Resident Evil Requiem creeps onto the scene at New York Comic Con this weekend. After watching Suzi Hunter play a demo at the Capcom panel, we got our own preview with the upcoming survival horror game once again. We previously had a hands-off preview at Summer Game Fest, so it was great to get our hands on the game this time at NYCC. And scarier.
Having seen the demo, I had some idea of what to do. However, as you’ll likely surmise, watching someone play a game and playing for yourself can be very different experiences. While Suzi Hunter played in first-person, I opted for third-person. It’s a different experience for sure, and I’ll talk more about that later on. For now I will just note that the default is actually first-person. If you’ve already heard about content of the demo and just want the comparison, skip ahead to the last couple of paragraphs below.
Roaming Around Resident Evil Requiem
The demo begins with the scene from the trailer. Grace Ashcroft, our FBI analyst protagonist, is hanging upside down. The mission? Escape the care center. Loose use of the term “care” here. By the time Grace gets free, there’s blood everywhere.
In a well-lit room (this proves important) I examine my surroundings, looking over some notes left by my captors. But it’s time to leave the nice bright room for the dark hallways that don’t have working lights. Oh good. I find two locked doors; one requires a key and the other a fuse. The key is easy enough to find. The fuse will prove harder.
Unlocking the first door, I procure a lighter and a bottle. The game tells me that the latter may be thrown. I then leave the room and head through another door. Or rather, I try to, but a very dead zombie falls through it. Grace checks his pulse, to make extra sure this mummified man is extra dead. He is. And then a big old hand shoots out and grabs him, scooping him up to a larger mouth to chomp on him.
A Spooky Stalker Slithers Onto the Scene
This gaping maw belongs to a giant female Mr. X (Mrs. X?). And by the looks of it, she appears hungry for more. I book it back to the well-lit room. This giant figure can’t enter it, getting burned by the light. It’s a nice change from Mr. X of Resident Evil 2 who would just awkwardly wait outside a room like a dejected dad checking in on his kid. This creature instead pauses and then slithers into the ceiling. Lovely.
I make my way to a medical area to push a cart against a shelf to grab a toolbox. I get a screwdriver from said toolbox. And my gargantuan friend returns.
Now, I thought I could hide under the desk. And I could, just not successfully. The monster reaches under and grabs me. It seems like if it sees you hide or gets too close it will still take a bite out of you. After evading it I try to throw a bottle to distract the thing, but this doesn’t seem to work. Perhaps the bottle was there to encourage the creature to take up drinking. If so, that’s on me. Cue some Benny Hill-like running around before I’m toast (the well-lit room is no longer).
On my second attempt I eschew the bottle throwing but I do pull off a successful hiding session under the desk, this time scooching back a bit further. I then play a more patient game. I crouch at the far end of where two hallways loop together, watching which path the monster takes. It goes left, so I go right. And I almost make it, but my time comes to an end. I was perhaps too patient here. I feel my patience will be rewarded in the full game.
First-Person or Third-Person?
So! Let’s talk about first-person vs. third-person. First-person is the default setting for Resident Evil Requiem, as mentioned. It seems a bit better for navigation. In playing third-person, I did find the camera occasionally getting caught on walls or doors as it followed Grace around.
Movement in third-person, even while sprinting, feels slower than in first-person. It could just be this section of the game since Grace has taken quite a beating. But even if she gets speedier as she goes, I think first-person is still likely quicker. In third-person, Grace occasionally stumbles. That said, it is a neat animation, and it does ratchet up the tension.
As for which is scarier, I’d say first-person wins out, but with some caveats. It’s definitely scarier to round a corner and come face to face with the creature, as opposed to peaking over Grace’s shoulder at it. However, the third-person animations for Grace really do sell the scary atmosphere. She’ll react to scary events, so if you’ve ever jumped because a friend jumped at something scary, this may create a similar effect for you.
You’ll have plenty of time to decide if you want to experience Resident Evil Requiem in first- or third-person. Personally I think I’ll likely do a playthrough in third-person and then another in first-person. Nobody says you can’t do both. Resident Evil Requiem arrives for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27, 2026.
