Resident Evil Requiem could well have been called “Resident Evil Homecoming.” Yes, another survival horror juggernaut has claimed that title. But if anything, Requiem has the greater throwback claim. How come? After three hours of hands-on gameplay, I’ve found that out of any game in the series, Resident Evil Requiem reminds me the most of the 1996 original.
This isn’t to say that Requiem lacks callbacks to other games in the survival horror series. During this month’s showcase, director Koshi Nakanishi compared the title to Resident Evil 2, 4, and 7. And I can definitely see the influence of those on this game, especially from the varied gameplay of the dual protagonists. But at least for the section I played, I couldn’t help but think of the first Resident Evil.
Calling Back to a Classic
The section I played occurs towards the beginning, with Leon and Grace each investigating the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center. The large manor-like facility conjures up the Spencer Mansion immediately, with its various wings branching off from a grand foyer. As I explored the location, I’d debate whether to engage with enemies or conserve resources as I gradually unlocked room after room. Sure, you could say the police station of 2 has some similarities, but it’s not as large-scale.
The sheer size of the location necessitates the resource management typical of the first game. I couldn’t just run past zombies knowing that I wouldn’t have to engage them again. With the frequent backtracking, I had to be strategic about which enemies I took out and which I left alive (or undead). I also couldn’t just run and gun, as Grace’s section—the bulk of what I played—required strict resource management. And much like the remake of the first title, Requiem’s zombies sometimes evolve into tougher Crimson Head-like enemies if left alone long enough.
Why would you need to worry about returning to an area? Like any Resident Evil game worth its weight in gold (or weirdly shaped golden medallions), Requiem starts in a building with a roundabout path for navigation. If you want to unlock a room, you have to solve a puzzle elsewhere, which unlocks the room, which grants another puzzle. This could easily be tedious, but I felt that Requiem‘s puzzles offered just enough challenge without too many steps, reminding me of those in the earlier titles.
Leon and Grace, Together Apart
And of course, Requiem having two protagonists evokes the first two games as well. Grace has a limited carrying capacity but moves faster. Meanwhile, Leon brings the big guns (and a big briefcase to store them) as he plays more as action-horror. This dichotomy is even more pronounced than that of Chris-Jill. Grace’s sections double down on survival, while Leon’s serve up a variety of weapons and attacks. As Grace, I considered myself lucky if I had four bullets and a green herb. Switching back to Leon, I found myself with an arsenal that would make a small country jealous.
So while having two protagonists is nothing new for a Resident Evil game, having them in one campaign is a brilliant move on Capcom’s part. Nakanishi has compared the difference to “jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna.” And I’m inclined to agree. Right when Grace’s tense section began to wear me down, I found myself reinvigorated with Leon, roundhouse kicking zombies to my heart’s content.
I imagine some players may have strong preferences between the two, though personally, I appreciated the variety. And speaking of two distinct play styles, you can switch between first- and third-person perspectives for either character at any time. The default is first-person for Grace and third-person for Leon.
After previously previewing a Grace section in third-person, first-person did feel a little more fitting. At one point, I had to face about five zombies as Grace. With few resources, the closer perspective helped me kite them to make every headshot count. Later on, I faced triple that number as Leon. And I reveled in the chaos as I delivered kicks, lobbed grenades, and swung all manner of objects at the surrounding horde with reckless abandon.
Lighting Things Up as Leon
Until recently, Capcom had been tight-lipped about everyone’s favorite rookie-turned-secret service-turned-DSO agent. I’m pleased to report that my preview both began and ended with sections as Leon. And the man packs quite a punch (or kick). His gameplay is action-packed, and makes his time in Resident Evil 4 Remake look restrained in comparison. Compared to Grace, Leon arrives overflowing with ammo. He can demolish zombies with unique finishing moves.
Leon’s finishers look amazing, splattering crimson viscera so hard it would make Jackson Pollock blush. They’re thrilling to carry out. I was stoked to find that some of these can even stack up. Crushing a zombie into a wall, seemingly ending its undead career, I then got the option to introduce my axe to its face to add insult to injury. These finishers often come courtesy of weapons taken from enemies, such as axes and—making its playable debut—a chainsaw.
