Despite being the ninth installment in the long-running franchise, there have been numerous spin-offs. For the most part, they have stayed separated from the mainline series, but this is one of the rare occasions where they bridge the gap between some of the stories and characters.
Resident Evil Requiem takes what Capcom has learned with their latest mainline entries, all while melding it together with some of the horrors we’re accustomed to, along with the action of Leon S. Kennedy. Is this the perfect mesh we’ve been waiting for or should the developers have stayed on one path?
Resident Evil has quite a history of different play styles. While it all revolves around a horror aspect, their third-person entries have focused more on the action side of things over the years, while the latest two mainline entries, Resident Evil 7 and Village, were more in tune with tension and freight.
Resident Evil Requiem takes the best of both worlds and combines it. Players will initially take control of timid FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, who was one of the main characters in the online cooperative title, Resident Evil Outbreak, that debuted all the way back on the PlayStation 2.
It’s an interesting pull to bring back a character from a forgotten entry in the beloved franchise, but it makes the universe feel even more connected. Regardless, Grace’s timidness leads to a great set up for the horror aspect, as she’s not exactly capable in battle, but it allows her character to grow throughout the adventure, all while she uses her brain to get her out of this frightening situation.
Then there’s Leon, who has seen the worst the world has to offer and still comes out on top. He’s a soldier and incredibly capable, to the point that he’s essentially a superhero with the moves and fighting abilities to back it up. How Resident Evil Requiem breaks it up is essentially the first half of the story is told through Grace’s eyes, while the second is through Leon’s. There’s some swapping between the two outside these windows, but that’s generally how the story is structured, and it mostly works well.
A Graceful Horror
Grace’s section of the campaign is a lot more tense and feeds more on the traditional horror aspects of the franchise. It takes a lot from Resident Evil 7 and Village, not only from the first-person camera angle, but in terms of general atmosphere and puzzle solving. That’s not to say the puzzle solving is particularly deep, as most of it is somewhat lackluster compared to the obscure things we had to do in the past, but there’s a bit of metroidvania environment design going on.
Grace’s section is an almost beat-for-beat reimagining of the original Resident Evil as well, but again, without some of the basic puzzles and puzzle solving. We’re essentially trapped in a giant manor and while we won’t spoil how the story goes, a lot of the environments and even monster encounters are reminiscent of Resident Evil Remake. You won’t need to have played Resident Evil or its remake to appreciate the story and progression, but it will help.
An Action-Packed Conclusion
On the opposite side of the spectrum, we have Leon’s campaign. While you don’t need to play any past games to admire Resident Evil Requiem, it’s almost vital to have played Resident Evil 2. Leon’s portion of the campaign is very much remembering his short-lived stint as a police officer in Raccoon City, to the point there are significant references and flashbacks players won’t understand unless they have played the second entry.
Leon’s portion of the campaign sides more on action, as he’s equipped with a significantly more robust arsenal. While Grace has trouble with a single infected, Leon is all about mobs as he fights off waves of enemies with little trouble, something that’s reminiscent of the latter half of Resident Evil 4.
Unfortunately, Leon’s portion of the story is a little lackluster compared to Grace’s, as while Capcom clearly wanted to bring in both worlds, there’s little tension, and most of the enjoyment comes from the numerous callbacks from Resident Evil 2. That’s not to say it’s bad by any means, as there’s exciting encounters, but it relies heavily on nostalgia.
Overall, the campaign took us roughly fifteen hours to complete, with the bulk of the experience exploring what the two worlds have to offer. Grace’s mansion offers a lot of metroidvania-esque traversal and puzzle solving, while Leon has a more open environment to maneuver through. At the end of it, fans will likely be pleased with how everything shakes out with their favorite characters, especially with the handful of cameos, although there is one moment that feels almost entirely unnecessary.
Grace’s section is an almost beat-for-beat reimagining of the original Resident Evil…
