Best of both worlds
By Ameer Ammar
Leon and Grace are the two main protagonists, and this is far more impactful than one being a re-skin of the other. Gameplay-wise, these two characters feel like they come from two entirely different games, and the runtime is split almost exactly 50/50 between the two and it is exceptionally well paced.
Grace's sections are that classic beloved survival horror RE gameplay: gathering items, unlocking doors, managing your inventory, and making sure every single bullet counts as they are in very short supply. You'll spend more time running from enemies than actually engaging in combat as Grace, it's that RE2/RE7 core gameplay loop, especially the RE2R comparison here, as the level design feels very familiar to that game. You constantly gather items, unlock shortcuts, and figure out how to open the next door. In terms of actual horror, Grace's sections are genuinely terrifying. I don't get scared often anymore at horror games, but this is the most I've been scared by a video game since I first experienced RE7. There were many points where my heart dropped, which is something that I didn't get with any of the RE games that came out after RE7, especially during sections where you are being stalked by an unkillable enemy. Zombies retain some of their human characteristics, making them not only more terrifying as they can speak, but they also wield weapons, and some of them can be distracted by manipulating their human side. One flaw I had with these sections is the strange lack of puzzles, there are only a handful of simple puzzles here, which is an odd omission considering how important puzzles are to classic RE's formula. Aside from that, Grace's sections are a fantastic evolution of RE2/RE7 survival horror formula.
Leon's sections, meanwhile, are pure action. Leon plays almost exactly like he did in RE4 Remake, but now there is more weight to his actions. He hits much harder, especially when doing environmental finishers or if you get close up to an enemy, he will do a proper finisher that changes depending on what type of weapon you're using. Leon also comes equipped with some new moves, such as being able to throw or swing enemies' own dropped weapons from the ground. The Tomahawk replaces the knife from RE4R for parries and finishers, and it doesn't break, instead, you will have to sharpen the axe mid-combat from time to time. Leon's sections are expertly designed and feel perfect for his character, with some surprises in truly unique gameplay sections and awesome boss fights that I don't think anyone is expecting. Overall, I wouldn't call Leon's gameplay innovative. It feels like Capcom saw that everyone adored RE4R and decided to give players more of what made that game so good, and I have no complaints about that personally, as it was overall my favorite parts of the game, with some genuinely insane setpieces that rival even RE4's coolest moments and, personally, maybe my favorite set piece in the franchise.
Things as basic as the inventory system, health, finishers, and more are drastically different between the two protagonists, which makes this the least repetitive RE game I've played, as swapping between the two styles feels like you just swapped to a different game entirely. Fans of one style over another may take issue with this, but personally, as a huge fan of both the scarier RE games and the more action-focused style of RE4, the contrast worked perfectly for me.
Resident Evil Requiem is the first RE game that is built from the ground up to support both first-person and third-person perspectives. Capcom recommends sticking with a first-person view for Grace and third-person for Leon. I highly recommend sticking with that for the first playthrough as the game is far scarier in first person overall, not being able to see what is behind you or peek around corners adds another layer to the horror. I was quite disappointed by Leon's first-person mode as it simply doesn't feel good to play, because for Leon, melee finishers all take you out of the first-person view, resulting in constant shifting of perspective that feels incredibly awkward to play. Grace gets unique animations in third person, such as stumbling during certain sections, so it feels a lot more well-developed in comparison to Leon's alternate view. As a result, it definitely feels like first person was more of an afterthought for Leon's sections. I highly recommend replaying to experience the game in both perspectives as Grace, as it feels like a new experience to go back in either first person or third person.
I think there will be a strong argument for RE9 having the best story of any of the Resident Evil games, as the character writing here is just incredible, and the actors especially do an amazing job. Angela Sant'Albano as Grace is a major highlight, as her constant stutters and inability to form words, being on the verge of actual tears from how afraid she is, give a feeling of realism that hasn't been there with any of the previous RE protagonists. Grace is the closest to how a real person would act in an RE situation as it gets. Nick Apostolides once again kills it as Leon Kennedy with awesome one-liners that are sure to be as iconic as the rest of his work across RE2R and RE4R.
FINAL VERDICT
Resident Evil Requiem brings together the series' iconic survival horror gameplay and combines it with the legendary fast-paced action gameplay of RE4, with one of the best-written stories of the series. My only real flaw is its length, but due to the replayable nature of Resident Evil games and the numerous achievements and challenge runs on offer here, as well as their rewards, that stops being a major issue.
RESIDENT EVIL REQUIEM - 9/10 - MUST-PLAY
Special thanks to Capcom for providing an early review copy