Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Review. As Leon opens the doors to the dilapidated Raccoon Police Department, I felt inclined to pause in my tracks and reflect. Like our hero, I’ve become so acquainted with its corridors, majestic front hall, its incongruous mix of lavish furnishings and cluttered police desks over the years that I couldn’t help but get a small lump in my throat. I was 13 when I first explored the RPD in 1998, and coming back after all these years now at 41 was definitely an emotional thrill. Quite how it’s still standing after 1999’s Resident Evil 3: Nemesis clearly depicted the entire city being reduced to rubble didn’t matter; who thought that in 2026 we’d ever return to where it all began for the one-time rookie cop?
It’s fitting that Requiem spotlights such an iconic setting – however briefly – as the series celebrates its 30th anniversary, and short of coming back to the Spencer Mansion, there’s no better place. Crucially, the game’s mix of action and horror is a far more focussed effort than the messy, unfocussed slog that was Resident Evil 6. It also helps that Grace is a brilliant newcomer and Leon being a character we’ve followed for years, as opposed to Ethan Winters – a character Capcom couldn’t even be bothered to give a face. The end result is unequivocally the best all-new Resident Evil game in 20 years.
Resident Evil Requiem PS5 Review – Welcome Back To The World Of Survival Horror…Good Luck!
Grace Under Pressure
Right off the bat we’re introduced to newcomer Grace Ashcroft, the daughter of Resident Evil Outbreak journalist Alyssa, who is an FBI agent investigating a series of mysterious deaths – one of which transpired in the same place her mother was brutally murdered years before. Leon, meanwhile, is looking into ex-Umbrellas scientist Victor Gideon and a plague that appears to have befallen survivors of Raccoon City’s T-Virus outbreak of 1998. Soon after investigating the burned husk of Wrenwood Hotel, Leon and Grace’s stories collide and the game really kicks off.
Capcom wasn’t mucking about when they said Grace and Leon represent the best of classic survival horror and the more action-oriented aspects of the series, respectively. Grace – who, I might add, absolutely shines in this game thanks to some brilliant voice acting – is inexperienced, and completely unprepared for the horrors that wait her.
Her panicked breath, teetering aim, and horrified gasps are a reminder of this, and really grounds the character and help shape her into a believable protagonist. Both characters get more or less equal time in the limelight, and there’s one major area that both Grace and Leon get to explore for an extended amount of time between more frequent switch-ups
The best part is that it doesn’t feel jarring. Grace and Leon’s mechanics feel natural in terms of how they plan based on their character; Leon, obviously, has been battling bio-weapons since he was 21, and he’s now in his early 50s. A zombie isn’t going to make him soil his underwear.
Grace relies more on stealth and inventory management, as she isn’t well-armed (only a pistol and the Requiem, passed to her by Leon early on, for emergencies) and thus fighting isn’t always best option. Sometimes she’s stalked by the now-infamous ‘Big Mama,’ a hulking female mutant capable of crashing through ceilings, or the lumbering Chunk, who blocks corridors with its sheer bulk and appears more than a little pissed off at you.
Day of the Dead
Paramount to Grace’s survival is a new crafting system using infected blood (gathered by using a blood collector) and combining it with scrap and other key items. More crafting options can be unlocked by accessing a computer terminal and solving a rudimentary DNA link puzzle using a blood diagnosis. As well as health, ammo, steroids, stabalisers, you can also craft Hemolyptic injectors, which not only stop corpses from rising as fearsome Blister Heads, but can be used to stealth-kill zombies by making them swell and explode in a sea of crimson chunks.
Speaking of zombies, Resident Evil Requiem’s rotting flesh-munchers are a real standout. They’re tough to put down even with headshots, and in numbers are deadly. Not only that, but they retain some of their memories as a human, rambling to themselves as they go about their business; preparing food in the kitchen, turning off lights, cleaning bathrooms, and a few that utter a haunting melody before shrieking in your face.
Zombies were always tragic figures, but Requiem gives them a personality they never had before and ensures they don’t get tiresome; there’s so many unique models that they feel like actual infected people, not just a fleshy sacks to put down with a well-placed headshot.
These lumbering foes are more than just a road block from A to B. There’s a welcome layer of strategy at the beating heart of encounters, which interweaves seamlessly with your limited supplies and crafting. Do you spend the ammo to drop your lumbering foe to secure safe passage, at the risk of them rising later? That Hemolyptic would be handy right now, but should I save it for something nastier? Or if you’re low on infected blood, do you pump some rounds into a few zombies to spill some claret to nab for crafting, or save the bullets? To say that these decision matter is no exaggeration: Requiem gives you the freedom to experiment, making its basic gameplay loop that much more compelling.
