Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry in the series, and for me it had a lot to live up to as the successor to Resident Evil Village. Which I think is one of the most underrated entries in the series. Requiem is split between two protagonists, newcomer Grace Ashcroft and series veteran Leon Kennedy. The game diverges between these characters at certain points in the game, with Grace’s gameplay focused more on survival horror and Leon’s sections leaning into more action horror.
The story starts with Grace, an FBI agent who is tasked with investigating an abandoned hotel where mysterious deaths have taken place. Each of these deaths are from those who survived the Raccoon city zombie outbreak. As with other games in the series, the story takes the characters to different locations the further you progress.
Grace’s gameplay is a mixture of the earlier games and Resident Evil 7. Where you have to explore one central location with limited resources whilst trying to survive zombies and other monsters of varying kinds.
It's in Grace’s sections that resource management is paramount, the game will often put you in a situation where you have a choice of using your limited ammo to clear an area of enemies or sidestepping them. To help elevate this pressure you can craft ammo and healing items by collecting blood samples taken from enemies you have killed. It’s a neat little addition that not only allows the player to think strategically about their inventory priorities, but it adds an extra layer to the game’s exploration.
One aspect of Grace’s gameplay that I am mixed on are the scripted enemy encounters. These specific monsters are bigger, vulgar and more intimidating than your usual zombies. Without spoiling too much, one of them is a giant clawed girl who stalks you in the dark. One wrong decision can leave you cornered and essentially at their mercy.
However, once their initial appearance is over they are no more than a roadblock to exploration and a chore to deal with. They also contribute to some moments in the game where it almost feels like you have to die to work out where to go next. But these moments are very few and far between.
I initially struggled at the start of the game with Grace, but once the crafting system kicks in and your inventory space expands, things become a lot more bearable.
It’s also worth saying that Grace is a wonderful new addition to the series, not only is she affable, she has a genuine vulnerability that is missing from most of the previous protagonists in the series. It adds tension to the game and raises the threat level of the enemies. As the story progresses her connection to the series becomes much more clear and intriguing.
Leon’s sections of the game are more action focused, akin to Resident Evil 4. The game becomes a power fantasy. It’s in these sections I had the most fun and where the game really shines. Although there is still an emphasis on exploration, inventory management basically boils down to making sure you use your weapons in a strategically sound way so you don’t burn through your ammo.
And it helps that the game doesn’t just throw enemies at you in linear corridors. Because the rubble of Raccoon city provides a variety of ways in which you will confront enemies of all shapes and sizes. Whether it is clearing through a gas station, escaping from a giant spider or proceeding through the darkness of a subway train. The melee attacks are the best in the series and it feels like a genuine option. With a simple press of a button you can pick up a melee weapon and throw it in an enemy’s direction, It allows the action to be a little more dynamic.
Unlike Grace’s sections, Leon can buy and upgrade weapons with the points you pick up from your kills. Like the crafting system in Grace’s section, this eases the difficulty level as the enemies get tougher and more numerous. However, this upgrade system is pretty shallow, especially when you compare it to previous upgrade systems in the series.
Returning to the RPD station is fleeting but memorable, my heartstrings were immediately pulled when the theme from the original chimed. But this location aside I found much of the game’s locations uninspiring and too similar to those previously seen in the series. Even Raccoon City for all of its potent design is rather drab and lacking in any character.
There is nothing here that comes close to Castle Dimitrescu in Village, or even the train section in Resident Evil 0. Which is a shame because the Resident Evil games are one of the few where the exploration, progression and story are laced together. With that said I used the map in Requiem more than any other Resident Evil game, so the exploration is engaging.
Another gripe of mine is the lack of any memorable villains or boss battles, in fact the boss battles are surprisingly easy and feel like arena battles where the end goal never diverts from pummelling them with your best weapons. But the villains are a bigger miss, easily the weakest in the series. Not just from their connection to the overall narrative but the way they look visually. Victor Gideon could have been interesting, but he never really makes much of an impression as he pops in and out of the story in short moments.
Resident Evil Requiem is an excellent addition to the series but not a great one. Jack of all trades but the master of nothing. Despite its flaws and sparse end game extras it’s still a definite purchase, especially if you have liked any of the previous games. And if you have never played any of the previous games, Requiem can be your starting point to branch out from.
8/10
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