And here we have another breakthrough mainstream gaming series that, for me, has always balanced itself on maintaining consistent quality in at least one key area: the story.
This time the story focuses on the legacy of being haunted by the past, the attempt to fix past mistakes, and learning to come to terms with unsuccessful decisions.
What did I expect? Simply an explosion of feelings from survival horror – tension, fear, and endless puzzle-filled wandering.

What I did not expect was the variety of skills between the main characters and the option to experience the game from both third-person and first-person perspectives. And surprisingly, that choice works extremely well and manages to capture the player’s attention.
After the reveal and initial announcement, everything filled me with optimism. That optimism lasted at full strength until roughly the first half of the game.

Requiem is a remarkable showcase of storytelling twists and gameplay variety.

The series manages to combine a tense horror atmosphere through the perspective of a kind-hearted but constantly trembling FBI agent and analytical specialist Grace Ashford. Her reactions feel incredibly natural and human as she suddenly receives a very personal mission: to investigate an abandoned hotel called Wrenwood. The goal is to uncover clues about another unsolved serial killer case. Eight years earlier, however, Grace witnessed the murder of her own mother there, an investigation known under the codename Elpis.
As the story progresses, it slowly becomes clear that Grace herself is the key to discovering the origin of Elpis. Eventually the game shifts into the pure Resident Evil experience I love the most – inside the Rhodes Hill sanatorium. Honestly, I could imagine the entire game taking place there.
Multiple floors, logically designed halls, beautiful architecture, and large areas to explore constantly tempted me to carry absolutely everything with me despite my tiny inventory.
Everything except one herb healing plant that I accidentally left behind when I escaped the area, lmao.

Grace performs her role excellently. Through fear, whining, stuttering, and sheer panic, she gradually learns how to deal with the many unique obstacles thrown at her. More than once, those moments created genuine fear even for the player.
The zombies themselves recreated that feeling brilliantly. Some of them stop in hallways, play with the lights, mimic singers, walkers, or even speak fragments of words and unclear sentences left from their former human lives. Some even warn you by whispering “RUN” as if they don’t want to hurt you.
One rotting housekeeper in the restroom section still believes she must finish wiping a pool of blood from the floor before her death. At moments like that you almost feel sorry for those cursed remnants of humanit, but of course when that mutated monstrosity starts chasing you, there is no time for sympathy.
Besides stealth and playing with light mechanics, the grotesque enemies and relentless blister-headed creatures are joined by minibosses that truly deliver classic survival horror quality. One towering and grotesquely deformed monster, another absurdly swollen brute smashing through walls just to get to you.

I could talk about them forever. They were an absolute highlight.

Capcom also gives players the choice between an action-focused camera or a more stable first-person perspective. Personally, I chose the third-person camera, because later I realized I would have missed Grace’s terrified stumbling, clumsy falling, and frantic panic when encountering the first infected enemy.

And now we turn to the other side of the story.

The second half introduces waves of heavy combat with the sharp and unstoppable hero Leon S. Kennedy. His weapons feel powerful and heavy, almost as if he were chosen to wield some legendary Excalibur of firepower. And of course we cannot forget his iconic roundhouse kicks, combat moves, and confident gameplay style that defines his character.
Requiem naturally connects to earlier events from Resident Evil 2, dealing with the aftermath of the incident in Raccoon City.
Leon, now a hardened and experienced agent in his prime, still suffers from long-term consequences of exposure to the T-virus. Throughout the story we explore his struggle with those memories, trying to come to terms with past decisions and find redemption.
Just as the role shifts from frightened Grace to action hero Leon, the entire tone of the game shifts into something faster, louder, and far more action-driven.
Leon now carries a newly equipped axe that is always within reach, although it dulls over time and requires maintenance. Combined with a much larger inventory and a wide arsenal of weapons, the game suddenly gives players a sense of relief compared to the earlier horror pressure.
Enemies appear in a more traditional style with their own mechanics, but later — without spoiling anything — the gameplay becomes so action-heavy that the original horror tone almost disappears. At that point you simply start mowing down everything in sight and collecting points and upgrades.
Despite the phenomenal creature designs in Grace’s storyline, the second half of the game did not give me the same emotional impact, which honestly made me a little sad.

I will not discuss what happens later in Raccoon City or reveal further story developments, because that would ruin the experience. But I must mention one incredibly funny scene involving a motorcycle chase across completely illogical platforms. By my third playthrough it was making me laugh harder every time.
The absurdity of the stunts and the complete disregard for physics reaches such a ridiculous level that it will probably become a legendary viral moment.
At the same time, it perfectly reminds us that these sequences now resemble a huge action movie spectacle.
So if you miss the puzzles that Grace’s sections offer, Leon’s story compensates with nostalgia and his return feels more fateful than simply nostalgic.
In conclusion, this grotesque yet beautiful experience will surely stay in the minds of both longtime fans and new players alike.

➖ This entry felt like the easiest gameplay in the entire series. Previous games had far more complex puzzles, maze-like exploration, stricter character behavior, and sections that never felt this smooth or forgiving. Collecting everything required for 100% achievements was also surprisingly simple, and after the halfway point I no longer felt much of a challenge.
I also missed the bizarre and charismatic merchants that were always a joy to encounter in earlier games.
Some of the magic of the truly creative bosses and monstrous designs seems to have been replaced with something more grounded.
And it’s not just because I’m older or more experienced as a player. The game genuinely feels designed to be easier.

➕ On the other hand, I was very pleasantly surprised by several locations that reminded me of the dark, gloomy sewer atmospheres from my favorite game, The Last of Us.
The audiovisual presentation is outstanding: terrifying visuals, excellent voice acting, detailed character models, realistic movement, and impressive environmental interactions. The physics of clothing and materials look fantastic and overall the game delivers the kind of high-end quality expected from a top AAA production.
🪓 9/10 🧪
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