Following the announcement of “Resident Evil Requiem” at the Summer Game Fest, Capcom hosted a private gameplay demonstration for several journalists. These journalists had the opportunity to experience a portion of the game’s gameplay from the perspective of the new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft.
According to Capcom, “Resident Evil Requiem” will be “a return to true survival horror, mixed with high-risk action.” However, the approximately 20-minute demonstration provided to journalists focused primarily on the survival horror aspect. Director Koshi Nakanishi successfully implemented this feature in Resident Evil 7 and aims to take it to a new level in the upcoming game.
Despite rumors suggesting at least two main characters, Capcom has so far only revealed that Grace Ashcroft is a playable character. She is a technical analyst for the FBI and the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a known character from Resident Evil Outbreak. The story takes place nearly a decade after Raccoon City’s bombing, with Grace investigating a series of mysterious deaths in the devastated city.
In its preview, the VGC website points out that Grace is particularly vulnerable compared to the veteran protagonists of the series, given her limited combat experience. This feature allows players to observe her growth and development throughout the game’s progression. It is clearly demonstrated early in the demo when Grace wakes up upside down, bound to a hospital gurney, using a piece of broken glass to free herself.
One of the most surprising features in Requiem is the integration of both first and third-person viewpoints, allowing players to switch between them at will through the pause menu.
Firsthand experience remains the recommended approach in the game, especially for moments of highest psychological tension, while a third-person perspective, similar to recent remakes of RE2, 3, and 4, appears more suitable for action sequences.
The demo takes place in a sophisticated medical facility, which is neither a hospital nor a typical clinic but perhaps a private medical center located within a mansion. The setting features ornate wooden furniture and elegant wallpaper. Neither Grace nor the player understands how she arrived there, and Grace will feel desperate to escape. She must navigate through completely dark corridors with typical survival horror elements, such as open windows, strange noises, and non-functioning light switches and bulbs due to a blown fuse.
The level of interactivity with environmental objects has been significantly expanded compared to previous games, and previews indicate that Grace will use a lighter to illuminate her path, following the tradition established in Resident Evil Code: Veronica. Additionally, the lighter will serve as a key to access previously inaccessible areas.
The primary adversary in the demonstration is a creature characterized by its large eyes and intent on biting into the protagonist’s skull. Announcements have indicated that this creature holds significance akin to Mr. X, Jack Baker, or Lady Dimitrescu within this segment of the game, or parallels can be drawn to the sequence from the Beneviento Mansion in Resident Evil Village.
Director Koshi Nakanishi (Resident Evil 7) has expressed his desire to elevate visual realism in the game to new heights, a goal well exemplified by the demo. Previews suggest that the game draws comparisons with the renowned PT demo by Hideo Kojima.
Capcom recently showcased “Resident Evil Requiem” to journalists, focusing on its survival horror elements featuring a new protagonist named Grace Ashcroft. An FBI technical analyst and the daughter of an existing character, Grace investigates mysterious deaths in a post-Raccoon City setting nearly a decade after the city’s bombing. The 20-minute demo highlights her vulnerability as she learns to survive with minimal combat experience. Notably, players can switch between first-person and third-person perspectives during gameplay. Grace begins bound on a hospital gurney, using a broken piece of glass to escape into dark, ornate corridors filled with classic survival horror elements such as strange noises, non-functioning lights, and open windows. The demo’s visual realism is praised for its detailed environments and interactivity, including Grace using a lighter to illuminate paths and access new areas. The primary antagonist has enormous eyes and aims to bite the protagonist’s skull, reminiscent of previous game enemies like Mr. X or Lady Dimitrescu. The director, Koshi Nakanishi, aspires to push visual realism further with “Requiem,” drawing comparisons to Hideo Kojima’s famous PT demo.
