Resident Evil Requiem hands-on preview: Shaping up to be something special
Third-person plays second fiddle to first-person.
Marking 30 years since the iconic survival horror franchise graced consoles, Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to be something terrifying and beautiful - taking the series into its future with an almost greatest hits feel to the mix of its sauce this time around.
In the time we had with the latest slice, there were definitely some cracks to be seen, but overall it feels like easily the scariest the series has ever been - blending the fresh fears from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and its first-person perspective with the daunting cat and mouse chase from Mr X in Resident Evil 2 and Nemesis in Resident Evil 3 respectively in the recent remakes.
The most interesting aspect right off the bat is how big a role light plays, at least in this section of Requiem.
Not only does it give the upgraded RE Engine room to flex its muscles and show some gorgeous detail in how light scatters and dissipates across your surroundings, but it also acts now as a tactical element to consider.
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The demo kicked off with Grace awakening, hung upside down, blood draining from her arm, before you explore the disorientating space around you - scrambling for an exit in a hospital that feels similar to the RCPD station we know so well; the tension feels palpable, before we’ve been shown anything.
If you’re familiar with 7 and Village, the UI and basic elements are familiar, tasking you to find keys and fuses to slowly peel open the environment, until some bouncing from A to B threw a corpse at me after opening an unassuming door - genuinely forcing a gasp and raised pulse on my end.
The sound of a hulking creature filled the room as a huge hand claws the corpse away and takes its head for a morning snack - and there it is, our big bad who will no doubt be relentless in her pursuit of Grace.
Akin to Lisa Trevor on 'roids, Requiem forces you to scramble to safety in tight spaces, bumping into walls and clamouring under tables until you realise light is both your giveaway and - providing the source is bright enough - your saviour.
As I treated escape like a puzzle, seeing the creature lurking around corners or hearing it in the ceiling, I tried to use my starting point as a safe haven to run back to if things got too close for comfort.
This solution didn’t last long, though, as the room light eventually went out thanks to an impromptu crack of thunder that conveniently also gave my position away.
In just this small slice, it feels like there’s lots to say and unpick, but wanting to avoid a blow-by-blow, it’s easier to say that it feels like Capcom has really put the hard yards into making each element count and raise pulses - from how light plays its part to sound and movement.
While a first-person experience, Requiem can also be played in third-person - something you can choose to flip between at will. This was the element that felt most at odds with my time, however, as while it does look great and will no doubt be a solid option for purists who adore the originals and the modernised remakes, something about it feels a little less polished than those entries.
That's not to say that I think it’s an afterthought per se, as there are lush custom animations of Grace stumbling after long runs and dragging along walls as she races on, but first-person at the very least is the more optimal or suggested way to experience Requiem.
With mounting suspicions of a second playable character eventually being revealed - perhaps a more well-known series vet - there’s also a world in which third-person mode is better suited and more fleshed out for them.
Whatever the case, Resident Evil Requiem is certainly shaping up to be something special and a worthy bookend of the last few decades - we can’t wait to play more.
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