Resident Evil Requiem is the best of both terrifying worlds

"Resident Evil has always been a strange creature: Like many of its most notable monsters, it has shifted and evolved into various forms. From its blocky days of tank-controlled Z-list actors to first-person fright fests, the franchise's identity is not so much tied to genre as theme: zombies, viruses, very ugly monsters."

"Now, with Requiem, we have its first proper chimera, mixing the first-person horror of the latest installments with the fan-favorite action of Resident Evil 4. Along with this are two playable characters that embody these two very different styles, with beloved Leon S. Kennedy returning as a middle-aged action hero alongside newcomer Grace Ashcroft."

"Grace's section begins in 2026 in a burnt-down hotel encased in a rainy urban environment, which reminded me of the cold, wet horror of David Fincher's Seven. She navigates the dark hotel, armed only with a flashlight, before realizing she is not, in fact, alone."

Resident Evil Requiem represents a hybrid evolution of the franchise, combining first-person horror elements from recent installments with the beloved action mechanics of Resident Evil 4. The game features two playable characters: Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst investigating murders of Raccoon City survivors, and returning protagonist Leon S. Kennedy. Grace's campaign emphasizes survival horror with first-person perspective, limited resources, and vulnerability, set in a rain-soaked 1998 hotel environment reminiscent of noir thriller aesthetics. The game allows players to switch between first and third-person views, with each character's section designed around a recommended perspective. This dual-character approach creates tonal shifts between horror and action, establishing Requiem as another evolutionary step for the franchise's identity.

Read at The Verge