We’re just over a month away from the release of Resident Evil Requiem, and a little voice in my head tells me that it could make the same mistake as a cursed 2012 game.
Before we begin, let’s make it very clear that I love Capcom’s Resident Evil series and have done so ever since I played the original game on the PlayStation in 1996. Those close to me know that I may actually be a little obsessed with the series.
However, as much as I love Resident Evil, that doesn't mean that I won’t criticise it or that I believe that every game is going to knock it out of the proverbial park. After all, we’ve had abominations such as the 2016 competitive multiplayer shooter, Umbrella Corps.
Never Play Umbrella Corps. Ever!
If you’ve forgotten that Umbrella Corps ever existed or, better still, have never played it, then you are truly blessed. Another game that isn't viewed too favourably is 2012’s Resident Evil 6.
Resident Evil 6 isn't the worst game in the world, but it’s certainly not a good Resident Evil game, in my opinion. I think where the game failed overall is that it was way too congested.
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Resident Evil 6 had four co-op campaigns, starring Leon S. Kennedy with Helena Harper, Chris Redfield with Piers Nivans, Jake Muller (Albert Wesker’s son) with Sherry Birkin (from RE2) and a bonus Ada Wong campaign with a doppelganger.
In a nutshell, Resident Evil 6 was practically devoid of horror. After all, this was following in the footsteps of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, when Capcom seemed convinced fans wanted this to be an action series.
There was some promise with Resident Evil 6, and that was with Leon’s campaign. Exploring the Tall Oaks college and the abandoned underground train tunnels early on gave me hope that at least Leon’s campaign would be horror-focused.
Sadly, it didn't take long for Leon’s campaign to morph into all the other campaigns of Resident Evil 6 to become a Michael Bay-inspired action fest! Though, to give the game some credit, it has a banging Mercenaries mode.
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So, Why Am I Worried About Resident Evil Requiem?
Resident Evil Requiem is split into two entwined stories. One starring the new character, Grace Ashcroft, daughter of the news reporter from Resident Evil Outbreak, Alyssa Ashcroft.
Unlike Leon, and despite being an FBI agent, Grace is no combat expert or at least, is not used to fighting horrific mutated creatures. But in her defence, who is? As such, Grace will rely a lot on stealth to survive in Resident Evil Requiem. Yet, she will engage in combat when pushed.
For Leon, we all know that he’s been through the mill when it comes to fighting zombies, huge monsters and uncovering sinister conspiracies. At this point, from making his debut as a rookie cop in Resident Evil 2 (1998), he’s a seasoned survival horror veteran.
This is why, according to the developers, Leon’s campaign will feature a lot more action. Leon will be cracking skulls, pulling close-up shotgun blasts and with a bit of luck, the odd snap-suplex or two. Sounds fun, right? It absolutely does!
As much as I loved Leon’s abilities in both the original Resident Evil 4 and its 2023 remake, I hope there is plenty of room for some good old survival horror in his Requiem story, and won’t tread down a similar path to the aforementioned Resident Evil 6.
If I were going to be optimistic in this respect, the original Resident Evil 4 was mostly an action game with some horror thrown in now and again. On the other hand, the 2023 remake flipped that aspect and had a little more horror and tension, and a little less action (but plenty of).
So, as much as I can’t wait to play Leon’s campaign (and Grace's), I hope that action doesn't consume, and it leaves at 35 to 40% for some survival horror antics.
Similar to Grace, I’m hoping that it will be mostly slow-paced horror, with about 20% action, because whichever you prefer, whether it’s action or horror, it’s nice to have a change of pace in any campaign to let the story breathe.
That being said, if there’s a developer that I trust to get the balance right, especially in the modern era, it’s Capcom, and I’m literally counting down the days to Resident Evil Requiem.
Resident Evil Requiem will be released on 27 February 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.
Topics:Â Features, Opinion, Capcom, Resident Evil, Resident Evil Requiem, PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch 2