The first time I played the Resident Evil games was a long time ago, but I became a fan of the series relatively recently - around the end of 2021. The first release after that was the Resident Evil 4 remake, which I wouldn't call bad by any means, but it wasn't a game I was particularly looking forward to - mainly because the original isn't the first in the series that I'd consider a favorite.

So, it's safe to say that the new Resident Evil Requiem is the first game in the franchise I've truly been looking forward to. And I have to say, the first few hours were like an extra New Year for me.

The game starts off incredibly well. Somehow, Capcom managed to combine the qualities of the recent remakes and original installments, and even add a bit of the over-the-top madness of Resident Evil 6 into the mix. And the result isn't some incomprehensible Frankenstein's monster, but perhaps one of the strongest gameplay segments in the series in a very long time.

The attention to detail is particularly striking, especially at the beginning of the game. Some gameplay aspects were meticulously crafted to be used only a couple of times, but they add so much fun! And surely these small, yet memorable, moments must have cost an inordinate amount of resources to develop, only to be used so little. But it's precisely because of them that Requiem initially feels so magical.

I was personally pleased with the developers' take on the series' traditional concept of a "Nemesis-style pursuer", which I have very mixed feelings about overall (and for example I even consider its execution in Resident Evil 2 remake to be quite mediocre). The approach here is more similar to the (unfairly) disliked remake of Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil Village: we are not pursued too often, and, in most cases, such moments are scripted scenes or gimmicky level sections. In my opinion, this is a better realization of such an idea and the result is much more interesting than the too "mechanical and rule-based" Mr. X from the Resident Evil 2 remake.

However, Requiem is so much Resident Evil that it manages to replicate a quality that plagues many games in the series. Specifically, the second half of the game is somewhat inferior to the first. It doesn't feel like it received any less attention than the first half, don't get me wrong. The entire game is very well made. But for some reason, the second half of Requiem is simply far less inspired, far less special.

And perhaps the game's biggest "sin", which manifests itself towards the end, is its overreliance on nostalgia. At some point, Requiem goes out of its way to constantly remind the player of "the old days" and bombard them with references, as if constantly asking: "Remember this? And this? And this? Cool, right?" Up to a point, it's enjoyable, but by the end, it simply becomes tiresome and feels a bit forced.

But even with a slight note of disappointment, Resident Evil Requiem, for me, is one of the most impressive entries in the series in a long time. And remember, we're talking about a franchise in which new games have boasted a very high bar of quality for a decade now, seemingly managing to please everyone. This is no trivial achievement. Will the series ever achieve the ideal I personally dream of? I'm VERY interested to find out.

Where do I even start with this game?

As someone who grew up with Resident Evil and especially Leon, this one hit different. Resident Evil 4 (OG) was the first game I ever played in my life, and I played it nonstop as a kid. So coming into this, I already had a strong connection to the franchise—and this game absolutely delivered.

I played 18.9 hours, finished the story twice, and went all the way to 100% completion, including an Insanity run with multiple challenges stacked together. It was tough, but also really satisfying.

Story & Characters

The story is solid. Nothing revolutionary, but it does what a Resident Evil story needs to do. It sits comfortably around a 7–8/10 in terms of writing, which is completely fine for this series.

Where the game really shines is the characters:

Grace is outstanding. Easily one of the best new characters in the franchise. Great performance, great writing, and just overall memorable.
Leon is Leon—and they handled him perfectly. His older design, personality, everything feels right.
The performances overall are top-tier. This game deserves recognition for that alone.
Gameplay

Gameplay is where this game becomes special.

The balance between horror and action is perfect
Playing as Grace feels closer to Resident Evil 2—tense, stressful, survival-focused
Playing as Leon feels like an evolved version of Resident Evil 4—more action, more control, but still grounded

The puzzles are well designed:

Not too hard
Not too easy
Never annoying

Everything just flows naturally.

Atmosphere & Design

This is one of the strongest parts of the game.

The Renwood Hotel was incredible
The Care Center stood out a lot
The Ark section and Raccoon City aftermath were exactly what you’d expect from Umbrella—dark, detailed, and immersive

The game is not the scariest thing ever made, but it builds tension and pressure extremely well, especially in Grace’s sections.

Technical Aspects
No crashes
No bugs (in my experience)
Performance was smooth
Graphics are excellent—the RE Engine continues to deliver
Sound design is top-tier
Music is very good (not as iconic as RE4 for me, but still around a 9/10)
Final Thoughts

I loved this game. I genuinely did.

It’s not perfect, and the story doesn’t reinvent the series, but everything else—from gameplay to characters to atmosphere—is done at such a high level that it’s hard not to respect what they achieved here.

I would recommend this to:

Resident Evil fans (this is a must-play)
Anyone who enjoys action-horror games
Players who liked RE2 Remake or RE4-style gameplay

Score: 9–9.9/10
Recommendation: Worth full price. If you’re unsure about horror games, wait for a sale—but it’s still absolutely worth trying.

One note: I 100% completed it and immediately uninstalled it—but that’s just me. I tend to move on fast after finishing everything. That doesn’t take anything away from the experience itself.

leon kennedy.