THE EMPIRE
As far as first days go, Grace Ashcroft’s could be a little better.
That’s not to say it’s her literal first day on the job. But it definitely feels like her first time out in the field. However, this might simply be a field she hasn’t worked in before. Especially when she finds that the residence is evil. But hey, how evil is a rotting doctor out for her blood and a giant stalking ‘girl’ really? Subjectively, that does come into play within Capcom‘s ninth entry of the Resident Evil franchise, Requiem.
The game casts players as FBI Intelligence Analyst Grace Ashcroft, guiding them through the grounds of the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center. Lighter in hand and darkness all around, the first-person view expertly delivers on the horrors at hand. As you manage to navigate through it, you luckily stumble upon Leon S. Kennedy.
If you don’t know Leon, he’s the hero of both Resident Evils’ 2 and 4. He is also a frequent collaborator throughout the franchise. Now a member of the DSO, as luck would have it, his investigation leads to meeting Grace. He supplies her with 1 bullet. A gun far too big for her. And exits stage right with the coolest motherfucking look you’ve ever seen. This begins the parallel adventure for our two heroes in Requiem. Grace in the previously mentioned first person, and Leon in his “I can parry everything” third-person view.
Harkening back to its roots, it has been 2 mainline games since we’ve returned to the dual path story. This style of play popularised all the way back in 1996’s Resident Evil on the PlayStation One. The first Resident Evil allowed you to play as either Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield. And each hero had their own experiences in Spencer Mansion. The difference in Requiem being that Grace’s sections tend to be a bit more contained. And Leon heads into wider spaces like the city where his journey started.
Similarly, while each character as their own POV and journey, they also share different styles of play. Grace relies on typewriters for saving and operates with a smaller inventory. And Leon can save as frequently as he wants. And carries tried and true attaché inventory which acts as a sort of mini-game. One where you attempt to min/max how much inventory can fit in there.
While a run, which is a term that encompasses start to finish, ranges from 8 to 12 hours on a first playthrough. The game continues its throwback era by having an incredible amount of replayability. I completed around 4 runs for my Platinum trophy. And I can’t wait to jump back into it as soon as I get all these other games out of the way.
So what is Requiem? Capcom learned an incredible lesson about what works in their franchise and what they should continue doing. It embraces their brilliant RE Engine which produces some of the best visual fidelity from a title on the PlayStation 5 that we’ve ever seen. Grace’s first walk through the city showcases incredible detail, and I’d argue it features some of the best rain puddles in a game. Yes. Spider-Man and Watch Dogs are shaking.
If you’re looking for more GOOD Resident Evil, with the sheer camp and shock that has helped the series succeed, then Requiem delivers. So much so, that on its 30th year of ‘life’, it delivers a loving tale which may have finally bookended one of the beloved locales of Resident Evil, so we can get out there and find more elsewhere in future.
LEON YES KENNEDY
Score: - 10
10
out of 10
First-person. Third-person. It's all the same in Resident Evil. Find a gun. Fight for your life. And figure out which door is opened by the damned red gem. I LIVE FOR IT...
Latest posts by Xenojay (see all)
- Resident Evil Requiem | Review - March 16, 2026
- 30 YEARS OF PLAYSTATION: The PS3 and PS4 Era - November 28, 2025
- An Interview With Rob Davis From Sucker Punch – Part 3 - October 23, 2025
- Review – Ghost of Yōtei - September 26, 2025
