Resident Evil Requiem: Dual Perspectives Define New Survival Horror Entry

Resident Evil Requiem is a new installment in the survival horror series that introduces a dual-protagonist structure, pairing tense survival horror with fast-paced action.

The game alternates between the survival horror-focused sections of new character Grace Ashcroft and the action-oriented missions of returning character Leon S. Kennedy.

Gameplay and Character Perspectives

The game is structured around two distinct characters and horror styles, offering players contrasting experiences.

Grace Ashcroft: Survival Horror

Grace Ashcroft is a new character, an FBI agent with a mysterious past who is abducted. Her gameplay sections are survival-focused, emphasizing tense horror, limited resources, and stealth.

These sections take place primarily within the Rhodes Hill Care Center, a gothic intensive care facility. Gameplay involves resource management, crafting, puzzle-solving, and navigating environments with limited visibility. Her inventory is limited to eight slots.

Leon S. Kennedy: Action-Oriented Missions

Leon S. Kennedy, a returning series character, is portrayed as an aged secret agent. His sections are action-focused, involving combat against numerous enemies in dynamic environments, such as the ruins of Raccoon City.

His gameplay utilizes an over-the-shoulder camera perspective and features an expanded inventory and specific combat abilities.

Core Mechanics and Design

The game integrates mechanics from both recent first-person and classic third-person entries in the series.

• Camera Modes: The game suggests using a first-person camera for Grace's sections and a third-person camera for Leon's to enhance immersion, though players can switch Grace's camera to third-person.
• Pacing and Balance: The alternating character perspectives contribute to the game's pacing, balancing intense horror sequences with moments for puzzle-solving, item crafting, and route planning.
• Enemy Design: Zombies in the game are described as more varied and dangerous due to a modified virus, with some retaining human memories and behaviors.
• Narrative Structure: The plot integrates Grace's past, Leon's storyline, and series lore across three decades, developing a conspiracy storyline. Information discovered in one character's section can inform the other's subsequent actions.
• Replayability: The game offers unlockable gear that can be acquired using achievement points.

Reported Observations on Gameplay Depth

Analyses of the game note observations regarding the implementation of its dual styles.

For Grace's sections, it was observed that resource progression could be affected by scenario transitions. For Leon's sections, while featuring action and callbacks to previous games, the number of distinct set-piece moments was noted as limited compared to some predecessors.

The narrative was described as becoming increasingly complex and expansive, aligning with the series' established narrative style, but concludes in a manner that was found to be satisfying.