Preview: Resident Evil Requiem Is the Ultimate PS5 Horror Game

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It’s hard to believe, but Resident Evil 7: Biohazard will be ten years old next year. This game was a turning point for the Resident Evil series, shifting to a first-person perspective that became standard for future installments and successfully restoring the series’ frightening atmosphere after some issues with Resident Evil 6.

Interestingly, the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem seems to strike a balance between these two very different approaches.

Leon, a returning hero, and Grace, a new character, team up in this game, offering a balanced experience. Leon focuses on action, while Grace emphasizes traditional item management and challenging fights. This game represents the best of Capcom’s recent work in the survival horror genre, blending the gameplay styles of Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 into a single, cohesive experience.

Resident Evil Requiem aims to be the best Resident Evil game yet and a top-tier horror experience on the PS5. After playing the first three hours on PS5 Pro, we believe it delivers on that promise.

This was the first time players could control Leon in a preview of the game, starting with his arrival at the Rhodes Hill care center. It quickly becomes apparent that zombies are inside, giving us a first look at the action gameplay and new features in Resident Evil Requiem.

The fighting in this game is like Resident Evil 6, but even more intense, featuring judo throws and powerful takedowns, all with a tough Leon. When the action starts, the camera shifts to a third-person view, giving you a wider look at the area as zombies swarm into the small meeting and reception rooms.

Leon focuses on quickly taking down zombies with both guns and hand-to-hand combat. He often finishes them off with stylish, special moves, like throwing them or posing dramatically before a final blow. This game, Resident Evil Requiem, also introduces a new feature where you can take weapons from defeated enemies – for example, a doctor might drop a chainsaw.

After you defeat a zombie, the chainsaw will thrash around wildly, continuing to harm anyone nearby – even you! Once it stops, you can pick it up and start cutting down zombies. But be quick – if you don’t grab it fast enough, another enemy might take it for themselves.

Capcom seems to be intentionally dramatic with Leon’s part of the game, even using flashy on-screen text reminiscent of games made by Remedy. Playing as Leon is incredibly over-the-top, and it delivers the kind of exciting action that made the original Resident Evil 4 so beloved.

Leon quickly encounters Grace within Rhodes Hill, and the game then switches to Grace’s perspective, shown through a first-person view. We spent most of our time playing as Grace, whose main goal is to escape the facility by locating three hidden quartz crystals.

Taking control of Grace feels completely different at first. You start with absolutely no weapons and a limited view, focusing only on running and surviving. You’ll need to reach the main hall to begin collecting ammo and healing herbs.

Most of the promotion for Resident Evil Requiem has centered around Grace and her gameplay, so you’ve likely already gotten a sense of how it maintains the suspenseful, survival-horror feel of the last two main Resident Evil games.

Playing as Grace, you’ll face familiar Resident Evil challenges: solving puzzles that involve finding jewels to unlock doors, using photos to decipher symbols, and collecting antique coins to trade for upgrades. Managing your ammo, health, and inventory space is key as you explore.

The newest gameplay footage showcases several fresh features and gameplay elements. While exploring, you can collect blood from zombies – this acts as a currency to create new items. You can also find and study test tubes and formulas hidden throughout the environment to unlock even more crafting options.

The zombies have been updated with new behaviors – they now sometimes mimic the routines they had in life. For example, we saw a zombie chef still chopping meat in a kitchen, a zombie cleaner continuing to scrub a bathroom, and a zombie singer in a bar who can stun you with a powerful scream.

We also noticed a cool new feature at the end of our preview that reminds us of the Crimson Heads from past games. If you take too long, zombies can evolve into stronger, faster versions with much more health and damage. You can identify these enhanced zombies by a fleshy growth on their head. This makes revisiting old areas much more nerve-wracking, as defeated zombies might come back to life!

The small improvements and gameplay changes build on the survival horror style seen in recent Resident Evil games, keeping the experience of playing as Grace feeling new. Combined with Leon’s more action-packed parts, the game should flow well, offering a mix of intense zombie combat and thoughtful puzzle-solving over a few hours of gameplay.

Resident Evil Requiem has the potential to be a standout horror game on PS5. It successfully blends exciting action with classic survival horror elements, offering a truly immersive and terrifying experience. Combined with the series’ beloved characters, rich story, and detailed world, Resident Evil Requiem looks set to be a significant new chapter for fans.

If Resident Evil Requiem delivers on everything it promises, it has the potential to be ranked among the best games in the entire Resident Evil series, similar to how Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 are considered classics.

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2026-01-26 18:07