Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Preview. My hands-on with Capcom’s upcoming Resident Evil Requiem left me with more questions than answers. Why is Grace trapped in this bloodstained hospital? Who, or what, is that monstrous hag-like foe stalking her? What virus is doing the rounds? And more importantly, where’s Barry? (Sorry, couldn’t resist). Still, that’s besides the point: Resident Evil Requiem, in the short time I was able to sample it, is clearly going all-out at attempting to ensure players need to keep a fresh pair of undies at their side, evoking what is easily the creepiest atmosphere the franchise has seen to date. Yes, this game is genuinely scary.
Resident Evil Requiem Hands-On PS5 Preview – Grace Under Pressure
Grace awakens in a hospital tied to a gurney upside down, understandably freaked out and at a loss for what’s going on. After calming herself, she cuts her bonds using a shard of glass obtained from the equipment she’s hooked up to, and sets out exploring the building. It’s here that I gained control of Grace – who, in case you missed it, is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft of Resident Evil Outbreak fame – and made my way down some dimly-lit corridors. I plumped for first-person to begin with, which really ramps up the immersion factor as you soak up the gorgeous visuals and shadow effects.
Capcom has absolutely nailed the atmosphere here. The hospital corridors are accompanied by the boom and flash of thunder and lighting outside; Grace’s breathing is panicked and erratic; and something unseen punctuates the silence with an ear-piercing crash that really makes you think twice about taking another step. It’s utterly brilliant stuff.
The core gameplay loop here is quintessential Resident Evil. There’s exploration, looking in every nook and cranny for valuable items and hints, doors to unlock, and rudimentary puzzles to solve. In this case, the main objective was to grab a fuse to open a nearby gate, leading us (hopefully) to sanctuary.
Getting this item is easier said than done, though. After nabbing a lighter to help me navigate better (and soaking up some jaw-dropping lighting effects), Grace stumbles across a corpse and its killer; a grotesque, hag-like creature with elongated limbs and an appetite for human flesh. Much like Mr. X or Nemesis, this creature stalks us through the halls but curiously is not able to enter our starting room due to the lighting, and quickly retreats after sustaining burns.
What’s interesting here is that I noticed some of the hag’s screeches are the exact same voice effects as Lisa Trevor from Resident Evil Remake. Intentional or simply a case of reusing previous assets? Colour me interested.
The inventory and general control system mimics Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, with a quick button in R1 for healing (yes, herbs are back) and crouching with the analogue stick.
While you can’t kill the marauding mutant, you can distract it with empty bottles or by hiding in corners. There’s some particularly tense encounters where you have to do your best to keep quiet or distract you adversary so you can nab a key item; slip up, and you’re as good as dead. It’s heart-stopping stuff, and makes encounters with this hulking hag far more nerve-wracking than Mr. X or Lady Dimitrescu.
One I nabbed a screwdriver from the area that the hag was guarding, I made a beeline for a nearby room where the fuse was screwed in place to the wall. So, a perfunctory riddle for lack of better term, but necessary for progress. No sooner was the fuse in our hands did the Hag break through the ceiling, so we legged it to the door, inserted the fuse, and the demo ended.
Once I dusted off my first attempt, I played again in third-person perspective. This is more than just a surface-level viewpoint change; the third-person has bespoke animations, such as Grace stumbling while running from her foe in a desperate attempt to find sanctuary. The animations are smooth and look fantastic, and also work to give Grace more character; she’s not a skilled S.T.A.R.S operative after all, she’s a frightened young woman way out of her depth. The fact Capcom has given us a choice between both perspectives from the get-go is a great addition.
Yes, the demo was short; horribly short, in fact, but even this small slice of RE9 was enough to convince me that Capcom’s upcoming survival horror is shaping up to be thrilling celebration of 30 years of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.
Resident Evil Requiem is out on February 27, 2026 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.