Review of Resident Evil Requiem – Returning to Raccoon City has never been so unsettling

Capcom returns to the epicenter of horror almost 30 years after the bombing with an ambitious, intense and visually impressive delivery.

Technical Section

On Xbox Series X, Resident Evil Requiem is one of the most visually powerful titles in the series. The lighting, the work with shadows, and the level of detail in closed environments are at a very high level. There are interiors that are authentic lessons in atmosphere.

From the Patient Center to Raccoon City, the game conveys a sense of historical weight that is very well achieved. It’s not just a setting; it’s a constant reminder of what happened. The devastated areas, the destroyed spaces, and the structures that barely remain standing add a very special load that doesn’t need explanations.

The performance is stable throughout the campaign. I haven’t noticed any significant drops or technical issues that break the experience, even in intense combat moments. Everything flows naturally, something that is especially appreciated in confrontations where precision makes a difference.

The fact that you can play in first or third person is a success. I opted for third person because it’s more comfortable and coherent with the modern classic style of the series, but having the option expands the audience and allows adapting the experience.

The soundtrack is brutal. Capcom once again demonstrates that it perfectly understands how to use music to reinforce tension. It doesn’t abuse it, it’s not constantly present, but when it enters, it does so with intention. There are moments where you barely hear the environment, breathing, and footsteps… and others where the music bursts in with force, immediately increasing the pressure. The management of silence and sound impact is measured to the millimeter.

The sound design in general is excellent. The echoes in empty corridors, the creaks, the shots, the enemies’ growls… everything contributes to making the experience much more immersive. Playing with headphones once again is mandatory to soak up all those nuances.

And then there’s the Spanish dubbing, which is once again at a very high level. The performances are believable, with well-worked emotional nuances and a direction that avoids unnecessary exaggerations. Capcom has been demonstrating for several installments that the treatment of dubbing in Spanish is a priority, and here it confirms it once again. In this aspect, sincerely, Capcom is a 10.

Raccoon City has not been forgotten… and neither has the horror. - ¡Comparte!

Gameplay

The division between Grace and Leon clearly marks the tone of the game.

Grace: tension and exploration

Grace’s sections are the closest to classic survival horror. Paused exploration, resource management, well-integrated puzzles, and a constant sense of vulnerability. Here, the pace is better measured, and the tension is built calmly. There are moments where silence weighs more than combat. And that’s where the game shines with more force.

Leon: action and intensity

With Leon, the pace changes. More confrontations, more pressure, more intensity. It doesn’t abandon exploration, but it does lean towards a more direct approach. The combat is well resolved, the enemies work, and the encounters against Victor Gideon as the main antagonist have weight in the argument. Without entering into spoilers, his presence fits within the darker tone that this installment adopts, with many more surprises that await you.

One of the details that has caught my attention the most is the behavior of some zombies. Here, they’re not just simple bodies that advance without direction. Many seem trapped in fragments of what they were before they died. It’s not just an aesthetic nod. In certain moments, you can take advantage of those repetitive patterns to evade them or plan your movement better. That small touch of personality in the enemies adds an extra layer of tension.

Elpis: the thread that connects the story

Without entering into spoilers, there’s a concept that articulates much of the game’s background: Elpis. It’s the word that connects the death of Grace’s mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, Grace’s personal past, and the story that involves Leon.

Difficulty system and classic tension

The game offers several levels of difficulty that change the experience significantly. The Casual mode introduces aiming assistance and more margin in both the player’s health and the enemies’ resistance, making the adventure more accessible.
On the other hand, the Classic mode notably increases the tension. When you play with Grace, you need ink ribbons to save, which forces you to plan not only the use of resources and ammunition but also when and where to save your progress.

The problem, if there is one, is that the game seems to debate between two directions. It wants to recover the spirit of installments like Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, but it also wants to innovate. In some sections, that mix works very well; in others, it’s perceived as indecision, something that can put into question where the game’s sweet spot is, whether in action or exploration, although the mix of both works, but it may not please everyone.

Capcom revives the origin of horror with an intense, brutal, and uncompromising installment.” - ¡Comparte!

Duration

My first playthrough in normal mode lasted approximately 9 hours and a half, completing almost everything I found. The second, skipping cinematics and optimizing routes, stayed at around 7 hours.

It’s a game clearly designed to be replayed. After completing it, a more extreme difficulty level is unlocked, not recommended for casual players, which really puts resource management and combat mastery to the test. Although, towards the final stretch, it gives the impression that the pace accelerates to close the story. It’s not abrupt, but it does convey that it could have had a bit more development.

A mode like Mercenaries is also missing (which we hope will be added later). In an installment with this structure and two playable protagonists, it would have been a perfect complement.

The duration can be good or bad depending on the player. There are those who will appreciate a concentrated survival horror without filler, and those who will be left wanting more. In my case, the feeling is that it falls slightly short.

Conclusion

Resident Evil Requiem is a brave installment. Returning to Raccoon City as a final gift was a risky move, but Capcom has managed to give it an approach that goes beyond simple nostalgia. It’s not a comfortable or complacent journey: it’s a return to the ruins, to what was left after the disaster, and that gives it a special force.

The duality between Grace and Leon works and adds variety, although the game at times seems to debate between maintaining the classic essence or pushing towards something more action-oriented. That internal tension doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does take away some of its own identity.

Visually, it’s spectacular on Xbox Series X, and playing it in third person reinforces that feeling of being in front of a chapter that respects the modern legacy of the series. It may fall a bit short in duration, and we may miss an additional mode that extends its lifespan, but what it offers is well executed.

It’s not the revolution of the franchise, but it’s an important chapter. It closes wounds, opens new questions, and, above all, demonstrates that Raccoon City still has something to say. What will come next?

We thank Plaion for the material provided to carry out the analysis.

This content has been automatically translated from the original material. Due to the nuances of machine translation, there may be slight differences. For the original version,click here.

Review of Resident Evil Requiem – Returning to Raccoon City has never been so unsettling

Capcom returns to the epicenter of horror almost 30 years after the bombing with an ambitious, intense and visually impressive delivery.

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Technical Section