Resident Evil returns with its ninth mainline installment, Requiem, and it manages to bring together all the series’ greatest features in one package.
“Horror” is a wide-ranging concept when it comes to media. At one point or another, Resident Evil has encompassed touched on every type. That can make for a disparate experience between games, taking players from campy wackiness in castles to gore fests in the bayou. Somehow, Resident Evil: Requiem manages to roll up all of this and mold it into a cohesive package.
The Good:
- Offers an enjoyable blend of RE7-style plodding horror and the REmakes’ gory action
- Extremely strong performance, loading times on PS5
- Aims to satisfy all types of Resident Evil Fans, and likely succeeds
The Bad:
- Awkward pacing in the story
- Feels very short
Review Details:
- What Platform Did the Reviewer Play On?: PlayStation 5
- Platforms Available: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- Official Release Date: February 27, 2026
Everything a Resident Evil fan could want, at least for a little while
Capcom has been releasing game of the year contenders for years now, and the Resident Evil series has been front and center for that. That’s impressive by any measure, but what makes this run truly special is that this has been done through two completely different styles of gameplay.
With the Resident Evil remakes, fans have gotten over-the-shoulder shooters while Resident Evil 7 and 8 were slower-paced horror games with a first-person perspective. It’s two very different styles of game but somehow, Resident Evil Requiem combines them.
The game takes the Code: Veronica approach to the “dual protagonist” system. During the course of a playthrough, players will step into the shoes of a familiar face in Leon and a newcomer in Grace. It does the Dreamcast classic one better by offering radically different gameplay experiences between the two characters, with Grace bringing players a first-person experience similar to Resident Evil 7 while Leon blasts his way through monsters Resident Evil 4-style.
It’s a chocolate-and-peanut-butter combination that makes for one of the best overall games in the franchise. All this is complemented by very good performance on the PS5, with no hiccups even during the most hectic moments.
The one major knock on the game is that it simply doesn’t last long enough. An extremely thorough first playthrough can see the game can be beaten in under 12 hours. And much like Resident Evil’s many movies, hopping back and forth between two characters makes the game feel even shorter.
Resident Evil games generally offer strong replayability but even still, the ending feels like it comes far too soon. While the game is an excellent experience for fans of the series, those looking for the most bang foir their buck might want to hold off until the game goes on sale.
The Bottom Line: Resident Evil Requiem has a lot for fans to enjoy, but it needs a few more hours of gameplay to be truly perfect.
Score: 9.0/10
