On Feb. 27, the Japanese video game company Capcom released its newest and ninth single-player survival horror game under the modern Resident Evil name: “Resident Evil: requiem.”
After my initial playthrough of the game, I am happy to announce fans of Resident Evil will be absolutely elated by the quality of the newest installment. With a great balance between combat-focused gameplay and survival horror, it is a complete blast to play.
The franchise has been quickly making its way back into the spotlight with the various remakes of the original games. The series initially skyrocketed into popularity in 1996, with the release of “Resident Evil,” a poster child of the survival horror genre.
“Resident Evil: requiem” had big shoes to fill. Although the story in this game is not a continuation of the most recent (chronologically wise, not a remastered version) Resident Evil installments, such as the duology of “Resident Evil 7: biohazard” in 2017 and “Resident Evil VILLAGE” in 2021, the majority of fans are looking for something similar in charm and atmosphere. Both of these games are my personal favorites. Even more relevant, both are loved by the community since they lean into the actual survival horror genre that Resident Evil is historically known for rather than action-oriented gameplay.
Capcom has previously made the mistake of focusing too much on combat over fear, which, unfortunately, is seen in “Resident Evil 6” in 2012 and “Resident Evil 5” in 2009. It had me a little on edge when I heard the announcement of the ninth installment.
The Resident Evil brand is originally known for bringing the player zombies, a scary ambiance and atmosphere and a charming protagonist to cheer for. “Resident Evil: requiem” brings these to table and holds back no punches.
The player swaps between playing as the game’s newly introduced main protagonist, FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, and a fan-favorite recurring character, Leon S. Kennedy. This is the absolute best part of “Resident Evil: requiem.”
Leon, as seen in his previous games “Resident Evil 2” in 2019 and “Resident Evil 4” in 2023, is a cheesy federal agent operative with plenty of one-liners and a sad history. Playing as Leon is comfortable for returning fans and focuses on combat, leaning on the third-person shooter aspect of the game rather than its survival horror. But Capcom keeps a perfect equilibrium rather than toppling over too far into one side.
In a fantastic contrast, all segments played as Grace are absolutely chilling. Playing as Grace is supposed to make the player feel small and vulnerable, with the gameplay focused on stealth rather than Leon’s tense boss battles.
“Resident Evil: requiem” manages this perfectly. If you're looking for action horror, you’ve got it with Leon. If you’re looking for spine-chilling survival horror that makes you sit on the pause menu for 10 minutes in fear, you’ve got Grace.
The game only has a handful of downfalls, but they are aspects I already expected of the franchise. Leon’s dialogue is back-to-back one-liners, with only a couple dips into any character depth. I was disappointed with the quality of Grace’s character. She is always shrieking and terrified, but she works for the FBI. I feel like she should have a bit more grit, or at least be less sensitive to the dystopian world she lives in.
Unfortunately, I was also a little frustrated with the quality of the second half of the game versus the first. Some sections are pure combat, including the very final boss in the game, that started to feel like the vexing, mindless action in “Resident Evil 5.”
Capcom also continues to recall locations and characters from previous games for nostalgia purposes that I feel should be done away with. This is a smaller nitpick of mine.
As I said, this is not unheard of when it comes to the Resident Evil series. Previous installments have fallen flat towards the end of the game, despite starting off incredibly strong.
However, the game, despite the minor discrepancies, is definitely worth a try. “Resident Evil: requiem” is an easy 9/10.
It certainly reignited my interest and love for these games. Similarly, it has encouraged me to go back to the older games and replay them again. It also does seem like Capcom has a 10th game in mind or even in production, and after the stunning performance of “Resident Evil: requiem," I am absolutely looking forward to what else is in store.
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Sam is a freshman from Peachtree City, Georgia. She is majoring in English and started with The Plainsman in fall 2025.
