Celebrating Decades Of Survival Horror
There are some big anniversaries on the horizon, and in 2026 Resident Evil is officially celebrating 30 years of survival horror. The original game which started it all was released way back on 22nd March 1996, but now we can celebrate the release of the ninth game in the mainline series, Resident Evil Requiem.
Perhaps unsurprisingly in this anniversary year, this is a game which marks the celebration in more ways than just the release date itself.
Before we continue, I need to make a confession. In the run up to the release of Resident Evil Requiem, it felt as if we were being bombarded with trailers (and an oddly empty gameplay event) that were revealing more and more of what the game had in store. I was very much of the opinion that this was a mistake by Capcom, and I didn’t want to see anymore.
However, with regards to what has been revealed so far, I was wrong. You have no idea what’s in store for you as Resident Evil Requiem is packed with surprises, easter eggs and truly memorable moments. Pretty much everything you have seen from teasers is from the first few hours of the game and there is so much more to discover beyond that. Hopefully you’ve managed to avoid the spoilers that have been spreading online before release because you certainly won’t find any here.
A Narrative Masterclass
Resident Evil Requiem weaves a narrative which is both intimate and ambitious, linking Grace and Leon whilst dropping revelations that connect to many other facets of the Resident Evil universe. Managing these different beats while telling a story is difficult, but the balance between personal divulgence and events developing that could change the world forever, are masterfully struck. A requiem is a way of remembering someone who has recently died, so interpret that as you will.
I won’t go into details here of course, but there are all sorts of nods to the Resident Evil series which meant at times I was almost overcome with nostalgia. Moments where my jaw hit the floor were perfectly juxtaposed with others which made me absolutely crap myself. Resident Evil Requiem is a rollercoaster in many ways, but perhaps most in the story which is being told. Once it sinks its claws into you, it does not relent.
Before you start, there’s the small matter of choosing the right difficulty for your playthrough. Casual prevents things from becoming too challenging and allows more focus on enjoying the story, whereas standard is split into two further options. “Modern” offers a balanced experience and “Classic” brings back the famous ink ribbons for limited saves along with other modifications which should better suit long-term fans of the series.
Converging Paths
The action kicks off with Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst who is also the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft. If that last name sounds familiar then it should do, as the investigative reporter is also one of the few survivors of the Raccoon City outbreak (starring in a game of the same name). Grace is sent to the Wrenwood Hotel after reports of the latest in a line of victims who have been found dead, all linked by a mysterious illness plaguing survivors of the Raccoon City disaster.
Leon is also dispatched to the scene after reports surface of a missing police officer. What follows is two intertwining stories which converge, ultimately resulting in a trip back to what’s left of Raccoon City after the events of Resident Evil 3. Something fans have long been hoping for.
Playing as Grace Ashcroft: Grounded Horror
The key draw in Resident Evil Requiem is how playing as Grace and Leon differ so significantly. Grace’s segments are grounded in classic survival horror, requiring her to carefully sneak around the environments and choose the right time to strike against enemies. Ammo is limited and enemies are tough, so trying to plough straight through will almost certainly lead to death unless you’re light on your feet.
This time around the zombies are capable of taking a few rounds before collapsing, and that’s not even mentioning some of the bigger beasts. You can slow their advances by aiming at specific parts of the body, but it’s always safest to go for the head. It’s quite chilling watching them go about their business as they would have done pre-infection, although admittedly lacking the same finesse. A huge hulking frame of a chef, food prepping with a giant knife, is just one example of this.
Grace is also unfortunately ill equipped to kill some enemies, and must find other ways of dealing with them. “The Hag” will be most familiar I’m sure, featuring heavily in the trailers and stalking Grace through the dark corridors of Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center.
Jump Scares and Twisted Tropes
I’m no wimp, but these sequences were genuinely terrifying, containing jump scares which caught me out. For example, there was a reveal I didn’t see coming at all, and certain profanities were uttered. This is a theme I noticed in Resident Evil Requiem. Careful crumbs are laid to trick you into thinking you can spot when something will happen, before the rug is pulled and you are caught totally off guard. Big bad enemies will often make an entrance with almost no warning whatsoever.
By design, Grace’s segments are meant to be played in first person, but you can switch into third at any time. It really is masterful game design and keeps the tension ramped up throughout.
A New Spin on Crimson Heads
Crafting also returns from the newer games, although this time with a twist. Grace is able to collect infected blood from certain places, including the corpses of zombies she has killed. This can then be combined to create all sorts of useful items, perhaps none more so than the Hemolytic Injector. When jabbed into an infected, it causes them to instantaneously bubble up and explode, killing them immediately. Grace must sneak up and get the drop on them to do this, but it will prevent a difficult encounter, save ammo and most likely green herbs.
