Resident Evil Requiem review: the ultimate survival horror package

Published On: 25 February 2026 | 20:30 ISTLast Updated On: 26 February 2026 | 09:39 IST

Resident Evil is undoubtedly one of the longest-running and most influential horror franchises in gaming history, with roots stretching all the way back to the original PlayStation. While the series famously stumbled a bit during the action-heavy era of Resident Evil 6, it masterfully managed to reinvent itself with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

RE7 was actually my first real experience with the franchise; before that, I just didn’t find myself drawn to it. However, after surviving the Baker estate, I was completely sold. Since then, I have played and thoroughly enjoyed every modern release, including Village (RE8) and the remakes of RE2, RE3, and RE4. I now completely understand why the original RE4 was considered groundbreaking. Much like God of War, Resident Evil is a franchise that knows exactly how to reinvent itself for modern times. I can also clearly see how games like Dead Space acted as spiritual successors, carrying the survival horror torch until Capcom resurrected the genre.

In a nutshell, Resident Evil: Requiem is absolutely awesome. I loved every second of my time with it, and below is my detailed, spoiler-free review.

Table of Contents

Story: I Don’t Get It, But I Can’t Look Away

If, like me, you jumped into the RE franchise midway, worry not. The basic plot remains a classic staple: an evil corporation manufactured a virus that turns people into zombies (and worse), and you are somehow caught in the middle. Whether you are the hero, the solution to the problem, the right person in the wrong place, or the wrong person in the right place, the lore can get quite confusing. For those wanting to get fully up to speed, I highly recommend checking out GamingBolt’s amazing lore explainer videos on YouTube.

In Resident Evil Requiem, you step into the shoes of two very different characters. While playing as multiple protagonists isn’t new to the franchise, this is the first time Capcom strongly recommends a different camera perspective for each.

You begin your journey as Grace Ashcroft, daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft (a somewhat important figure from previous RE games, though a fresh face for me since I haven’t played those prequels). Grace is an FBI agent who revisits the hotel where her mother was murdered to investigate some shady business. Before long, she tumbles down a zombie-infested rabbit hole, waking up trapped in a massive, terrifying house and needing to orchestrate an escape.

Switching gears, we reunite with Leon S. Kennedy, our beloved hero from RE2 and RE4. Leon is hunting for the source of these mysterious new deaths and inevitably finds himself exploring the same mansion as Grace. He’s tracking the new virus and, without getting into spoilers, has a deeply personal motivation this time around. And yes, as the trailers revealed, Raccoon City is the place to be, but I won’t say anything more at the risk of ruining the surprises.

Even without having played every single legacy game, I was completely absorbed by the motivations of our two leads. While some aspects of the story lean into the classic cheesy RE tropes, it’s just pure fun, especially with the fantastic one-liners Leon scatters throughout the campaign.

Gameplay: Two Perspectives, One Masterpiece

The gameplay in Requiem combines the very best of RE7 and the RE4 Remake to deliver an incredibly diverse experience. While the game allows you to freely switch between first- and third-person, I highly recommend playing with the developers’ intended settings: first-person for Grace and third-person for Leon.

This dynamic works flawlessly. Playing as Grace in first-person delivers an incredibly immersive, jump-scare-heavy horror experience, while playing as Leon fulfils the ultimate third-person action-hero fantasy.

Take the first major section of the mansion, for example. You start as Grace, exploring in first-person with standard Resident Evil puzzles and terrifying jump scares thrown into the mix. As shown in the reveal trailers, you are stalked by a massive “Chef” zombie in one part of the mansion. Because Grace isn’t heavily armed, you can only stun/evade him to make your escape until you get your hands on some in-game items which allow you to dispose of him.

It’s a thrilling cat-and-mouse game reminiscent of Mr. X or Nemesis in the RE2 and RE3 remakes. Although on the plus side, the game does give you a fair bit of breathing room, unlike its predecessors, where the chase goes on. Taking down even standard zombies with Grace takes almost an entire clip, making strategic sneaking the name of the game, as the ammo is pretty scarce. If that sounds frustrating, treat it like a stealth-horror game; it’s incredibly tense and rewarding.

Once the perspective shifts to Leon, the pacing explodes into action. You take out hordes with well-timed shots, axe slashes, and his standard, immensely satisfying roundhouse kicks. Leon’s sections are delightfully bloody, granting you access to momentary pickup weapons like chainsaws and throwables, leading to some brutal finisher animations.

RE7 was the first game that forced me to sleep with the lights on, and while Requiem might not reach those exact heights of pure terror (mostly because Leon is just too badass), it still boasts fantastic jump scares and incredibly tense situations with Grace. Standard puzzles and inventory management return to make you feel right at home, but with a great twist: Grace has a highly limited inventory and a nuanced crafting system, while Leon has a massive attaché case, a larger arsenal, and top-tier gear to fall back on.

Presentation: A Next-Gen Feast for the Senses

Resident Evil: Requiem looks absolutely stunning. I played it on a base PS5 hooked up to an LG B9 OLED TV and a BenQ EX271UZ OLED monitor, and it is phenomenal. We also did a performance review of the game on NVIDIA RTX 40 series gaming laptops to see how the PC version of the game runs.

Officially, the game boasts two modes for the PS5 Pro:

Ray-Tracing Mode On: 4K Resolution at 60FPS
Ray-Tracing Mode Off: 4K Resolution at 90–120FPS

On the base PS5, the game runs beautifully at 4K/60FPS. While I’ll let the pixel-peepers at Digital Foundry do the in-depth technical breakdowns, to a layperson like me, it looks truly next-gen. From the way hair flows to the intricate environmental textures, the cloth physics, and the buttery-smooth animations of Leon executing a melee kill, it’s a visual marvel. Honestly, this game might just be the reason I eventually upgrade to a PS5 Pro for that extra horsepower.

The lighting engine deserves a special shoutout. The mansion uses brilliant light and dark mechanics, forcing you to rely on a lighter or torch to illuminate pitch-black corridors.

For audio, you must play this with a nice pair of headphones. Using my Sony Inzone H9 II, the channel separation and positional audio were flawless. When you are being “hunted”, you can pinpoint exactly where the footsteps are coming from, multiplying the spooky factor tenfold. The sharp cracks of the handguns, the heavy thuds of melee kicks, and the sickening splatters of a well-earned headshot all sound incredibly punchy and satisfying.

The Verdict: Capcom Strikes Gold Again

Resident Evil Requiem is the ultimate synthesis of RE7’s dread and RE4 Remake’s action, wrapped in a gorgeous next-gen package. It features stunning visuals, deeply immersive dual-perspective gameplay, and a well-paced story that will easily keep you hooked for its 20-hour runtime. A must-play for franchise veterans, newcomers, and fans of games like Dead Space or Alan Wake 2.