The 30th anniversary celebration that became the highest-rated user game on Metacritic — and how it stacks up against every modern RE.
Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry in Capcom's iconic survival horror franchise — and it's designed as a 30th anniversary celebration that reconciles everything RE has ever been. For the first time, a single RE game delivers both the survival horror tension of RE2/RE7 and the action spectacle of RE4, by splitting the experience between two playable protagonists.
Grace Ashcroft is a new character — an FBI analyst investigating a series of mysterious deaths linked to Raccoon City survivors. Her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, was murdered in the same hotel Grace is sent to investigate. Grace's sections are pure survival horror: limited resources, tight spaces, a terrifying stalker creature she cannot kill, and first-person gameplay that channels RE7's claustrophobic dread. She carries the Requiem Gun — a devastatingly powerful assault revolver with extremely scarce ammo, making every shot a life-or-death decision.
Leon S. Kennedy returns for his first major role since RE6. He's older, battle-worn, and investigating late-onset T-Virus infections. Leon's sections play like a refined RE4 Remake — third-person action with hatchet parries, weapon commandeering, and hordes of zombies. His gameplay scratches the action itch while maintaining RE's signature tension through smart encounter design.
Both characters can be played in either first-person or third-person perspective, but the defaults (Grace in 1st, Leon in 3rd) are designed to match each character's tone. The game recommends — and I strongly agree — playing with defaults on your first run.
RE Requiem's genius is that it solves a problem the franchise has struggled with for 20 years: the tension between horror and action. Instead of choosing one (RE7) or awkwardly blending both (RE6), Requiem separates them into distinct character experiences that alternate throughout the campaign. Grace's sections make you feel vulnerable and terrified. Then Leon's sections let you unleash — and the contrast makes both halves stronger.
The Care Center — Requiem's primary location — is being called one of the strongest settings in RE history. It's a sprawling facility that feels different depending on which character you're exploring it with. Areas you anxiously crept through as Grace become power-trip arenas as Leon, and revisiting them with full firepower has the same freeing effect as a New Game Plus.
Angela Sant'Albano's performance as Grace is a masterclass. Her voice work channels genuine fear and vulnerability into the player in a way few horror game performances have achieved. Grace's social awkwardness and nervousness under stress make her feel more human than any RE protagonist before her.
The perspective-switching isn't a gimmick — it fundamentally changes how the game feels. First-person makes corridors claustrophobic and enemies more unpredictable. Third-person gives you spatial awareness and tactical combat options. Having both in one game, contextually matched to each character, is a design triumph.
This is what you're really here for. Requiem doesn't exist in a vacuum — it's the culmination of everything Capcom has learned since the franchise's 2017 reinvention. Here's how it stacks up against every modern RE game.
| GAME | META | STYLE | HOW REQUIEM COMPARES |
|---|---|---|---|
| RE4 Remake (2023) | 93 | Action Horror | Leon's Requiem sections are a direct evolution of RE4R's combat — same DNA, refined further. RE4R is still the more purely fun action experience, but Requiem's dual structure gives it more variety. RE4R wins on pure gameplay. Requiem wins on ambition. |
| RE2 Remake (2019) | 91 | Survival Horror | Grace's sections channel RE2R's claustrophobic tension — the stalker creature fills Mr. X's role. RE2R's dual-campaign structure (Leon A / Claire B) offers more replay value. RE2R is the tighter game. Requiem is the more ambitious one. |
| RE Requiem (2026) | 89 | Horror + Action | You are here. The 30th anniversary game that reconciles the franchise's two identities. |
| RE7: Biohazard (2017) | 86 | First-Person Horror | Grace's first-person default perspective is a clear descendant of RE7. The Baker house is still scarier than the Care Center, but Requiem maintains tension more consistently — RE7's second half drops off significantly. RE7's peak is higher. Requiem is more consistent. |
| RE Village (2021) | 84 | Action Horror | Village tried to blend horror and action in one character. Requiem solves this by splitting them into two characters, which works much better. Requiem is scarier in its horror sections and more satisfying in its action sections. Requiem supersedes Village in almost every way. |
| RE3 Remake (2020) | 79 | Action Horror | RE3R was too short and too action-focused. Requiem is what RE3R should have been — a game that balances set-piece action with genuine survival horror tension. Requiem is the superior game in every measurable way. |
If you're new to RE and wondering where to start, or a veteran deciding where Requiem lands, here's the honest ranking of the modern RE era:
Buy it at $70 if: You're an RE fan who wants to see the franchise at its most ambitious. If you loved both RE4 Remake AND RE7, this is the game that finally gives you both in one package. The dual-protagonist structure, perspective switching, and 30th anniversary fan service make this essential for franchise fans.
Wait for a sale if: You're new to RE. Start with RE2 Remake ($15-20 on sale) or RE4 Remake ($30 on sale) first — they're higher-rated, cheaper, and don't require franchise knowledge. Come back to Requiem once you've experienced what came before.
Skip if: You only want pure horror with no action. Grace's sections deliver genuine terror, but Leon's action-heavy gameplay takes up roughly half the game. If you hated RE4's combat focus, you'll be frustrated by half of Requiem.
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