Resident Evil Requiem preview: anything but a masterpiece would be surprising

Domagoj Belancic

26/1/2026

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Support: Cassie Mammone

I’ve already played the most anticipated horror game of 2026. And after three hours with Resident Evil Requiem, I’m convinced Capcom has a masterpiece on its hands.

I extensively explored the new Resident Evil at a Capcom preview event. In the ninth instalment of this iconic survival horror series, you jump between playing two characters: FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and legendary daredevil Leon S. Kennedy, the hero of Resident Evil 4, among others.

Fellow editor and horror expert Cassie grilled me after my visit. This much in advance: I’m already certain Capcom’s succeeded in creating another horror masterpiece with Resident Evil Requiem.

Cassie: First things first, how did you like the preview?

Domagoj: I loved it! My three-hour preview slot with the demo flew by. And this despite the fact I had to sit on an incredibly uncomfortable chair. My left butt cheek regularly fell asleep. But managing to forget everything around me even under such adverse circumstances and fully achieving flow state is a great sign.

What did you see and play in the demo?

The new sneak peek picks up where last year’s Gamescom demo left off. FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft has been kidnapped and needs to escape from a creepy sanatorium. But Leon S. Kennedy’s stuck in the same place, with a nasty black bite mark on his neck. I don’t know exactly what happened plot-wise due to the short story snippets. However, it appears that both have been kidnapped or lured here by the new villain, Doctor Gideon.

In the demo, I first played as Leon, then Grace and finally Leon again. This back and forth will play an important role in the final release. The developers describe the game experience as a fast-paced rollercoaster ride that’ll take you through extremely varied situations.

Now that I've finished the demo, I get what they mean. Grace and Leon feel completely different to play.

Can these two playstyles be compared to previous Resident Evil games?

Absolutely. Grace’s section offers up that classic Resident Evil feeling. The controls are deliberately slow, Grace moves at a snail’s pace. Lots of survival horror and tough puzzles, with little action or ammunition. Spotting a zombie in a corridor, I think three times about whether I should waste valuable ammunition or whether I’d rather sneak around it to get to my target.

Leon, on the other hand, is a frickin’ action hero with balls of steel! He’s already killed so many zombies and other monsters in his career that he can only manage a weary smile for the undead plaguing the facility. Compared to Grace, his controls are much quicker – Leon is athletic and strong. He also comes armed with a shotgun, grenades, an axe and roundhouse kicks that’d make even Chuck Norris green with envy. Leon’s slice of the demo feels like Resident Evil 4 on steroids.

By the end of my preview, I feel like I’ve played two different games. A «best of» previous Resident Evil playstyles. Horror and action combined.

I can see screenshots from a first-person perspective as well as third-person shots. What’s that all about?

You can switch between either view as either character at any time. However, Capcom recommended I play as Grace from a first-person perspective and from third-person as Leon. Makes sense, I think.

Watching the action from a first-person perspective as Grace, I can feel the horror even better. I feel and suffer with her as I hide behind a chest of drawers, hoping that the snarling monster doesn’t discover me. The first-person perspective, narrow corridors and overpowered enemies remind me of the scariest game in the series, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

As Leon, on the other hand, I can really let my hair down in third-person. He doesn’t care about anything anyway, so you don’t have to put yourself in his shoes. This perspective also reminds me of my favourite entry, Resident Evil 4. The difference is, here the action feels even faster and more explosive.

But are Leon’s bits still scary?

Leon’s section wasn’t scary at all. You’re fighting the same monsters Grace encountered, but the balance of power is different. You easily mow down previously mighty enemies with Leon’s shotgun. Pure action. Catharsis. Letting off steam. But who knows – maybe that’ll change further into the game.

Which playstyle did you prefer and why?

The game’s appeal lies primarily in the interplay between both playstyles. You build tension with Grace and let off steam as Leon. Both ways are vital in making this rollercoaster ride work. That’s why I can’t say I like one more than the other.

Have you found out how the two playstyles relate to each other? Is there more survival horror or action gameplay?

Grace’s bit is longer in the demo. Leon’s sections are comparatively short, linear action sequences. I can easily imagine the same will be the case in the final release. That’s good – too much action wouldn’t do the game any good – remember Resident Evil 6?

Do you already know how long the latest adventure will last?

Capcom is comparing the playtime to the Resident Evil 4 remake. So between 15 and 20 hours.

How about the demo’s visuals – does it meet your expectations?

More than that! The demo ran on a PS5 Pro. I was particularly impressed by the incredibly detailed character models – both for the protagonists as well as the zombies and monsters. The lighting, which benefits from ray tracing effects, is also pretty cool. The dark sanatorium looks wonderfully put together. Requiem is the most beautiful Resident Evil to date.

Apart from that, I like how «alive» the zombies feel. Sounds strange, but I’m referring to how plenty of enemies aren’t just faceless cannon fodder. I can tell from their clothing and behaviour what job they had in the sanatorium before their transformation. For example, I see a janitor in the toilet. He bangs his head against a mirror, screaming about how everything around him is far too dirty. There’s still something human in this monster. It makes the whole thing even more frightening.

What was your highlight from the demo?

I’ll give you one highlight from the Grace section and one from the Leon section.

Grace first. As the game progresses, you learn to make items from zombie blood. Don’t ask how this is supposed to work. Black magic or something. In any case, you can get a syringe that kills zombies in just one attack. I immediately tested mine on an unsuspecting infected. I snuck up behind him and rammed the thing in his neck. My opponent swelled up like a water balloon, exploded and left the room a bloody mess. I’d have expected anything but this. It’s one of those «what the hell did I just see» moments. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

My undisputed highlight with Leon was the chainsaw. In Resident Evil 4, the special agent was chased through the Spanish boonies by enemies wielding the deadly implement. But in the sanatorium, he turns the tables and grabs a chainsaw as soon as he’s defeated an opponent equipped with it. To finally experience its bloody massacre from the other perspective is incredibly funny. It fits so well with Leon’s «I don’t give a damn» attitude.

Has anything left you with question marks or even worries?

As much as I celebrate Leon’s action sections, I wonder if there might be a bit too much of a good thing throughout the game. Will I ever get tired of shotguns and explosions?

Leon’s very quippy too. He comments on the action and always has a casual one-liner up his sleeve. Will his action hero bit get on my nerves over time, or will this rollercoaster ride still work over longer stretches?

How does Requiem fit into the Resident Evil timeline to date? Do you have to know the series to get into Requiem without struggling?

The game is set around 30 years after the events in Raccoon City. The fact that a lot of time has passed in the Resident Evil timeline can be seen in Leon, who looks much older than before.

Capcom hasn’t revealed much about the story yet. It’s obvious the game will take our two protagonists back to Raccoon City – the place where it all began. So knowing a bit about the series’ history will definitely help.

That all sounds very positive. What do you think? Does Resident Evil Requiem have the potential to become a Game of the Year candidate?

Absolutely. Anything other than a masterpiece would be surprising. Horror fans should mark 27 February in their calendars.

Resident Evil Requiem will be released on 27 February for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 and PC. Capcom invited me to their preview event in Hamburg.

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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