The challenge of any IP that releases a new instalment 30 years after the very first entry is to strike a balance between the old and the new. Resident Evil stands as one of the greatest video game properties of all time. Over the course of three decades, there have been masterpieces and stumbles, though financial strengths have never wavered. One stumble almost cost the franchise its identity in survival horror, until Biohazard in 2017 saw the series re-establish itself as the master of tense atmosphere. I wrote an article last month about my engagement with the series, from a scared teen in 2001 all the way to the release of Requiem. Now that I’ve had the chance to complete part 9, I have never been more excited to be a Resident Evil fan. Requiem may be the best gaming example in recent memory to manage the weight of history with the ability to say something new. Combining a fresh character with the most recognisable protagonist is a masterstroke that creates tension, drama and nostalgia alongside actually caring about the fate of the people. The care centre is one of the best Resident Evil locations ever. Victor Gideon, the antagonist, munches scenery and has a voice akin to Ledger’s Joker. The graphics and performance are sublime. The sound design is atmospheric and terrifying. There is so much I want to say about this game. It’s by no means perfect, but it achieves all its goals. Let’s get stuck in.
The story references the year in which it is set multiple times, but the best reference is the age of Leon. We last saw him in Resident Evil 4 Remake very much in his prime (advanced from his rookie days in Resident Evil 2 – I prefer not to talk about his time in the sixth instalment). Our boy still has his wise cracks, but his wrinkles and grey hair tones suggest a 50-year-old that is getting too old for this shit. Boy, is he buff. During our time in the Ethan Winters saga, which felt quite removed from the original trilogy (even 4 felt somewhat like a spin-off) much has been happening in the advancement of the virus. The game begins with our new protagonist, FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, demonstrating anxiety and nervousness as she’s sent to a location to investigate a creepy hotel. We receive flashbacks about her mother (she’s in a previous title, though not mainline) and quickly manage a spine-tingling tiptoe through the rooms with a result in utter anarchy. Leon follows soon after, tracking down Grace as she’s kidnapped by Victor Gideon. The rest is best left unspoiled, but the mystery and intrigue (especially in the first half of the game) align so well with the best of Resident Evil. Stakes always felt high in escape room scenarios, and I often held my breath without realising. The game manages to have a physical impact on players, and much of this is through narrative masterclass.
Make no mistake, this is very much an exploration of duality. Never is this more apparent than in gameplay. Grace, the new kid on the block, shakes when you hold a gun out. She stammers out words and this connects well to her conservative, stealth-focused combat. Her inventory is limited, she needs to find melee weapons and her drawing of infected blood is key to crafting success. Leon on the other hand remains a fight-first operator. He has a hatchet that can be sharpened and also parries attacks. He roundhouse kicks enemies when stunned, while Grace can barely push them over. His gunplay is more advanced, with greater options and a more familiar inventory set-up. His upgrades are more in line with Call of Duty. He is also preferred in third-person (original) compared to Grace’s first-person (modern games) though this can be swapped out. After trying both options for both characters, I settled on completing the game in third-person no matter the protagonist at the time. I just felt more connection to Grace this way, while Leon has always been third-person through action. It is scariest in first-person, and I will complete my next playthrough this way. Gameplay otherwise operates the same as other RE titles: slower movement controls, slash your melee and shoot your guns. Operate puzzles, pick up items and vault over boundaries. All of this may sound simple, but it feels more intuitive than Village. My only complaint would be the running speed (especially for Grace as she struggles early to fight back, and I was running away a heap). I understand the reason for this in tying to survival horror, of course. Otherwise, the button layout and range of surprises are outstanding.
Resident Evil Requiem released on all the latest systems on the same date, including the Switch 2. I played on base PlayStation 5 and everything ran at a smooth 60FPS with some of the best graphics this generation. Reports from another Novastream games reviewer was that the performance on Switch 2 is fantastic. The RE Engine truly delivers when it comes to survival horror settings. Walking through the rain-drenched streets at the beginning is like a tech display. On the PS5, the dual sense has the patter of rain tickling your palms. It’s a confident start and this never changes. The blood splattered on the walls, the ‘lived in’ feel of environments, and especially what this game achieves with lighting and shadows. When you’re not hightailing out of a room due to the infected moaning and groaning, having the opportunity to appreciate the scenes is a joy. Sound design also ties in here. It’s not an extensive musical soundtrack, but the use of sounds to elevate the horror is tactful. Wearing earphones, I knew the direction of a zombie by its scuffling feet or murmurs. The tap of a piano key in a distant room, or the flicking of a light switch, just generate sheer dread. It’s all the pieces that make the jigsaw such a delight to solve.
A somewhat new aspect of enemy design in Requiem is the personality of zombies. This is especially apparent when they are in worker mode, such as the care centre. A chef is chopping meat. An opera singer is belting out a tune. A clerk is switching off lights. Many are holding items that would be aligned to their role. While they are dispatched the same way, having small competency in speech and some remorse in their actions adds to the immersion of the game. This does extend into boss fights, though most of these fights are over quickly and have a gimmick to completion once the ‘just run away’ trope is sorted. The game operates best when combat and fear are intertwined for Grace, and combat and badass set pieces are intertwined for Leon. Grace has the scariest sections, such as the basement. While this area is very dark and somewhat of a prison complex, this wouldn’t be as scary if walking around with Leon’s rifles. The juxtaposition is a highlight but can also cause some whiplash switching between the two. Just when you’ve dispatched a horde with Leon, coming back to Grace means all that weaponry is reduced and you’re not quite as competent. This is very different to general RE games that have a gradual rise in your weapons and ability to mow through enemies. The way the game manages this is through a very engaging story, and in replays this becomes more natural. Replays are always part of any RE game. Ignore those complaining about length. Playthrough 1 took 12 hours. I’m mid playthrough 2 and I’ll probably halve this time. But there are reasons why, and you’ll discover these on first completion.
Resident Evil Requiem is my current Game of the Year. Its ability to act as a legacy title for the series ensures people like myself, still remembering the mansion in RE 1 and Racoon City in RE2, have nostalgia combined with the power of the latest tech. In ranking my RE games after completion here, I think I place Requiem at number 4 on the list, ending with:
- Resident Evil 4
- Resident Evil 1
- Resident Evil 7
- Resident Evil 9
- Resident Evil 2
This is no mean feat in a series full of industry-changing masterpieces. As always, I am eager to see where the series goes next alongside the constant evolution of features available in Requiem. The IP also has its latest star in Grace Ashcroft, oozing with more potential and personality than the previous Winters family. Thirty years on, Capcom steers the ship with the confidence of an immortal pirate. Let’s see where they dock next.
Pros
- Phenomenal graphical and audio performance
- Opportunity for multiple styles (survival and action)
Cons
- Switching characters can cause whiplash in adapting
- First half is stronger than the last half in pace
