Resident Evil Requiem Review

Where this latest entry ranks in the series will be talked about for (L)eons...

It was about the time we hit post-apocalyptic Racoon City that, for us, Resident Evil Requiem had come home. At least, in a manner of speaking. More broadly, it was the sharp snippets of playing as established series heartthrob, Leon S. Kennedy, in the early throes that threw our wanted and expected tempo off. Each Leon jaunt built and built into torturous (for being short-lived) ‘cameo’-esque moments of little-to-no substance. Macho hero sequences where the initialism “OP” comes into full effect and affect. Where, suddenly, his mere presence alone was threatening to take away from the game’s other protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, and her full survival horror FPS experience, tempo and most importantly, debut. All the while also disrupting the player’s own understanding of it all.

All talk of the two experiences being essentially separate games married through the same narrative tentpoles and goalline just wasn’t landing for us, and it felt, largely, like Leon’s only real role was to contextually arm Grace and save the day here and there for her to survive just that little bit longer. Not entirely an indictment on proceedings, we were just gasping for a more complete experience which we felt we weren’t getting up front.

Silly us -- this is survival horror, after all.

By game’s end, it’s hard to fault how director Koshi Nakanishi and his team delivered each of Requiem’s moments, and in its pacing as a whole -- a massive leap considering this salvo started negatively, but while the two experiences might be contrarily opposed (they aren’t totally opposite) the sub-synergy of them as it all unfolded revealed a complete masterclass in videogame direction. This is a new spin on things, for sure, but as a series that always attempts to mix things up and redefine itself, it’s the old-school content here, again delivered in contrasting ways, that shines most. But it's the handling of it in a modern way that brings everything to near-perfect fruition. So much so, you’ll expect this dual-style of play to be the norm for years to come, even beyond Resident Evil.

Resident Evil Requiem

Genre: Survival Horror
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 27, 2025
Classification: MA 15+
Author: Stephen Farrelly
Date: March 18, 2026

Old Mate, Leon

The most impressive component of Requiem is in its balancing act. We mentioned above feeling shortchanged early, but that’s actual design for the survival horror experience course; starved and isolated and, at times, discombobulated. As Requiem draws out, however, so too does its breadth of investment across both characters and the spaces in which they find themselves. Grace is forever presented as playable only in first-person and is so slow it’s maddening. Leon, on the other hand is an old hat at this caper, and he initially brings a bravado that suggests as much, but as with any good survival horror that confidence and resolve is slowly stripped from the player-character with hope the only real driving force to make it to the end credits. And rest assured, this journey takes everyone’s favourite non-Link videogaming hero to the brink.

"We felt so confident and capable with him that taking on four or five Lickers didn’t just seem like a brilliant idea, it was damn right cathartic..."

Still, there’s an element here that belies the horror aspect of the series and replaces fear with fun, in a unique way. Director Nakanishi-san spoke throughout and post-development about wanting this to be an “old-school” experience, which it is, but that "OP" mentioned in our intro is almost half of Leon’s campaign. 

There are moments where we felt so confident and capable with him that taking on four or five Lickers didn’t just seem like a brilliant idea, it was damn right cathartic in the broader sense of the series as a whole. Leon has a huge arsenal with weapons he can upgrade. There’s no Merchant or Duke this time around, just high-tech military shopping containers with kills being your active economy -- something that is unique across both campaigns and a little odd (read our “Would you like to know more?” box out for… MORE!). Charms return with lite-on buffs, but it’s your smarts and skills as Leon that will see you get through this, as we’ve piled on about.

He’s older, of course, and a little sick having carried over a T-Virus infection he’s seemingly suppressing through sheer force of will alone, but throughout most of his campaign, environmental puzzles, a few flashbacks, which we’ll get to shortly, and the one on-rails motorbike shootout remove most of the horror we’re used to, even against Resi 4, and he’s just tough AF. He will face horrors though, it’s just that in Requiem, Capcom decided Grace needed to be the one put through the ringer, as if hazing her and her debut.

Would you like to know more?
For Grace, it's blood. For Leon, it's just straight up kills. Those are the two economies through which you arm and survive your characters in each campaign. Leon's obviously being the most straightforward. Grace's is a weird one though, as she can harness infected blood from enemies and craft items based on how much each requires. Collection of this resource is also frought with danger given it takes a few seconds, but one of the best weapons you can gain from it is the Hemolytic Injector, teased in our main copy, but it is hard to make enmasse and use of it needs to largely be selective. Interestingly, while typewriters return as a means to save for Grace, Ink Ribbons are naturally scarce. Blood, however, can now be utilised to print a save, so working out which resources are worth your crafting investment and on what item is a seriously tricky one, and classically survival horror.

Will of Grace

Grace’s transformation throughout the aforejoked “hazing” does see her grow in confidence. At the beginning of her story, trauma strikes thick, fast and eventually coagulated. This brings out a fear in her that sees her stuttering as she speaks, she won’t look people in the eye and displays body language like a puppy being told off, despite being an FBI agent. It’s actually handled incredibly well because we often overlook the horror impact a casual Resident Evil jaunt would have on a character newcomer, but in Requiem that sense of placement in an unreal world is almost the main story, at least for Grace.

"RE Engine now ensures every splatter mark that hits the environment stays, grafitti-like..."

While Leon has his huge (*cough*) arsenal as mentioned above, Grace is afforded no such luxuries. Her wits and own sheer force of will are all she has. Well, those and a lighter before an eventual low-powered torch, makeshift knives with short lifespans, a pistol (or three) and glass bottles. That being said, she also gains the most craftable recipes out of the two and one in particular makes the most mess out of all weapons in the game, even over Leon’s powerful Requiem pistol. Almost gloriously so. And if you have a weak stomach or can’t stand the sight of blood, this might not be for you because it’s pink mist heaven and RE Engine now ensures every splatter mark that hits the environment stays, grafitti-like. 

