“Resident Evil Requiem,” the ninth entry into Capcom’s iconic 30-year-old survival horror video game series, successfully blends classic survival horror with modern action gameplay, making it both a nostalgic return to the franchise’s roots and a strong new chapter. Released on Feb. 27, the game reconnects to key moments from the series’ past three decades.
After Raccoon City was destroyed following the 1998 T-virus outbreak seen in “Resident Evil 2” and “Resident Evil 3,” this new installation revisits the city decades later, exploring what may have been left behind. Hidden facilities, buried research and old “Umbrella Corporation” experiments become the center of a new investigation.
The game follows two playable characters: Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy.
Grace Ashcroft is an FBI agent and the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a survivor of the Raccoon City outbreak from “Resident Evil Outbreak.” Grace is sent to investigate suspicious activity connected to her mother’s murder and finds out there is more to discover about Raccoon City.
The game switches between Grace and Leon, creating two distinct gameplay styles that reflect the franchise’s evolution. Grace’s slower, suspenseful, stealth-focused sections capture the tense survival horror atmosphere that defined earlier entries like “Resident Evil 7,” while Leon’s combat-heavy segments feel closer to the action-oriented style of “Resident Evil 4.” The contrast works well because it keeps gameplay from feeling repetitive while appealing to both longtime fans of the series’ horror roots and players who prefer the more modern action direction.
Enemy types include traditional infected zombies as well as returning creatures from earlier games. These familiar threats help reinforce the game’s connection to the franchise’s history while still creating tense encounters. Stalker-type enemies particularly add pressure to exploration, forcing players to plan movements carefully instead of simply fighting through every encounter.
As the narrative progresses, both characters uncover evidence proving that remnants of Umbrella’s research were never fully destroyed. Their investigations eventually connect, leading to a larger threat tied to Raccoon City’s history and a new bio-organic weapon that could cause another outbreak. By revisiting the aftermath of the original disaster, the story strengthens the game’s connection to earlier titles while giving longtime fans a deeper look at how the events of Raccoon City continue to shape the series’ world decades later.
With its return to a key location, connections to earlier titles and dual-character structure, “Resident Evil Requiem” serves as both a continuation of the franchise’s ongoing storyline and a milestone entry that celebrates 30 years of survival horror, while also showing that the series still has room to evolve.
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