At the conclusion of Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest 2025 conference, Resident Evil Requiem (or Resident Evil 9) was revealed as an installment generating significant anticipation. Even prior to its official announcement, rumors suggested a setting near the series’ origins and the return of Leon S. Kennedy. Capcom is proceeding cautiously with disclosures through various channels, but the event in California provided insight into the game. For more than 20 minutes, attendees viewed a demo that indicates a strong entry both visually and in terms of gameplay atmosphere and mechanics. It is now timely to elaborate on what Capcom showcased privately.
The question that has been on everyone’s mind for some time now is: Will Resident Evil Requiem, or Resident Eve 9, adopt the first-person perspective of Resident Evil 7 and Village, or will it use the over-the-shoulder camera style from the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4? The answer is straightforward: both perspectives are available. Resident Evil 9 Requiem finally provides what fans have long been requesting: the ability to switch between first-person and third-person views at any time directly from the ‘Options’ menu, without needing to restart the game or lose progress. This feature significantly changes the gameplay experience, as in first-person view, players are fully immersed with a sense of disorientation and tunnel vision, heightened by Grace Ashcroft’s heavy breathing, creating a strong fear response. In third-person mode, the gameplay becomes more action-oriented but remains somewhat unsettling.
ALL IS IN GRACE
Grace Ashcroft is a new and unfamiliar character in the Resident Evil saga, but her lineage is recognizably tied to Alyssa Ashcroft, a character often underrepresented in Resident Evil Outbreak. This familial bond becomes even more significant when it is revealed that Grace’s mission takes her to Remwood Hotel, where her mother died eight years ago. The demo we were able to witness begins here, in complete darkness. For Grace, this setting represents a nightmare as she awakens suspended by her feet with an IV in her arm, in a room transformed into a sanctuary of pain. This introduction effectively places the player in a state of total vulnerability. While her role in the plot is still unclear, it appears that she may be a victim of ritual or experimentation, confined within a dilapidated building.
The paragraph has been rewritten in an honest and professional tone as follows:What follows is a summary of Capcom’s strengths since Resident Evil 7: anxiety-inducing exploration, impactful sound design, and a gothic artistic core with baroque details. The Remwood Hospital, or rather the medical service within it, evokes the golden hours of the Spencer Estate: narrow corridors, enclosed rooms, creaky doors, and oppressive darkness. A true return to the roots. Light is scarce, trembling, sometimes even treacherous. A hallway can illuminate to reveal only a swirling abyss of shadows. The player has only a simple Zippo lighter for orientation, reinforcing the sensation of groping forward in a living trap. Even ammunition is scarce at the beginning of the adventure; Grace has only bottles to throw for defense, essentially nothing, and her actions range from opening doors to retrieving necessary items, solving classic series puzzles: locked doors, inventory management, key objects. A familiar interface.
MONSTER HUNTER
The monster then appears. An unusual, gigantic entity with loose skin, whose grotesque silhouette evokes the worst nightmares of Silent Hill. Too wide to fit through doors, it contorts unnaturally, prepared to crush Grace by hand. Despite being heavily scripted, the scene remains unsettling. One is reminded of the Beneviento Mansion in Resident Evil Village, but here, the sense of unease reaches a higher level. When fleeing from the monster, the gameplay takes on full significance: in first-person view, it feels like visceral panic; in third-person perspective, readability improves, yet there’s an undeniable weight of fear in every chase, locked door, and forced detour. Notably, there is a chilling scene where Grace discovers a corpse before the creature literally emerges from the wall to consume it, all with unsettling proximity. This jumpscare is masterfully executed, even more impactful as it follows a momentary false sense of relief.
The RE Engine, now in its refined form, remains integral to the package. Capcom does not specify if it is a new version of the engine, but the rendering is impressively precise: accurate textures, dynamic shadows, and sophisticated light management. In a room, simply turning on a light can create more tension than a horde of zombies. Because light never illuminates sufficiently, and shadow always looms. However, what is most impressive is the game’s tone. Resident Evil Requiem seems to aim for a connection with pure psychological horror, akin to Silent Hill 2, Amnesia, or the first Fatal Frame. A subtle, intimate, unsettling experience. According to Koshi Nakanishi, the director (who also helmed Resident Evil 7), Resident Evil 9 Requiem aims to merge the purity of survival horror with a controlled sense of dread. A fear that is not imposed but almost desired. And the switch between subjective view and third-person perspective embodies this duality perfectly. In quiet moments, the FPS view amplifies the anxiety of the unknown. During confrontations, the TPS view offers more strategic control without descending into mindless gunfights. Capcom appears committed to pushing this dichotomy further. A first for the series.
BACK IN BUSINESS
Persistent rumors suggest the inclusion of a secondary protagonist, potentially Leon S. Kennedy, which would add more action-oriented segments and vary the overall atmosphere. However, scenes featuring Grace Ashcroft will primarily focus on intense horror experiences, and Capcom appears dedicated to this approach. Resident Evil 9 Requiem does not aim to revolutionize the genre but rather applies the developer’s expertise. With an unprecedented cast, meticulous attention to atmosphere, sharp technical execution, and a renewed commitment to delivering terror, this RE 9 Requiem could serve as a bridge between the visceral horror of Resident Evil 7 and the refined gameplay mechanics of Resident Evil 2 Remake. Fans will have to wait until Gamescom 2025 for another playthrough opportunity. However, it is clear that genuine fear, the kind that leaves a lasting impact, is set to return in full force.
