With the release of Resident Evil VII Biohazard, the popular series by CAPCOM made most fans forget about some of the blunders of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 generation, providing players with a proper survival horror experience closer to the first entries in the series than the co-op action-focused experiences of the fifth and sixth entries in the series. Consolidating this renewed popularity with some amazing remakes like the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 remakes, the Japanese publisher continued Ethan Winters' story with Resident Evil Village, which was possibly even better received than its predecessor, despite a rather unusual setting for the franchise. After a wait that felt longer than it actually was, the survival horror series is about to return to PC and consoles with Resident Evil Requiem, a game that promises to deliver everything that fans love about the franchise and then some.
During this year's edition of Gamescom, I had the chance to briefly try out Resident Evil Requiem with a timed demo that, while somewhat limited in scope, did an excellent job showcasing its survival horror mechanics and how technological advancements will enhance a fairly classic experience. Set in the Rhodes Hill Chronic Center, the demo began after choosing between first-person and third-person camera with main character Grace Ashcroft as she attempts to leave a clinic that has turned into a nightmare. After releasing her from her bonds, I explored a tiny part of the clinic where I had to collect a variety of items, including the trademark herbs, and complete some rather straightforward puzzles, such as moving furniture around so that Grace could access items not obtainable otherwise. This classic setup was made tense and scary by the presence of a monstrous stalker enemy with extreme sensitivity to light, which I couldn't fight, but only try to stay ahead.
Right from the monster's first appearance, it's clear that Resident Evil Requiem is not holding anything back regarding visuals and audio. After escaping from this stalker the first time by luring it inside a room with the lights turned on, I had to navigate the small portion of the clinic more carefully while keeping an eye, and an ear, to the monster, and taking advantage of both light and darkness to sneak past unnoticed. With the excellent audio production, I really felt the monster's hulking steps, and staying hidden behind a dark corner waiting for it to pass was an incredibly tense and immersive experience. Every time I failed to stay hidden, the tension ramped up considerably, not only thanks to the aforementioned excellent audio production, but also thanks to the incredible animation work done for both the monster and Grace, who starts stumbling during frantic escapes. The very graphic and gruesome death scene, needless to say, was very unsettling to experience, even in a fully lit room with the familiar Gamescom buzzing creeping in even with headphones on and with the third-person camera, a testament to the excellent work CAPCOM is doing with the game.
Although the Resident Evil Requiem Gamescom demo was very limited in scope, featuring no combat, it did an excellent job showing how the ninth entry in the series is going to take everything that made past entries in the series great and turn everything up to eleven. Having been a fan of the franchise since the very first game, I really cannot wait to experience more about a game that promises to be one of the best survival horror games ever released when it launches on February 27, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
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