Resident Evil Requiem’s Zombies Repeat Human Actions Because It’s Creepier, Says Director

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The game Resident Evil Requiem has received positive attention, but a particularly talked-about feature is its unique portrayal of zombies. Unlike typical zombies, these creatures briefly exhibit remnants of their former lives by repeating actions from their old jobs. In a recent Eurogamer interview, director Koshi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazawa explained that this detail was intentionally designed to make the zombies feel more unsettling and frightening.

Nakanishi explained that zombies are frightening because they remind us of what we once were – human. This connection makes them scarier than creatures that were never human to begin with. However, because we’ve seen so many zombies in movies and TV, it’s becoming harder to make them truly scary unless they do something new or unexpected.

To make the zombies in Resident Evil Requiem stand out, the developers explored the idea of making them retain a little bit of their humanity. This subtle detail was intended to make the game’s atmosphere even more unsettling.

Nakanishi explained that the characters are intentionally designed to be subtly more human-like, particularly through repeated actions. This creates a disturbing effect—they almost seem approachable, as if you could have a conversation with them. However, knowing they can’t respond highlights their unsettling, almost-human quality, which the creators deliberately used to make them frightening.

Kumazawa also points out that Resident Evil Requiem sometimes has surprisingly few zombies on screen. This actually builds suspense, as players are kept on edge and never know where the zombies might appear next.

He explained that the anticipation of zombies can be more frightening than actually seeing them. The suspense of not knowing when or where they’ll appear creates a stronger sense of fear than a simple jump scare or constant action. Carefully controlling when zombies are introduced is crucial to building and maintaining that tense, fearful atmosphere throughout the game.

As a big Resident Evil fan, it’s really interesting to hear about how Capcom originally approached Resident Evil Requiem. From what I understand, they were really trying to get back to what makes the series scary in the first place. They realized a lot of games can jump-scare you, but what Resident Evil does best is balance that fear with a sense of relief and accomplishment – and that’s what the whole franchise is really about, according to Nakanishi.

He pointed out that many horror games aim to scare players, but what sets Resident Evil apart is its balance. It creates intense, frightening situations, but also lets you fight back and survive, which is incredibly satisfying.

You can now play Resident Evil Requiem on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Check out our review for more details!

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2026-05-05 15:41