Review - Resident Evil: Requiem
"I Remember You... I Remember That Too"
Resident Evil: Requiem
Capcom / PC, NSW2, PS5, XBSX
Played on PlayStation 5
Story & Lore - 8
Resident Evil: Requiem starts off with FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft being assigned a case linked to former Raccoon City survivors who have been killed and are also developing a sickness linked to a sleeping T-Virus that seems to have been infecting survivors. Grace is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a character from the spinoff Resident Evil Outbreak. From there, Grace is kidnapped and must find a way out. Meanwhile, Daddy Leon - or sorry, I mean Leon S. Kennedy, now in his late forties, has contracted the sleeping T-Virus and is looking for a cure. Leon is also in pursuit of Victor Gideon, a former Umbrella employee, who acts as the game’s antagonist.
This is a theme in the game, but it feels like they took two Resident Evil entries and mashed them together. Grace follows a new story that seems to be different from the original arc, and Leon’s story feels like a finish, or at least the start of the finish, to the original Umbrella/Raccoon City arc. Eventually, both storylines line up well, and the ending (at least the good ending) feels like a new beginning and a new ending. I loved how the game felt like a full-circle moment, especially for Leon. It’s an entry to the overall series story that makes sense and doesn’t feel like a cash grab.
Characters & Writing - 8
The first half of RE9 has solid character writing and moments. Unfortunately, I do feel that it starts to get more basic and predictable as the narrative reaches its back half. That doesn’t mean Grace isn’t a compelling character. There’s an evolution to her, going from unconfident to braver by the end of the game, and I do think she was written in a way that’s closer to how a normal person would react to her situation. Leon has already become famous for his one-liners in the game, and while I’m a sucker for one-liners, I do think it does get old for some by the end. Outside of that, Leon’s arc is a little more basic, and he plays the part of action hero more than anything else. However, I do feel his arc is tied to his first appearance in RE2 in a way that makes it feel like he’s coming around full circle by the end. Not that I think this will be the last time we see him, but it feels a bit like an ending to, at least, a big part of his story.
The main villain, Victor Gideon, is written well, and I think he’s going to join the pantheon of the series’s more recognizable villains. He sort of has a Dr. Frankenstein vibe, mixed with the monster, that I liked. There’s a second villain that I won’t spoil, but let’s just say you may confuse who they are, only to realize they just act similar to a past villain. They then proceed to tell you nothing about who they are, except for a hint that may explain it, and I was personally really disappointed by the lack of explanation about him.
Gameplay & Mechanics - 8
Again, this game has two games mashed together. For the portion with Grace, you’re playing closer to the style of the last two series entries (Biohazard and Village), with a focus on survival horror. You have limited resources, and using one bullet feels like a big deal. You can also craft bullets and medicine supplies after getting your own on a way to use infected blood. While blood is a weird resource, it works, and I found myself absolutely loving the limited resources because they felt more grounded and real. You can also collect coins to use to upgrade inventory, health, and weapon damage. Like many games from the past, you’ll stay in an area that acts like a hub and then find keys and keycards that help you unlock new places.
I found the Grace portion, which dominates the first half, to be the best part of RE9. It was like they took the best parts of Biohazard and Village and combined them into one major section. I was deeply disappointed when I realized these sections would essentially go away by the second half. Also, pro tip, play Grace’s sections in first-person mode, it really adds to the feel of her sections.
The Leon portions, which dominated the second half, are like the best (and at times the worst) of Resident Evil’s 4-6 era of more action-oriented combat. You have more ammo, more weapons, a bigger inventory, and you fight the epic boss battles. Throughout most of Leon’s segments, it feels like a combination of 4 and 5’s gameplay, but in the midway point, there is a sudden section that feels like Resident Evil 6, considered by many to be the worst entry in the series. You’ll explore Raccoon City in a semi-open environment, and it’s all action, practically non-stop. The tonal shift is sudden and took me aback. While it does have some high moments, including a major nostalgic fight, I think it’s the worst part of the game, and it was a bummer to feel my perception shift. Ultimately, Leon’s final segments are better than that midway point, but it was Grace’s segments I wanted to get back to the most. Again, not that I hated these sections, just preferred the Grace gameplay. Also, I recommend playing Leon’s segments in third-person.
World & Level Design - 9
The longest section in Grace’s part is inside the Care Center, and it is designed like any good Resident Evil-style building. The rooms and corridors connect in ways that make sense, and it got to the point where I didn’t need a map once I had gone through the building enough, which is a good sign of the floor plan's design. The way enemies interact with specific areas feels real, and later sections are similarly crafted. The Leon sections, including the midway point in Raccoon City that I wasn’t crazy about, are made well. There are areas in the city that hint at past titles, but they aren’t there just for nostalgia; they are also well-made gameplay segments and areas to fight zombies and more. You never feel lost with either Grace or Leon; everything just works.