You can also use these weapons to carve through enemies like gory Thanksgiving Dinners. Acquired weapons do wear out with use, though. Leon also comes with his own small axe that he can sharpen to reuse. This effectively replaces the limited-use knives of 4 for parrying.
Even though Leon shares the spotlight here, if you’re at all a fan of the man, this is a title for you. And if, like me, you found yourself a little let down by Resident Evil 4 Remake dialing back the cheesiness of the original, don’t worry. Nick Apostolides gets to lob one-liners like they’re hand grenades. Alongside actual hand grenades too, of course.
Going into Survival Mode as Grace
But let’s not let Leon have all the credit, shall we? Because I’m about to say something controversial. Grace Ashcroft might be my new favorite Resident Evil protagonist. Why? The FBI analyst shows fear like no other horror game protagonist. The more scared she gets, the scarier the game gets.
Usually, whether it’s Claire from 2 or even Ashley from 4, a Resident Evil character acclimates to terror. Not so with Grace. The more creepy ghouls popping out at her, the worse off she gets. I’m told not to spoil any of the story, and so I won’t. But one cutscene had me clenching the controller as Grace shook harder than a chihuahua in Antarctica. And nothing scary ended up happening! But her visible fear sells it. And a big part of this comes from an excellent voice performance by Jeannie Tirado, who adds a tinge of terror even in Grace’s braver moments.
As for gameplay, Grace’s gameplay is for the survival horror sickos. This woman never has enough ammo. Of course, this speaks to the need to pick your battles wisely. But Resident Evil Requiem adds an interesting twist to the formula with its crafting system. Grace can siphon up blood from zombies to craft gear. How does one make bullets out of zombie guts? No idea, but anything’s possible through the grace of, uh, Grace. This means that taking down a zombie may give a chance for more craftables, adding an extra element of risk-reward when resources prove scarcer than ever.
Resident Evil Requiem Overall Impressions
While I couldn’t keep thinking back to the original game as I previewed Resident Evil Requiem, I could easily see the latest game being a kind of “greatest hits” for Resident Evil. So far, it has the dual protagonists and gradual environment unlocking of the first two games. It has the action of 4 and 6. And it’s got the survival horror of 7.
What I Liked Less about Resident Evil Requiem
If I had any complaints, I’d say the bosses I encountered felt a little one-note. That’s one thing the original still holds over Requiem. The first game has a wide variety of boss designs that the series has never really replicated. For the main boss battle I took part in, I still found it intuitive and satisfying. The boss itself just felt a little derivative, a “shoot this thing as it rampages” blob that we’ve seen before. A giant snake or mutated shark, this was not. But it’s worth stressing that I only saw a portion of the game. So there’s still plenty of time for Requiem to surprise.
Then—not so much a complaint as a concern—I do worry that in borrowing so much from other Resident Evil games, Requiem won’t stand out as its own entity. On one hand, this game genuinely feels like the closest thing to a RE Engine Resident Evil 1 remake (as opposed to the 2002 remake). On the other hand, I don’t want it to just feel like it’s “playing the hits.”
What I Liked More about Resident Evil Requiem
Back to things I liked; I’m a huge fan of the new zombies. The showcase mentioned that they’d retain traits from their lives as humans. I got to see that in action here, with zombie cooks and butlers quiet quitting trying to do their jobs. If I had to single one out in particular, it’s definitely one I’d call the “opera singer.” First, her ethereal singing, punctuated by giggling, is creepy as hell. Then, her AOE screeching attack adds a little strategy, as you want to keep your distance between taking shots. And if you take her out as Leon, he says something like, “I’ll pass on the encore.” A nice dollop of cheese.
But my favorite aspect of Resident Evil Requiem so far is playing on opposite ends of the Resident Evil gameplay spectrum. If someone says they’re a fan of the series, that can mean they love nail-biting survival horror or over-the-top cheesy action. Overall, I came away from my preview of Requiem feeling that I had played the best of both worlds. The survival horror had me tactically evaluating each encounter while trying to scrape two bullets together, while the high-octane action let me unwind with chaos and carnage.
In returning the series to the area around Raccoon City, Resident Evil Requiem calls back to its roots—at least in its first stretch. Next month, we’ll see how the full game hopefully moves the series even further as it evokes the best of the early games.
Resident Evil Requiem arrives for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27th, 2026.