I’m No Rookie
I was impressed with how Leon’s sections played out, it’s easy to assume you’ll just be nonchalantly mowing down enemies like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando. That’s not the case, as you are still governed the series’ intrinsic resource management; rather, Leon’s gameplay is defined by his unique skillset and how you apply them, as the increased amount of infected monstrosities means you can be overwhelmed easily.
Crucially, I never felt overpowered while in Leon’s boots despite his arsenal swelling to include rifles, shotguns, grenades and more. Requiem strikes a fine balance between feeling comfortable but cautious, and more than a few occasions I found myself running low on ammo and ended up swarmed by hungry undead mobs and more beyond. Yes, Leon can kick zombies in the face, shove a shotgun in their mouths and blow their noggin’ to bits, and execute bloody finishers with his hatchet, but he’ll still succumb to an undead love bite or clawed appendage if you’re careless. This is a tough game, and enemies will give you a few headaches.
Leon’s hatchet acts as a handy tool for mixing things up in close quarters, and is great at parrying attacks and softening up lone zombies. You also have to keep sharpening it, or you can’t use it in a pinch. Grace gets creative with molotov cocktails and bottle of acid, adding another welcome string to her bow when it comes to adapting to new threats.
There’s a clear distinction between how each character works, too, as nothing is really shared between them. Hell, even Grace and Leon’s health monitors differ. Antique Coins used to unlock buffs for the FBI agent’s health and firepower are dismissed by Leon if you happen find any lying around as you retrace her steps. On the flip side, our veteran B.O.W. butt-kicker can later upgrade his guns with various attachments governed by a point system from kills, thus incentivising your zombie-slaying efforts. Despite the emphatic shift to more trigger-happy antics while in Leon’s boots, Requiem still knows when to pull on the reins and allow time for atmosphere to bleed from the game’s stunningly-created environments.
Parts of Raccoon City for example are deathly quiet, allowing a sense of dread and even reflection to seep through Requiem’s pores; just when you think you’ve settled into a routine, the game knows when to mix things up and give you time to breathe.
Pleasingly, that quintessential Resident Evil moment of reaching a save room, rummaging around in an item box and taking time to plan your next move is a welcome respite from tension. It’s more pronounced with Grace (Leon eschews item boxes for example as his inventory is much larger), but those moments are palpable and go a long way to balance out the core gameplay loop.
A Thrilling Blend of Horror And Action
Locations like Rhodes Hill are a thrilling, atmospheric callback to classic Resident Evil. Its sprawling, lavishly-detailed halls, offices, and patient rooms recall the grandiose nature of the Spencer Mansion and RPD; encounters with its blood-thirsty residents are punctuated by well-design puzzles that have you exploring multiple floors and halls, with plenty of opportunity to hunt for hidden supplies. Even Leon has time to delve into some conundrums of his own while roundhouse kicking flesh-hungry zombies in the face, and before anything remotely outstays its welcome, the game drops a new enemy, cinematic boss fight or fresh plot thread to give you a thorough kick up the arse. Requiem’s pacing is easily up there with the very best of the series to date.
Oh, and speaking of blood-hungry foes, don’t worry, you’ll be facing more than just the walking dead. Capcom doesn’t want reviewers to talk much about other enemies, but fans will be chuffed with what’s on offer – believe me.
Rarely does Requiem falter. There’s a couple of brief segments with Leon during the latter part of the game that feels glaringly at odds with everything up to that point, making for a frustrating set piece. Barring some easy boss fights and a couple of controversial narrative choices (which, after the madness that was RE Village, seem tame in comparison), Capcom’s latest blood bath barely stumbles.
The ability to select third or first-person view is a welcome inclusion, and the latter I found is quite complementary to Grace’s portions of the game.
Despite being used since 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the RE Engine isn’t showing any major wrinkles. Requiem is a stunning looking achievement even on a base PS5, running without any noticeable frame rate drops while flexing some ample graphical muscle. Zombies are grotesquely detailed right down to gaping wounds and a hint of sadness in their ashen faces; stunning lighting effects illuminate sumptuously rendered environments caked in blood and grime; and Leon’s boyish optimism is now buried under a weary scowl that still has room for a cheeky grin.
The striking fear displayed on Grace’s youthful features as she faces death in the face is utterly chilling; she also has some of the best hair in a video game I’ve ever seen!
Resident Evil Requiem is a triumphant celebration of 30 years of the survival horror series that seamlessly marries two distinct design philosophies that complement each other superbly, offering equal measures of chills and thrills across its 11+ hour campaign. It’s brimming with pulse-pounding moments of sheer terror and gleeful action, and its compelling and rewarding gameplay loop – combined with a gripping narrative that does fan service right – ensures that Resident Evil Requiem is one of the best horror games of the generation, and one of the series’ finest moments.
Resident Evil Requiem is due out on PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S on February 27, 2026.
Review code kindly provided by publisher.