WARNING: This review contains spoilers
A franchise that was on the brink of collapse suddenly turned itself around with a familiar and bold choice: stay true to your horror roots. Three decades later, Capcom’s influential “Resident Evil” series is still alive and kicking, and they just released another banger.
While a little rough around the edges, “Resident Evil: Requiem” is a worthy addition to the mainline series, with its story, gameplay, and direction drawing on the previous entries to create a cohesive experience.
It felt like a homage to the franchise as a whole, retaining the action-horror roots of the classic games and remakes, as well as obtaining the vibe of the tension-filled first-person experiences like “Biohazard” and “Village,” a compilation of its most iconic elements, one would say.
The characters
In “Requiem,” we’re introduced to Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst tasked with investigating mysterious deaths surrounding the Wrenwood Hotel. But little does Grace know that she’s part of a bigger story, and there’s Leon, the fan-favorite hunk that still has a score to settle.
The premise opens a whole new can of worms for the series, but despite the franchise’s convoluted story, the plot works well, balancing the emotional, character-driven horror the series is known for, particularly Leon’s arc.
Leon’s inclusion did not feel forced, as others might have predicted; instead, he’s the emotional anchor of the story, serving as the battle-hardened soldier who is carrying the heavy emotional weight of 30 years of trauma.
Through Grace, she serves as an audience surrogate as we witness the horrors right beside her, with a blend of intense, grounded, and slow but dreadful survival-horror beats that deliver high-stakes action.
A compelling narrative
A respectful and well-crafted love letter to the series, Requiem waves its green flags by delivering a compelling narrative that effectively concludes long-running storylines that tie back even to its spinoff games.
“Requiem” as a term fits in this context because of the overarching emotional narrative. The game serves as an end to introduce a new beginning type of story with Leon’s arc and Grace’s introduction.
This dual-protagonist presentation also seamlessly elevates the story through its contrast, pairing a hardened veteran with a terrified, vulnerable newcomer. Their unified stories create engaging set pieces that keep the pacing varied through their different gameplay types.
By grounding the high-octane spectacle with deeply personal stakes, “Requiem” avoids the typical trappings of the genre, crafting a rare experience that understands its history well enough to honor it, while also having the courage to let some of our beloved characters go.
Gameplay and game design
Generally, the gameplay in “Requiem” ticks all the boxes for a “Resident Evil” game: exploration, puzzle-solving, killing zombies, and defeating bosses. But one gameplay gripe many would encounter is the imbalance between Grace and Leon’s sections.
Grace’s sections felt too dragging at times, while Leon’s sometimes felt too quick. One can argue that Grace focuses on the slow sections through stealth and thorough exploration, but this gameplay loop may feel a bit too tiring for newer players.
Leon’s sections do feel like you’re a badass that can handle everything they throw at your way, but sometimes playing through his high-octane sections without the horror tension can also feel monotonous with the linear and repetitive combat arenas.
But despite these rough edges, Requiem wears the franchise’s roots on its sleeves with pride, taking its core gameplay loop with excellent level design, especially the Care Center section, and the unrelenting tension enemies like The Girl and Blisterheads provide.
Achievements
In an age filled with unoptimized games, “Requiem” should be regarded as an example of game optimization, leveraging the now-mature RE engine to produce clean, sometimes photoreal visuals that left its players gasping.
For those who want to experience Requiem on lower-end hardware, some report getting 60+ FPS, though at the cost of lowering graphical settings, while console players will be thrilled to see a game that can run at 120+ FPS.
Grace’s Blood Collector mechanic also introduces RPG elements to its gameplay, as you have the option to upgrade Grace’s aiming stability and her health to last longer in high-pressure situations, while Leon’s hatchet parries adds a layer of skill to utilize in the mix.
The AI mechanics of the various enemies are also greatly improved, as some zombies now have specific “quirks” to keep the gameplay fresh. Some zombies now react to the faintest sound, turn off the lights, and even react to the smell of blood, forcing players to manage environmental factors to stay undetected.
