Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise is a trailblazer in both the survival horror and action genres, which means some people come to the games for a different reason than others. Attempts to please everyone led to commercially successful yet critically maligned misfires like Resident Evil 6, while even more well-received games like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard were uneven in spots as Capcom struggled to balance action and horror. The series’ latest release is Resident Evil Requiem, which happens to find the franchise’s finest balance between genuine horror and survival action as it takes full advantage of having two protagonists to deliver a memorable experience that will leave you coming back for more.
Resident Evil’s most iconic leading man, Leon Kennedy, returns in Requiem, but he initially takes a backseat to newcomer Grace Ashcroft, the daughter of Resident Evil Outbreak’s Alyssa Ashcroft. Having multiple characters isn’t anything new to Resident Evil, but what makes this choice so brilliant in Requiem is that they play markedly differently, as Leon’s action segments are made to be played in third-person, while Grace’s horror sections are best enjoyed in first-person view. While you can alter these settings, each section of the game’s campaign feels right at home with its intended perspective.
Early on, the game is undoubtedly Grace’s experience. A member of the FBI, Grace is searching for her mother’s murderer and is investigating a series of mysterious deaths. This leads her to a puzzle-filled medical facility, which, in classic Resident Evil fashion, has you battling plenty of zombies and frantically trying to balance your inventory. Every encounter is terrifying, as you feel Grace’s inexperience in the field — she’s just as scared as the player is.
Monstrous creations wind up stalking you in some sections of the facility, which are frightening moments filled with dread. Given you don’t always have the tools to defeat everything you come across, retreating and saving your ammo for later is often needed. These sections provide some of the scariest moments in any RE game and are really survival horror at its finest.
Whenever the game lets you control Leon early on, it feels like a pure power fantasy. While Grace is terrified and fighting for her life constantly, Leon is in full control and equipped with a variety of weapons, a ton of inventory slot and all the ammo he needs. You feel like a total badass rather than the series trying to act like Leon hasn’t seen every terrifying thing under the sun before. Rather than terrifying, you feel fully in control, and these short segments are a blast.
As Requiem’s story continues to take twists and turns, the game winds up having you primarily play as Leon in the second half. Worn down from the mission, you’re no longer a wrecking ball and have to keep an eye on your inventory as tougher enemies require more damage to kill. The back half of the game features some truly inspired action set pieces, including a stellar segment on a skyscraper, while simultaneously leaning into survival action gameplay. While it’s not ever as scary as the game’s early portions, you are constantly focused on managing your health and ammo so you can complete the mission.
Longtime fans will get a major kick out of the callbacks to Resident Evil 2 and 4, which are a natural fit given Leon’s involvement. However, the overall story is simple enough to follow even if you’re a relative newcomer to the franchise, although I’d recommend playing the first four games to ensure you get the most out of the experience. Either way, Requiem takes full advantage of its two fascinating leads, and it’s great to have another fantastic mission for Leon to take on.
As is tradition with Resident Evil games, there is plenty of replayability here. After you beat Requiem, you’ll get a ton of special content you can use points to unlock. These range from new weapons, including an RPG for which you can get unlimited ammo, to different skins and perks. It’s also inherently a replayable game thanks to its multiple difficulty options and memorable sequences, so this won’t be a game you put down after completing it once.
Resident Evil Requiem Review: Final Verdict
Resident Evil Requiem is among the very best games in the franchise. Leon’s latest adventure features some of the coolest moments in the franchise, some terrific scares with Grace’s sections, and an interesting story that opens up many exciting possibilities for the franchise going forward. Resident Evil has never been so exciting.
SCORE: 9.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9.5 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Resident Evil Requiem review. Reviewed on version 1.001.000.