Lighting in her sections play a huge part, as does understanding map layouts and enemy behaviours. In classic survival horror, dispatching baddies as Grace isn’t always your best course of action with hide-and-seek replacing any form of front on confrontation. She’s largely up against two of the game’s most tenacious and persistent enemies that aren’t easy to take out while health and other resources are as scarce as they come. Being a so-called newcomer also means she’s integral to the story and while there are plenty of spoilers out there already we’ll remain tightlipped on just how important she is, but suffice to say you will play through a moment of her origin and it’s pretty dang unnerving, which is saying a lot if you’ve read this far.

Jokes Aside

PTSD is very real. And Capcom knows this, which is something it appears willing to address -- albeit lightly -- in Requiem. We mean, there was no way you were taking Leon S. Kennedy, former rookie cop to the place that figuratively tore him apart and literally rebuilt him, from a perspective of resolve in Racoon City. In many ways, the state of the place could be seen as a visual representation of Leon as he is now; scarred, echoing despair, but we might also be reaching at that point. Still, his quips and one-liners -- always welcome, mind -- work to ease a visual tension the game is very good at delivering to the player. For a dust-laden wasteland, post-bomb Racoon City still has a lot to offer.

"For veterans of the series, especially those who’ve followed Leon’s RE path this whole time, there’s a permeation between game, screen and player that is palpale..."

It’s also arguably the most visually striking part of the whole game. Each and every interior is meticulously designed and handcrafted. When you finally get to RCPD, which you always knew you would, those environmental details are at amplification levels you just didn’t expect -- for veterans of the series, especially those who’ve followed Leon’s RE path this whole time, there’s a permeation between game, screen and player that is palpable and one that seeps empathy. The guy’s whole world and those of his would-be friends were torn asunder, yet now mostly only he survives. In this sense, “The Hero’s Return”, which will come up as you play, is poignant and not at all unnoticed.

Well played, Capcom.

But Racoon City always hid a secret and we learn that Grace’s world also started here and is intrinsically linked to it and the broader narrative. Writing into the Resi universe is probably a hugely fun exercise, but is also likely difficult when you’re navigating the stories that already exist, let alone building entire aspects of them into new videogames, which is what Requiem does and does well. And by the time that ‘come to home’ moment finishes up and we find ourselves facing the culmination of both Leon’s seeming destiny and Grace’s past-caught-up-with her (deliberate phrasing), tied together, it’s hard not to take a breath and realise the entirety of what we’ve all just gone through.

Fairytale Finish

As a game purportedly most influenced by the ‘truer’ experiences in the broader RE tracklisting, it works best because it removes so much of the fantastical that has permeated the series in recent iterations. It’s the oddest statement when talking about such a franchise, but if we look even at RE4 Remake as well as Village, it’s easier to get caught up in the folktale and outlandish than to suspend the disbelief of scientists-turned-gods as takes place here, and did in RE’s initial phases. It’s why Leon’s campaign has no Merchant or Duke, it’s why Grace’s has zombies but who are still living out the last few moments of their lives alive.

(Read our second “Would you like to know more?” box out for… MORE!) 

"As you’d expect, you’ll get a choice and the consequences of each will play out just as differently, leaving you agasp..."

To say this is a grounded Resi is a dumb statement, yet here we are. Giant spiders, dogs as fast as motorbikes and little (giant) head-eating girls, all. And the endings, well, they’re as equally grounded and outlandish as those things all mentioned throughout, but as was the entire setup with dual storylines, overarching-yet-dovetailing narratives and differing gamestyles. So as you’d expect, you’ll get a choice and the consequences of each will play out just as differently, leaving you agasp, regardless of how you choose.

Is Requiem the best Resident Evil? Not right now, but what it’s done to the series will be talked about for ages and when the proverbial Racoon City dust settles, it will very, very much be up there.

Disclaimer: 3rd-Phase Boss was supplied a review copy of this game to be used at our own discretion.

Would you like to know more?
The zombies in Requiem are different than those who've come before as they still verbalise a little and can be seen attempting to perform the last tasks they were doing before they turned. Some of the lines they say are beyond creepy, particularly those from the Rhodes Hill Hospital. As most of her sequences are about patience and moving silently, if you have the nerves, turn up the volume and take a listen as they mutter on repeat their last thoughts!

What’s Boss?

  • Two storylines, two character and two entirely different experiences
  • Yet both intertwine and eventually dovetail in glorious ways
  • Tonally unique due to the split nature of both campaigns, affording a different engagement with every story beat
  • Stunning throughout with some of the best animations and facial expressions ever
  • Grace is an amazing character worthy of a lot more exploration
  • A return to uncomfortable horror in her moments

Not Boss Enough?

  • Grace's lack of a melee move she can use whenever makes some item collection annoying
  • Boss battles are a little on the easy side
  • While not contextually needed, a Merchant or Duke type would have been welcome and was missed

Resident Evil Requiem is largely two games in one: Grace Ashcroft and her slow and confronting horror experience, and Leon S. Kennedy and his in your face action jaunt. Both experience merge to forge a compelling narrative full of twists and turns!

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About the Author

Written By Stephen Farrelly
Stephen Farrelly is a veteran journalist and editor with more than two decades experience in the worlds of gaming, entertainment, lifestyle and sport. He is a proud pug dad, loves art in all forms (particularly street and tattoo culture), and is the director of Swear Jar Editorial and Media Pty Ltd, this site's owner and publisher. When not dispensing words, he's also dispensing boutique beers as a taproom fixture at Bracket Brewing in Marrickville, NSW...
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