With the release of the latest game in the long-running series, Resident Evil Requiem has been published to immense success. The zombie game, made by the Japanese company Capcom, has broken records and is presently the biggest launch in the series to date.
In the game, the player will transition between two characters, Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy, as they battle through multiple locations. Grace is a young FBI agent who is sent to investigate a series of mysterious deaths among the survivors of Raccoon City, the setting of the previous games. After she is kidnapped by Victor Gideon, Requiem’s main antagonist, she is forced to fight her way out of a chronic care center that is filled with all manner of zombie mutants. Fortunately for Grace, Leon arrives to help get her escape and save her from the dangers that are after her.
Requiem is a horror, survival, and action game that allows players to switch between first- and third-person perspectives. The game blends survival-horror with elaborate action scenes, depending on which character is playable. Grace’s section centers on creepy and horrific moments, while Leon’s parts involve roundhouse-kicking zombies and engaging in epic motorcycle chases. The game aimed to please both the series’ survival horror fans and action-horror fanatics, and according to the latest reviews, it succeeded in splicing the two together.
Reviews are generally very positive, with many people praising Requiem on YouTube and in online forums, with one person saying, “This is Capcom doing a full victory lap.” A review by PC Gamer remarked:
“Resident Evil Requiem somehow manages to provide excellent action set pieces accompanied by great weapon handling, some truly horrendous horror, and satiates my love of classic Resident Evil puzzles. All within 10 hours.”
However, some people consider the game too violent, even with an M for mature rating. Some on Reddit discuss the violence, stating:
“Resident Evil was never family-friendly – Requiem is easily the most violent and visceral game in the series, now surpassing 7 in that regard. Gore and violence is everywhere with 0 subtlety, unlike some RE games, and extremely graphic, with blood mixing featured as a prime gameplay element. This is also tonally one of the grimmest RE games, and there isn’t much to make people laugh to offset the brutality – I think this is a game that would very much traumatize even squeamish young adults.”
Meanwhile, others argue that the game is clearly rated on the box, that it is up to the individual to decide whether to buy a game, and that “obviously parents should not let their children play or watch adult-rated content.” Additionally, they state that it is not a company’s “job to raise your children.”
Overall, the game is doing well and is generally loved by both series fans and casual video game enthusiasts. Capcom clearly put a great deal of time and effort into crafting the best game they could and building off of everything that has come before. And as someone who has personally played the game, I can confirm it is a lot of fun!