With its two protagonists, Resident Evil Requiem appeals to fans of both action and survival horror. At the same time, it represents the culmination of what has defined the franchise over the past few decades.
March 2026 will mark the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil, Capcom's most successful series. To celebrate this milestone, the ninth instalment of the core series - following 2021's Resident Evil Village - is scheduled for release at the end of February. This time, the publisher is focusing on both new and familiar elements, with two main characters (a new face and a familiar character) each bringing their own playing style.
Thirty years after the deployment of the sterilisation rocket intended to destroy Raccoon City and contain the T-virus outbreak, Resident Evil Requiem follows the series' new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft (daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil: Outbreak), as she takes on a new case. The young FBI analyst must return to Raccoon City and confront her tragic past. This is the first visit to the destroyed city since Resident Evil 3. Grace is an introverted and skittish intelligence analyst, representing a new character type in the series. She experiences the horror from the same perspective as the players and learns to overcome her fears as the story progresses. Although she is shy, Grace is experienced in handling firearms and remains calm under pressure, coming up with rational solutions. In Requiem, she is being pursued by a monster, so she must hide from or distract her enemies. However, Capcom emphasises that psychological horror lies at the heart of the gameplay, combined with pulse-pounding action in eerie locations. Players can experience the horror up close with intense first-person gameplay or from an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective, as in the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes. However, this time it is possible to switch views at any time.
Another new feature is that, although the zombies have lost their minds, some of them appear to be fixated on activities from their previous lives. There's a chef who is obsessed with cooking, a singer who keeps singing and a cleaner who endlessly polishes mirrors. This behaviour can be exploited to outsmart them.
Resident Evil Requiem © Capcom
Alongside Grace Ashcroft, Leon Kennedy is the second protagonist in Resident Evil Requiem who excels in both close combat and firearms. During his investigation into suspicious deaths, he can use a variety of weapons and perform close combat techniques with the new axe. He can also fend off or counter enemies at the right moment, fighting to turn the tables and deliver a finishing move. Unlike Grace, Leon seeks direct confrontation, favouring a more action-oriented approach, whereas Grace's approach is more cautious and deliberate. The two protagonists therefore bring different play styles to the game, which alternates between the two characters throughout the story in a manner similar to Resident Evil: Revelations (2012).
In recent years, the Resident Evil franchise has oscillated between survival horror and action, sometimes leaning more towards one than the other. With Requiem, Capcom is attempting to incorporate elements of both genres, which is a very clever approach given that it is being done through the lens of two characters. Players can also choose from several difficulty levels ranging from horror to action. 'Casual' offers aim assistance and more generous health and enemy stamina. 'Standard Classic' increases the tension and requires ink ribbons for each save point when playing as Grace. This requires not only resource management strategy, but also a strategy for saving.
Resident Evil Requiem is powered by the proprietary RE Engine. Capcom aims to achieve an 'unprecedented level of realism', incorporating lifelike facial expressions, realistic skin textures, natural hair movement and high-fidelity sweat beads. The PC version of the game will also support Nvidia DLSS 4 and offer path tracing, providing physically accurate shadows, reflections and global illumination.
Resident Evil Requiem will be available in Standard and Deluxe editions. As well as the game itself, the Deluxe Edition includes several digital extras: five costumes (including Grace's Dimitrescu costume), two filters, four weapon skins, two charms, the classic Raccoon City audio pack, and files: letters from 1998. Additionally, the Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Gold Edition and the Resident Evil Village Gold Edition for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be released alongside Requiem. A Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller inspired by Requiem is also planned, as is the first Resident Evil amiibo featuring Grace.
Resident Evil Requiem will be released on 27 February 2026, for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GeForce Now), PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.
Resident Evil Requiem promises an intense, unmissable survival-horror and action-packed experience as the series returns to Raccoon City. It brings together all the elements that have shaped Resident Evil over the last 20 years.
