, Grace is this game’s unprepared horror protagonist, surrounded by enemies who can often kill her in one or two hits. Grace has to prioritize hiding, using one-off but powerful weapons and gadgets, and fleeing. Playing this in first-person helps articulate her vulnerability.

Soon I was controlling Leon (who looks much worse for wear since his last appearance in Resident Evil 6, a game everyone, including me, pretends does not exist). Leon arrives near the hotel after Grace, and he’s soon killing zombies in the middle of a public street, giving chase to Gideon. It is rather unnerving watching Dr. Gideon shoot needles into innocent passersby as he escapes, quickly creating zombies. Leon’s sections are much like Resident Evil 4: third-person action, with melee prompts and a new ax weapon. Despite being in his 50s, Leon remains an efficient killing machine: As with his abilities in Resident Evil 4, Leon has melee and instant kills, with incredible animations and satisfying gore gushing from successful takedowns. There has never been this much gore caused by a Resident Evil protagonist; it’s glorious to watch him paint rooms red.

It’s remarkable how seamlessly the game shifts between perspectives. If you have ever watched videos showing what first-person games look like from a third-person perspective, you will know things are… different. For example, when Grace opens a creepy cupboard, the game wants to show you a disgusting mass with ooze. The animation for her arms, the angle you view it from, and more will differ if you’re watching it from a first or third-person perspective. Incredibly, Requiem has achieved this fidelity for both angles at any time. It’s truly masterful work by Capcom.

There is no optional character switching, however. You will simply find yourself playing Grace or Leon based on where you are in the story. For example, after playing as Grace for an hour, navigating very creepy hallways and avoiding a large monstrosity known only as the girl, she ends up being saved by Leon. The game then cuts back to show how Leon got the point of saving her. Later, when Grace is separated from Leon, you take over as Leon and give her covering fire from a sniper’s nest.

You cannot predict when you will play as either character, but most of the first half of the game is in the shoes of Grace, with Leon’s sections notably shorter; by the time I crossed the halfway mark, the game put Grace on the back burner for a very long time.

The mashup works surprisingly well, as it feels like the style of play reflects the characters and their particular story. Leon just could never be afraid, underprepared, or ill-suited to the horror around him by this stage in his story. Even with his bare hands, he is a formidable fighter, and remains the lovable weirdo from Resident Evil 4. His sections are refined, tight combat sequences; at one point you can even block a rocket with an ax.

Grace is another story. Despite being an FBI analyst, she looks like a very small teenager. While I appreciate that her being unprepared adds to the horror, nothing portrayed her as a criminal analyst or FBI agent. Indeed, her being a lonely college student would have made more sense, as nothing in any part of the story demonstrated any abilities. Her backstory, which I won’t spoil here, is also underwhelming, and discovering why she is so important to the all-powerful villains left me rolling my eyes. While she felt good to play and embodied vulnerability, her constant sniveling and delivering lines with a whimper became very jarring. Thankfully she shows some growth toward the end of the game.

The environments and scenarios are also wonderfully varied, throwing you from a creepy hospital-like area to the bombed-out remains of Raccoon City Police Department — also known as Leon’s origin story. It was quite emotional returning, as the original Resident Evil 2 was the first big-budget game I got in the 2000s. Leon and I were somewhat aligned in taking a breath before opening those doors. I chuckled as 50-year-old Leon commented on puzzles and items he dealt with nearly 30 years ago, which returning players will appreciate.

The series’ enemies have also continued to evolve beyond just the shambling undead. My favorites were the new partially sentient zombies who retain some semblance of humanity — a cook keeps chopping decaying meat in the kitchen, a cleaner keeps rubbing a stained mirror and bashing her face, a hotel guest nursing a hangover keeps turning a light on and off. Grace can use these tics to her advantage when trying to escape them; for example, with the light-switcher zombie, you can turn on a light farther down a corridor to get him to move.

Leon and Grace’s journey centers around what they believe is tracking down the last strain of the zombie virus that upended the world. I can safely say that the ending I got was one of the most satisfying conclusions to any Resident Evil game — and Requiem is a fitting name. This newest installment brings together two of the franchise’s heavy hitters — Resident Evil 4 and the first-person horror of Biohazard and Village — and at just under 11 hours, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, either.

Over the years, Resident Evil has shown that it can be many different types of horror — and Requiem proves that the series can pull it all off in one single experience.

_{Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27th on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC.}