Resident Evil 9 preview takes us back to the series' survival horror roots

Resident Evil: Requiem looks like a dream, or a nightmare, come true, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Surprising just about everyone, Resident Evil: Requiem was one of the titles shown off at this week’s Summer Game Fest liveshow, and I’m thrilled to say I’ve seen the gameplay with my own eyes.

Capcom provided a special behind-closed-doors look at what the ninth mainline Resident Evil game looks like, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

Following the new protagonist Grace Ashcroft, the demo kicked off with Grace waking up in an unknown location, potentially the ruins of the Raccoon City Police Department but what’s unconfirmed at the time of writing.

After breaking out of her bonds she begins exploring the mysterious building, in first-person I should add.

After locating a potential escape route she’s then faced with a horrendous creature that lurks within the halls, which I’m convinced is Lisa Trevor from the OG Resident Evil game, though again that’s unconfirmed.

The demo shows Grace escaping, then completing a few puzzles in order to escape her current predicament, with classic Resident Evil gameplay of finding items then figuring out what said item is to be used for.

Another encounter with the creature commences, again I’m sure this is Lisa, before the demo confirms that you can in fact play the entire game in third-person mode, not through a DLC expansion like Resident Evil: Village.

I was genuinely blown away by the demo for a number of reasons. The first being it actually felt scary.

Ethan was a wonderful Resident Evil protagonist but I always felt he got too accustomed to the survival horror a little too easily, but throughout the demo you could tell Grace was utterly terrified of what could possibly be lurking around the corner.

The atmosphere felt spot-on, and I hope it holds true for the full game, though if the rumours are true and Leon is returning as a protagonist I’m sure it won’t take long till we’re suplexing monsters again…

Rest-assured though Resident Evil: Requiem already feels like the definitive Resident Evil experience, taking things back to true survival horror that’ll have even veteran players on the edge of their seat.