Capcom has spent the last decade rebuilding the Resident Evil Requiem formula.
First came the terrifying reinvention of Resident Evil 7. Then the studio proved it could modernize action horror again with the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Now comes Resident Evil Requiem, released on February 27, 2026.
And strangely enough, it feels like both games at once.
Requiem doesn’t try to choose between slow psychological horror and explosive action. Instead, it splits the experience directly down the middle. Every few hours the tone changes. The camera changes. Even the pacing shifts.
One moment you are creeping through dark hospital corridors with a flashlight and barely enough ammunition.
The next moment you are Leon S. Kennedy, kicking infected enemies across the room like an action movie star.
It’s a strange structure on paper.
In practice, it works surprisingly well.
Key Points at a Glance
- Release Date: February 27, 2026
- Engine: RE Engine
- Playable Characters: Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft
- Perspective Shift: First-person horror and third-person action
- Main Threat: The Elpis virus strain
- Setting: Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center and surrounding ruins
The game constantly flips between fear and power.
That contrast becomes the foundation of the entire experience.
Two Characters, Two Completely Different Games
The most striking design choice in Resident Evil Requiem is its dual-protagonist system.
The story alternates between Leon and a newcomer named Grace Ashcroft.
The difference between their gameplay styles is dramatic.
Grace’s chapters lean heavily into survival horror. Leon’s segments feel more like high-energy combat scenarios.
Together they create a rhythm that keeps the campaign from ever feeling predictable.
Grace Ashcroft: Pure Survival Horror
Grace Ashcroft enters the story as an FBI analyst.
She is also the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a character long-time fans may remember from Resident Evil Outbreak.
Grace is not built for combat.
She panics under pressure. Her aim shakes during firefights. When enemies get close, survival often depends on hiding rather than fighting.
Her sections take place mainly inside the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, an abandoned medical facility that slowly reveals the story behind the new virus outbreak.
The game presents these segments in first-person perspective, which instantly makes the experience more intimate and uncomfortable.
One mechanic stands out.
Grace can collect virus samples and use a syringe to convert them into ammunition through a process called Blood Siphoning.
It feels experimental at first. Later it becomes essential.
Without that mechanic, ammunition would be far too scarce.
Leon S. Kennedy: The Return of Action Horror
Then the game hands you control of Leon.
The tone changes immediately.
Leon is older now, pushing fifty, but the character still moves like a trained operative. His chapters return to the third-person camera style used in recent Resident Evil remakes.
Combat becomes aggressive again.
Leon can parry attacks using a hatchet, perform powerful melee strikes, and clear rooms far more efficiently than Grace ever could.
One moment in particular stands out.
A high-speed motorcycle sequence throws Leon through collapsing city streets while infected creatures swarm the road ahead.
It is loud, chaotic, and undeniably fun.
The contrast between Leon and Grace keeps the story moving.
Just when tension becomes overwhelming, the game shifts gears.
The Elpis Virus Creates a Different Kind of Enemy
Resident Evil has never struggled to invent strange viruses.
The new Elpis strain might be one of the series’ most unsettling ideas.
Unlike traditional zombies, infected victims here appear to retain fragments of their former memories.
Sometimes that behavior feels almost human.
Until it doesn’t.
One enemy type known as The Butcher stalks the player while muttering about ingredients and recipes. Another moment might reveal infected individuals slowly wiping windows with bloody cloths.
For a few seconds they appear harmless.
Then they notice you.
The illusion disappears instantly.
Those quiet behavioral details create some of the game’s most disturbing moments.
The Alyssa Ashcroft Connection
Resident Evil fans who followed the series closely may recognize Grace’s last name.
Her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, appeared in the cooperative survival game Resident Evil Outbreak back in the early 2000s.
Requiem quietly brings that storyline back into the spotlight.
Grace’s survival mechanics feel like a modern evolution of the resource-management ideas that defined Outbreak. Players must scavenge carefully, craft supplies, and avoid unnecessary fights.
It’s a subtle callback, but longtime fans will notice it.
Performance and Visual Quality
Technically, Resident Evil Requiem continues Capcom’s impressive run with the RE Engine.
Lighting inside dark interiors looks especially convincing. Shadows move naturally across walls and narrow corridors, adding to the tension.
The PlayStation 5 Pro version currently delivers the most stable console performance. With PSSR upscaling enabled, the game maintains smooth 60-frame gameplay while ray tracing remains active.
The standard PS5 version still looks excellent, though the ray tracing mode occasionally introduces visual noise during darker scenes.
One surprising omission at launch is Mercenaries Mode, which has appeared in several recent Resident Evil releases.
Capcom may add it later through an update.
Frequently Asked Questions about Resident Evil Requiem
Does Resident Evil Requiem continue the story after Resident Evil Village?
Yes. Resident Evil Requiem acts as the ninth mainline entry in the series and takes place after the events of Resident Evil Village, though it introduces a new storyline and characters.
Who is Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem?
Grace Ashcroft works as an FBI analyst and is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a character fans first met in Resident Evil Outbreak. In Requiem, she shares the main protagonist role alongside Leon S. Kennedy.
How do you defeat The Butcher in Resident Evil Requiem?
The Butcher is designed as a stalking enemy. The safest strategy involves avoiding direct confrontation when possible, using environmental obstacles and stealth to escape.
Final Thoughts on Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem could have played it safe.
Instead, Capcom decided to build a horror game with two completely different personalities.
Grace Ashcroft delivers the slow, nerve-racking survival horror the series once thrived on. Leon S. Kennedy provides the explosive action that modern fans enjoy.
Separately those ideas might feel familiar.
Together they create something unexpected.
A Resident Evil game that shifts between terror and empowerment every few hours.
And somehow makes both styles feel right at home.
Stay tuned to Baskin Gamer as we bring you the latest updates on game news, releases, and more
