My hands are shaking. I’m pouring sweat. And I’m loving every minute of it. Of course, I’m actually referring to my avatar in Resident Evil Requiem, protagonist Grace Ashcroft. But the FBI analyst’s fear is palpable, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t making me a bit scared too. Her bravery atop visible fear reminds me of one of the best scenes in Back to the Future: George McFly confronting bully Biff Tannen.
Fighting Through the Fear
If you haven’t seen Back to the Future, first off, strap yourself in and do that right away—ideally at 88 miles per hour. The film has countless iconic moments, from the DeLorean traveling through time to the rock ‘n roll performance. The 1985 film holds up really well. Even across the ocean in Japan, home of Resident Evil Requiem developer Capcom, it’s the rare American movie that’s stayed a hit.
One standout moment from Back to the Future comes towards the end of the film. Stuck in the past, Marty McFly must coax his nervous dad George into wooing his mom Lorraine. He teaches him to confront bully Biff Tannen by saying, “You get your damn hands off her, Biff!” Except, when the time comes, George doesn’t actually say that.
In the actual scene, when George comes face-to-face with Biff, and it’s not Marty pretending to be him, he says, “You get your damn hands off…” and then backs up in fear. He even gets beaten to the ground by Biff, who looms large over the cowering George. Shaking like a leaf, George sees Lorraine looking to him, and he launches himself at her harasser anyway, surprising Biff—and himself.
Resident Evil Requiem Raising the Stakes
Previewing Resident Evil Requiem, I’m astounded at how terrified Grace Ashcroft is through the whole experience. She’s constantly a shaking, sputtering, quivering mess. Her movements even remind me of George McFly’s, with his limbs flailing like they’re trying to escape from his torso.
But it’s the voice performance that really sells her fear. If you’ve seen Back to the Future, I bet when I said “Get your damn hands off her,” you heard it in Crispin Glover’s jittery tone. It’s iconic.
And let me tell you, if voice actor Jeannie Tirado isn’t nominated for a game award for her role as Grace, it will be a shame. The character constantly sounds milliseconds away from a full-blown panic attack. At one point, I accidentally gave Grace a green herb just because she sounded like she needed one. Her voice is constantly shaking, practically forcing out words as she knows she has to keep going.
The Terror of Grace Ashcroft and George McFly
It occurred to me while playing Requiem how rare it is to hear a video game character stutter. Sure, sometimes a character stammers in a moment of nervousness. But in her constant state of anxiety, Grace is constantly using fillers and repeating words to push through conversations. I don’t know if the character has a speech impediment or only stammers under duress. But either way, I appreciate hearing a character who doesn’t speak in a polished way, but in very human stops-and-starts. She’s humanized in a way that makes us think about how we’d react in a mansion full of monsters. Chances are it would be about the same.
And that’s a key point of why Grace Ashcroft and George McFly are so effective as characters. In working on Requiem, director Koshi Nakanishi said that Grace is “the biggest scaredy-cat in Resident Evil history.” I’m inclined to believe him. At one point, Grace hides, desperately trying to keep herself as quiet as possible as she shakes and whimpers. Ironically, nothing pops out! But this view proves so effective since her fear sells the idea that something terrifying lurks just around the corner. While Back to the Future isn’t horror, George’s fear does a similar job of setting the stakes, telling us that Biff is not to be trifled with—and making his comeuppance all the sweeter.
You Get Your Damn Hands Off Her, Zombie!
There’s even a moment in Requiem that reminds me of that iconic Biff confrontation scene. I won’t spill all the details, since I don’t want to spoil the game or get Capcom to sick Umbrella on me. But towards the end of the section I played, Grace begrudgingly has to play hero. She doesn’t put on a brave face, she doesn’t strike a cool pose, she’s certainly no Leon S. Kennedy. But, with that George McFly tremor in her voice, she takes a stand and faces her fears. I couldn’t help but smile as what would’ve been just another Monday for Leon became a big moment for Grace.
And aside from selling the fear of Requiem, Grace Ashcroft also acts as a perfect foil to Leon Kennedy. Requiem Producer Masato Kumazawa said in an interview with Famitsu that “If there’s a satisfying part after a scary experience, it gives off a piercing sense of exhilaration.” It’s absolutely true, and the stark juxtaposition highlights each character’s sections. Going from Grace to Leon, players get to feel an added power fantasy coming off of Grace’s tense survival horror gameplay.
There’s a saying that true bravery isn’t facing danger without fear, but rather facing danger despite the fear, knowing that you can be beaten. We love Leon Kennedy because he’s a badass—he acts without fear. But we love George McFly because even at his weakest, visibly panicking, he does what he knows nobody else will. From what I’ve seen of Requiem, Grace Ashcroft shares this quality. She’s ready to take a stand—no matter how shaky she gets.
See for yourself when Resident Evil Requiem arrives for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27th, 2026.
