The Resident Evil franchise has been on quite a roll for almost a decade since the release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard in 2017. Despite the series’ past blunders and ventures away from scares, Capcom was able to reorient the direction of the series back towards horror, without forgetting the somewhat campy tone that has defined the series for 30 years. Now, two mainline entries and three remakes later, Resident Evil Requiem stands as Capcom’s magnum opus for the modern RE era, a perfect mix of terror and action.
Typewriter-Written Narrative
Requiem follows two protagonists: newcomer Grace Ashcroft (Angela Sant’Albano), as well as series veteran Leon S. Kennedy (Nick Apostolides). Both are drawn into a conspiracy involving former Umbrella scientist Victor Gideon (Antony Byrne), as he seeks to unleash a new bioweapon upon the world. Performances in this game are spectacular, as Sant’Albano’s Grace is easily one of the most compelling roles the series has seen in a while. You really buy the idea that she is in way over her head with the way she is constantly stressed out and stuttering her way through situations. On the other hand, Apostolides delivers another spectacular performance as Leon, having now portrayed the character at three markedly different points in his life. Leon is now a grizzled veteran, searching for answers to a disease inflicting him and fellow Raccoon City survivor Sherry Birkin (Eden Riegel).
The narrative itself offers a sort of return to form for the series after the last two entries focused mainly on the Winters family. Both Grace and Leon have ties to the series past, specifically with Umbrella and the Raccoon City incident, and their paths turning back to this iconic tragedy signals a sort of homecoming, yet stays away from egregiously nostalgia-baiting most of the time. In this way, the game really is a requiem for the series, offering a look back into its roots while also suggesting a bold new path forward in the future. I don’t want to spoil too much of the narrative, as the reveals in the latter half are especially monumental, but I will say that there’s plenty to love here, especially for long-time fans.
Gracefully Tense
The game’s first half is mainly dominated by Grace, whose gameplay is centered more around the series’ horror elements. Grace has scarce access to weapons, only being able to wield a small selection of pistols, while also being fairly low on inventory space and supplies. On my first playthrough, I found myself constantly scrounging for more ammo and healing items, while ultimately avoiding most of the zombies to avoid the risk that comes with direct combat. Grace’s sections mostly take place in the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, a gothic-looking hospital complete with secret passages and a creepy basement. The hallways are often narrow and the building is plenty dark, making enemy encounters less predictable.
Enemies have also seen a bit of a facelift in this section. There are multiple interesting zombie variants, like a hyper-violent zombie wielding an I.V. drip as a makeshift spear, a singing zombie that can alert the horde, and a suited zombie obsessed with keeping the lights off. Learning each enemy's unique gimmick made navigating the care center thoroughly engaging, and that’s not even counting the two “stalker-type" enemies that inhabit parts of the area, posing a significant threat to Grace if you’re not careful. Overall, Grace’s sections are the most tense I’ve felt in a Resident Evil game in a while, maybe ever.
An Icon Returns
While we get a little taste of him early on, it’s not until much later that Leon’s section truly begins. That said, every little bit of Leon we get feels like a massive release of tension. Leon sports an impressive arsenal of pistols, shotguns, rifles, and machine guns, alongside a hatchet that can be sharpened at any time. Enemy attacks can be parried, and there are tons of bloody executions to finish enemies off. Whereas Grace was in constant fear and danger, Leon stands firm and steadfast.
Despite the lack of direct horror as Leon, death is still no little thing. Much of Leon’s story takes place in the bombed-out ruins of Raccoon City. Here, emaciated zombies rise from the dust and debris like ghouls, a reminder of the tragedy Leon faced decades ago. The only downside here is that the drab browns and greys of the environment can get a little monotonous after a little while. Much of the gameplay is essentially a suped-up version of Leon’s gameplay from the Resident Evil 4 remake, with even his HUD sharing several similarities. While Grace’s sections harken back to the series' past subtextually with their essence, Leon’s ties to the past are more apparent in the setting, characters, and gameplay. Blasting through zombies has never felt so rewarding.
Final Report
Resident Evil Requiem is yet another phenomenal entry in the series, delivering a wonderful mix of pulse-pounding horror and crowd-pleasing action. Both protagonists are a joy to play as and watch uncover the game’s mystery, making it actually sad that there isn’t more of either of them. That said, Requiem is sure to go down as one of the best survival horror games in recent memory.
Sources: Steam, Capcom, Capcom, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, Steam
Image: Capcom
