I got the chance to play Resident Evil Requiem at a Capcom preview event for four hours, going hands-on with new character Grace and fan-favorite Leon S. Kennedy, and it definitely has the potential to be the best entry in the entire series.
After spending two games playing as Ethan Winters in a dramatically different take on the franchise, bringing back beloved agent Leon Kennedy as a playable character in a long-awaited return to form.
Leon’s addition is a welcome one, and his inclusion alongside Grace is a big reason why Requiem has the potential to outclass its predecessors.
Two totally different playstyles make for one hell of a gaming experience
Grace’s combat abilities are limited, and her gameplay is focused on stealth and fleeing rather than fighting through enemy encounters.
When played in first-person mode, her sections are similar to Winters’ debut in Resident Evil 7. Sneaking around deadly monsters in a pitch-black hospital is a horrifying and thrilling experience, especially when you know you can’t brute force your way out of a situation. Should the more intimate first-person camera view be too much for you, you can always switch to third-person mode to get a wider look at your surroundings.
Leon’s sections in Requiem are a total throwback to Resident Evil 4, with the veteran zombie slayer having access to tons of firepower and, of course, badass one-liners. Playing him was both immensely fun and a much-needed reprieve from the intense, butt-clenching, hide-and-seek hours spent as Grace.
Leon has a massive inventory at his disposal, including handguns, shotguns, grenades, and a hatchet, which acts both as a melee weapon and a useful tool for opening warped chests and drawers that aren’t accessible to Grace.
Shooting a zombie in the face with a shotgun and using the axe as a finishing move (or just stomping their heads in) once they’re downed is extremely satisfying, especially after Leon makes one of his signature quips when an area is clear. Did I mention there’s a chainsaw, too? There’s a bevy of ways you can choose to take out enemies in this game, and all of them are great fun.
This back-and-forth between playing Grace and Leon is a perfect feast of different horror styles that is sure to whet your appetite on all fronts. The complete helplessness you feel playing as Grace is a huge part of what makes it so terrifying, while the empowering thrill you experience beating up zombies as Leon is a welcome callback to the non-stop action of Resident Evil 6.
Resident Evil Requiem combines the best of both worlds
Requiem is as Resident Evil as they come; you flee from or fight zombies, navigate through a maze-like mansion, and solve puzzles to make your way deeper into the environment in hopes of solving the greater mystery at play.
Resource management is crucial in Grace’s sections of the game, as you have very limited storage available, and are forced to find ways to cram everything in without sacrificing herbs or ammunition. This gets especially tricky when you’re running from a group of zombies and forced to make a decision as to which items you want to keep and which to toss.
You’ll also need to collect blood samples from infected enemies to level up your crafting abilities, which is achieved using a blood analysis machine. The contraption tasks players with solving a simple puzzle to unlock their upgrades, which, thankfully, doesn’t take too long to figure out.
Crafting is another important element of the game, with scrap metal being used to make ammunition, while herbs and syringes are combined to make injectable recovery items. You can even whip up a new weapon called a Hemolytic Injector that lets you attack enemies from behind and prevent them from mutating.
Additional upgrades are available to buy with antique coins that are collected throughout the hospital. The trick, though, is killing the enemies in the area where these upgrades are stored, which presents a daunting task if you’re low on health.
Giving a cameo to Resident Evil Outbreak’s Alyssa Ashcroft is a welcome move, as is the return of Leon Kennedy, who, much like Grace, has found himself trapped in the Care Center and left to figure his way out (thankfully, with more weapons to get the job done). Grace herself has been caught up in the chaos in an apparent attempt at solving her mother’s murder, which was teased in a trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025.
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