Audio & Sound Design - 7
The soundtrack for RE9 is unfortunately pretty weak. There isn't a single track that becomes instantly memorable for me; it sounds sort of like a generic horror movie. Luckily, the game's sound design helps. The zombies, Grace’s breathing, and everything from gunfire to Leon’s grunts sound top-notch. The team did a good job making this sound as real as possible. If you wear headphones and immerse yourself with the Dualsense, it only becomes that much better. You can feel the pitter-patter of the outside rain and the flash of lightning. The 3D audio adds to that immersive feel, and I found myself legitimately unnerved by every small noise. I just wish the soundtrack were as good.
Art Direction & Graphics - 10
The absolute best part of RE9 is the graphics and art direction. I don’t just mean that this looks very pretty to look at, even though it does… I mean, in everything from the look to the animations to the architectural designs of the environments to the cinematography. This will be a contender for best cinematography, as the camera work and use of shadows and lighting are Hollywood award-winning. The animations of the characters and zombies make them feel real, with zombies saying quotes that hint at their pre-infected backstories. The use of light and shadow heightens the sense of fear during those “hide from the monster” segments. The RE engine continues to show what it can do, and it's simply a very beautiful game, no matter where you decide to play it; even the Switch 2 version looks so good.
Direction and Performances - 9
The game direction by Koshi Nakanishi is also on top of my early list for eventual end-of-year awards. The camera never shows anything that doesn’t make sense, and transitions from moment to moment don’t feel off. The Raccoon City section, while it was my least liked part, didn’t feel like an overwhelming open world. Nakanishi does a good job making you know you’re in the middle of a post-apocalyptic city, but you feel pushed almost by an invisible hand to where you have to go.
The actors' performances are rock-solid, aside from some minor qualms. Angela Sant'Albano does an amazing job with Grace’s voice, and she conveys the tone of a scared young woman who is experiencing some really messed up stuff. The way her breathing is done during tense situations and her ability to feel like a scared person, even when she gains confidence towards the end. The only gripe I had was that she stutters, A LOT. I’m not sure whether that was her decision or the one in charge of the voice performances, but it could get annoying at times, at least for me.
Leon is voiced by Nick Apostolides, who returns from previous entries and does a good job of sounding older and more gruff. As I said, Leon is more of an action hero in this one than anything, and the one-liners aren’t going to be for everyone, but Nick has become the modern voice for Leon, and it fits. Gideon is voiced by Antony Byrne, who does a good job coming off intimidating but also with a bit of a sense of class, which isn’t easy to pull off.
User Experience - 9
This is not a hard game to understand, and you've got plenty of difficulty and style options to choose from. I think giving you options for perspective was a good call, and I love the game's customization. The user interface and weapon selection are easy to navigate and understand, and I never felt confused or annoyed. Aside from one specific puzzle you have to solve to get the infected blood as your resource, I didn’t get stumped or feel like the developers didn’t think anything through. I think even first-time series players can understand this easily.
Replay Value - 9
The replay value for Resident Evil games has always been super high. There’s always that one part that you’ll roll your eyes at having to do again, or that one super scary part you'll sigh in annoyance when you get to, but for the most part, you can start this up after playing any time, and you’ll get better and find more stuff than your last play-through. It’s short enough that you can make it a Halloween tradition if you want, like most past entries.
Recommendation - 9
I would give this a max ten because, even with my gripes about the middle and my preference for the first half, I think this is such a fun game. In my old recommendation system, this would’ve been an easy essential. I am taking off a point, however, because I acknowledge that horror isn’t for everyone, and there are some surprising, jumpy moments that even had me going. Also, if you’re scared of spiders, I highly warn you. Outside of that, if you don’t mind horror games, this is a must-play.
86 - Great
Resident Evil: Requiem is another great addition to the series, and it seems to be part of a solid stretch from Capcom that could go down as the Silver Age of the franchise. After taking a polarizing step with the fifth and sixth entries, they came back with a vengeance, reminding us of the horror the series is all about. This entry does just that with Grace, but also uses Leon’s segments to bring back those action-heavy gameplay sections that the fifth and sixth had. Grace is a great new character to the franchise, and she acts as an anchor as we get a full blown nostalgia buffet in the second half. Despite my gripes with the middle and my preference for the first half, RE9 is a great game that still has plenty of survival horror and jump scares, moves the series along, and seemingly gives the franchise's most famous character a full-circle moment by the end. If you love the genre and especially if you love the franchise, RE9 is a must own title that’s going to become a favorite to replay many times when you’re looking to get scared, even with some potholes along the way.