Killing infected in this way is also useful for another reason. When walking across an enemy which Grace has killed, the option to use the Hemolytic Injector still pops up. This immediately rang alarm bells in my mind and sure enough, it turned out that in a call back to “Crimson Head” zombies. The infected in Resident Evil Requiem have a similar trick up their sleeve.
“Blister Heads” are the new incarnation, and are very fast and very deadly. Aiming for the head is the only way to slow them, and unless you’re lucky they’ll need a good jabbing with the Hemolytic Injector. There is a chance this can all be avoided, but only if you score a headshot which causes it to explode upon the first kill attempt, before the infected has a chance to turn.
Leon: Ruthless Efficiency and Action-Focused Combat
Leon plays very differently however. His sequences are fast paced and packed with enemies, but he’s well equipped for the job. He’s not quite as devastatingly nimble and destructive as in Resident Evil 4, but he is still ruthlessly efficient in dispatching enemies. He’s also equipped with a hand axe which is both ideal for defensive manoeuvres and close quarters combat. This tool also opens up access to areas which Grace cannot get to herself. His movement is heavier and reflects his age, with the default setting being third-person. This results in his segments being more action focused, rather than the survival horror roots of Grace’s.
Leon can also craft thanks to the ever useful gunpowder scattered across the environment. However, he can further upgrade his arsenal in a much more comprehensive way than Grace, thanks to a snazzy wristband which rewards points for the kills he makes.
It may feel at first that the balance of playing between each character is lopsided, however this evens out as you journey though Resident Evil Requiem. As you may expect, our two heroes are reunited and routinely separated and this pattern continues throughout the game. Rather than just playing with a different character, each feels almost like a different game in itself, yet very much part of one overall experience. On balance I feel it works so much better than in previous attempts with something similar both in Resident Evil 0 and Resident Evil 5.
RE Engine Excellence
As ever with the latest Resident Evil games, the RE Engine delivers stunning sound and visuals. This is most apparent when needing the torchlight to navigate the path forward, as the lighting and shadows are incredible. The details in each environment are also rich and plentiful, both out in open areas such as Raccoon City and within more claustrophobic parts such as the creepy corridors of the care center. What’s interesting is the lack of the usual performance versus fidelity option, but in all honesty I never felt the need for one. Very occasionally the frame rate dropped for me, but then recovered almost immediately.
Aside from the main story, there are plenty of bonuses to unlock both simply by playing, and also by using completion (CP) points. You can flick through concept art, character models, special items and more.
I have one very small gripe with Resident Evil Requiem, and it pales into insignificance versus all the great things about this game. There is a lot happening, and the gameplay is fluid, often changing not just when you switch between Grace and Leon. This meant that I wanted to spend more time in certain places, or doing certain things. However, the often breakneck pace of the storytelling thrust me quickly into the next perilous situation before I was ready.
On the “Standard (Modern)” setting Resident Evil Requiem took me just short of thirteen hours to complete. This included trying to hunt down every item and collectible I could find (keep your ears pricked and eyes peeled for the dancing raccoons). It’s not exactly a short game, but for the reasons outlined above I was left wanting more. That’s not to say I didn’t have an absolute blast from start to finish (because I did), but when the credits rolled I just wasn’t ready for them. I have everything crossed for some sort of story DLC, not that I’m being greedy here.
A Pitch-Perfect Love Letter to Resident Evil Fans
Admittedly, my interest in Resident Evil games started to wane after the disappointing fifth game (controversial?) in the mainline series. Even with the reboot starring Ethan Winters, it didn’t feel like the same series that I grew up playing. Don’t get me wrong, Requiem wouldn’t be the game it is without them, but that spark has been missing for me since Resident Evil 4.
As a result, Resident Evil Requiem perfectly marries both old and new elements of the legendary franchise, providing a springboard for all sorts of possibilities in the future. It’s packed full of respect for its roots, without over relying on them and feeling like a pale imitation of what came before. Resident Evil is finally back, baby, and it’s as good as it’s ever been.
Resident Evil Requiem is a pitch perfect love letter to fans of the series. Capcom has absolutely nailed the dual protagonist mechanic which sits at the core of a truly incredible piece of storytelling. The result is a must-play title for those both familiar and new to the series. Put simply, it’s an absolute tour de force.
Important Links
Resident Evil Requiem Ushers In A New Era Of Survival Horror – https://www.thexboxhub.com/resident-evil-requiem-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-survival-horror/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/resident-evil-requiem/9pdbrv4589nl
There’s a Deluxe Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/resident-evil-requiem-deluxe-edition/9N003L5R9MMF/0017
