Resident Evil Requiem Review – A Masterpiece of Modern Horror

Resident Evil Requiem Review

Resident Evil Requiem marks 30 years of terror and dread. With each release, the franchise has carved unforgettable nightmares into the minds of players. Though the series has evolved, boldly stepping into new territory, it has never lost its core identity. Recently, the horror juggernaut has delivered distinct experiences beneath the same blood-soaked umbrella. The remakes reimagined classic entries in third-person, while recent mainline titles embraced a first-person perspective to heighten tension and immersion. Requiem now seeks to morph these two paths into a single beast, but will it emerge as a horror masterpiece or a grotesque experiment gone wrong?

Requiem follows two protagonists, each with their own personal story that intertwines around a common goal. Grace is a young FBI agent with a traumatic past, having witnessed the horrific murder of her mother as a teenager. After a series of deaths follow the same pathology, Grace is sent to investigate, only to discover the scene is set in the same hotel as her mother’s death. Nervous and haunted by memories, she begins to unearth long-buried fragments of her past with each step.

The Past, Revisited

Soon, she discovers photographs of herself scattered across a room. Realising she is being hunted, Grace must escape while attempting to uncover the truth behind her own mysterious past. Angela Sant’Albano truly brings Grace to life, delivering a magnificent performance that perfectly captures her tentative inexperience, elevating the tension and trepidation of the adventure. Each vocal quiver communicates the terror that ensues as she struggles to maintain composure while coping with life-altering events.

Assured and confident, Leon has faced numerous outbreaks, cultivating an aura of experience that radiates through each decisive action he takes. As a survivor of the Raccoon City incident, he has a vested interest when survivors begin contracting a mysterious infection that leads to their demise. With the mysterious Infection running through him, Leon must investigate to discover the cause and find a solution before it’s too late. His segments capture the mood and atmosphere of Resident Evil 4, as his whippy one-liners break the tension built from intense onslaughts. Though there’s a tonal shift between Leon and Grace’s stories, they ultimately converge to create a beautifully paced nightmare.

The gameplay also varies to suit the character. As Grace, you must scour the environment in search of resources and use stealth to stay away from deadly threats. While you can shoot enemies, your lack of proficiency is evident, making this a tactic better suited to gaining distance and scarpering rather than outright elimination. You can, however, collect blood to create an injection, which you can use when sneaking up on zombies. Administering the concoction causes a reaction, contorting their body before erupting in a gruesome explosion.

Through Her Eyes

The atmosphere smothers and suffocates, making each step a tense descent into uncertainty. Zombies now maintain some of their human qualities, which amplifies the horror. Lounge singers shriek through the corridors while cleaners frantically scrub the environments. Larger bosses are deliciously grotesque, stalking and haunting you at each turn, culminating in disturbing moments that will fester in your memory long after the credits roll. Antagonists are well presented, built as credible threats that

Although you can switch to a third-person perspective, Grace’s tale excels in its immersive, restrictive first-person view. The tight, claustrophobic corridors amplify the fear, whereas Leon’s action-heavy sections feel much better suited to third-person. As the experienced federal agent, you can confidently dispatch enemies in a glorious waltz of blood and violence. Shooting enemies in the leg will bring them to their knees, allowing you to unleash a vicious melee strike. Combat feels more dynamic as you can use the environment to your advantage, while executions are brutal and gory, with each swing of your axe delivering powerful, visceral conclusions to battles.

In addition to combat, you must also solve puzzles to progress through the campaign and gain more resources that will support you on your adventure. From solving puzzle boxes to opening safes, these are conventional in their application but support the ebb and flow of the experience. As you explore in search of key items, you’ll come across numerous documents and notes that also add to the lore, giving further context and adding layers to the narrative. These segments come at pivotal points, giving you that much-needed time to reset before the game grabs you by the throat again.

What Lies Ahead

Capcom manages to continually surprise you throughout the entirety of the adventure. New enemy types require you to adapt to each encounter, whether through avoidance or stealth tactics with Grace or deciding who to tackle first with Leon. Chainsaw-wielding foes are dangerous; however, taking them out early means that you can use the weapon to decapitate anyone who steps in your way. This leads to some incredible executions and unpredictable moments, adding variety to combat. Mix in a combination of tight linear segments, large open areas and cinematic action sequences and you’re left with a truly incredible showcase of pacing and design.

Environments tell a tale with remnants of the past etched into the architecture, luring you deeper into the unknown. Each area is unique, while also feeling part of a larger interconnected world. Characters also look incredible with stunning life-like animations and remarkable performance capture. Small details add to the immersion, with shots having a lasting impact on enemies. Direct head shots can send a piece of the zombie’s skull into the ether, leaving the brain visible as you pummel the remaining flesh.

Each echoing footsteps and guttural growl elevates the tension, leading to gripping and pulse-racing treks into the macabre. Capcom uses sound effectively to signal terror and create an overwhelming sense of dread. While odd jump scares intersperse the adventure, the horror thrives in those quiet moments where silence lingers just a little too long.

The Art of Horror

Resident Evil Requiem amalgamates its two entities into a cohesive, demonic monster, resulting in one of the series’ most complete entries to date. From its tense, immersive exploration that highlights vulnerability to its visceral combat that revels in brutality, it delivers a nightmare that feels both refined and feral. A masterpiece in horror, and an early Game of the Year contender.

***PS5 code provided by the publisher for review***