Resident Evil Requiem Review: Playing It Safe Takes Its Toll

"The latest entry in Capcom's horror series is coming out during its 30th anniversary, and while it is one of the most robust marriages of horror and action the series has ever put forth, I can't help but feel like it stumbles on its way to saying something more profound about its own legacy."

"It's a polished fusion of nearly every era of Resident Evil, a series that Capcom has ever devised, but it can't quite decide if it's reflecting on those eras in a meaningful way or merely playing the hits for those who want to point at the screen and nod at every reference."

"It's the kind of 'break in case of emergency' retreat to basics you pull out when your series is in trouble, which makes it confounding that Resident Evil is in damn fine standing as of late, would do something so safe when it had all the runway it needed to do something brave."

The newest Resident Evil game arrives during the franchise's 30th anniversary, positioning itself as a convergence point between veteran and new survivors. While technically polished and successfully merging horror with action elements from various series eras, the game struggles to determine whether it meaningfully reflects on its legacy or merely indulges in fanservice. The dual narrative follows Grace Ashcroft, a kidnapped newcomer, and Leon Kennedy, a veteran searching for a cure to a dormant disease from Raccoon City. Despite the series currently enjoying strong commercial standing, the game opts for a safe, conservative approach rather than taking creative risks, making it feel like a standard entry rather than a profound anniversary statement.

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