The Peanut Gallery Reviews Resident Evil Requiem

Capcom's ninth installment in their franchise, Resident Evil Requiem, is a stunning survival romp, but it's not without its flaws.

Resident Evil Requiem is thoroughly enjoyable, rewarding experience. As a massive fan of the franchise, I had high expectations. I am pleased to report that it met them…for the most part. 

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Graphics and Gameplay

The game looks stunning. Considering the variety of environments you explore makes it that much more impressive. Trudging through a dilapidated building hanging on by the last fiber of foundation and braving a slow crawl through a darkened hallway of a mysterious medical facility are equally arresting. Thunder claps punctuate a particularly harrowing haul through one of the game’s earlier sections. Being hunted by a monstrous entity, aided only by the flicker of your lighter while Mother Nature airs her contempt via lightning strikes has never looked better. This is the type of heightened horror you can expect to encounter in RE9, and the graphics elevate every second of it. 

Gameplay intertwines the series’ signature survival horror roots with its (also signature) action. This time around, however, the elements aren’t combined as organically. They are divided between the two playable characters in a back-and-forth format. Newcomer Grace Ashcroft handles the horror, while one-liner legend/obliterator of all things with or without a pulse, Leon Kennedy, annihilates, ahem…takes, the action pieces. This structure works well thanks to both characters being very fun to play as, but for very different reasons. 

Grace vs. Leon

Grace will occupy about 60% of your time. As a young, yet to be battle-tested FBI agent, she’s not the force of nature that Leon is. In the pregame selections, you’re prompted with the suggestion to play as her from a first-person perspective. While you can opt to go third-person, the former offers an eerier experience from a horror standpoint. Your time in her shoes will be spent sneaking around and tactically dispatching enemies. Ammo and resources are limited, so strategy and stealth are paramount. Going the guns blazing route will get you killed more often than not. The tension felt creeping around hallways while a large beast stalks your every step is something every fan of survival horror needs to experience. Resident Evil Requiem has quite the highlight reel, and Grace shines in plenty of it. 

Resident Evil veterans will not be surprised to learn that taking the reins as Leon makes for quite the contrasting experience. While Grace is primarily outwitting and avoiding the many bioweapons you’ll face, Mr. Kennedy is punishing them. And I do mean PUNISHING. As in taking out behind the woodshed and issuing a beatdown of catastrophic proportions level punishing. There’s no shortage of firearms, ammunition, or explosives for you to wreak absolute havoc on all those unfortunate enough to get in the way of that iconic haircut. I mean, the only thing more invincible than a Tyrant is that flow, am I right? Okay, enough about Leon’s luscious locks and more about the locking and loading you’ll be doing as you wipe out a slew of mutated monstrosities. 

Weapons Galore

Requiem suggests you play in third-person as Leon and, like past installments, this perspective functions beautifully. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Just break an infected individual’s face instead. The shooting mechanics have been revamped, and they work wonderfully here. You’ll have access to multiple variations of shotguns, machine guns, pistols, and rifles. Responsive, satisfying, and fast, the gunplay is a blast *looks to Leon for pun approval*.

Adding another element to the mix is the hatchet. Gone are the days of destructible knives. Leon’s hatchet is a tool of terror that feels like a cheat code. Not only can it be sharpened ad infinitum, but its sheer power in regular strikes and finishing blows feels like adding an air strike capability to a gunship already equipped with twin chain guns. And if that wasn’t enough, there is also a hand cannon called…Requiem. It feels insufficient to simply call it a weapon. This death-bringer leaves an otherworldly level of damage in its wake. Forget bringing the house down. One shot from this thing will level an entire city block. In case it wasn’t clear, playing as Leon is as fun as ever. And yes, his bone dry comedy routine is still a roaring crowd-pleaser. 

The back-and-forth style between the characters feels right given the stark differences described above. White-knuckling it as Grace makes Leon’s let-loose, clean house approach feel freeing. Hopping back into the saddle as Grace after racking up a body count as Leon makes her time that much more frightening. The two play well off each other in terms of chemistry and the gameplay itself. 

Minor Flaws

There are some really fun boss battles. While I wish there were more, the variety in both creature design and fight format mostly make up for the lower volume. Leon has gone toe-to-toe with a host of memorable villains over the course of four games (not counting the remakes) and there are a few here that certainly classify as worthy opponents. 

One of the things that keeps this awesome game from breaking into amazing territory is the length, especially when it comes to Leon’s time. I felt like I was wringing every last drop out of his sections, and it still wasn’t enough. Another negative is the climax does fall short narratively and gameplay wise. The final boss doesn’t live up to the precedent set by his scene-stealing appearances up to that point. It is a somewhat rushed battle that ends before it really gets cooking. The story’s conclusion goes out with a whimper that left this reviewer wondering if that was really it. While far from a total disappointment, it does sour the final product enough to it remove it from the best of the franchise conversation. 

Worth Playing. And Replaying.

I took my time exploring every corner of every map to savor every ounce of enjoyment to be had. On the hardest difficulty available from the outset, Standard- Classic, I clocked in at just under 13 hours and obtained 41 of the 50 trophies. There’s definitely replay value as a plethora of unlockables await. 

Resident Evil Requiem is another pulse-pounding, action-packed entry from Capcom that further cements them at the head of the survival horror hierarchy. While it isn’t the best installment in the series, it is still an unequivocal reminder that the franchise remains at the top of the food chain.

PG Score: 8.5/10 

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P.S.

Here are my rankings for the Resident Evil games I’ve played:

1. Resident Evil 4 remake

2. Resident Evil 4

3. Resident Evil 2 remake

4. Resident Evil Village

5. Resident Evil Requiem

6. Resident Evil 5

7. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

8. Resident Evil 3 remake

9. Resident Evil 6