Why Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center is the Beating Heart of Resident Evil Requiem

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People don’t just love the Resident Evil series because it’s frightening – though it certainly can be! What really draws fans in is the compelling drama that unfolds when characters are pushed to their limits, and the sense of relief when they finally overcome those challenges. The games create a constant sense of mystery as you try to figure out what’s happening and how to survive. However, striking the right balance between drama and genuine fear is surprisingly difficult, and even some older Resident Evil titles haven’t always managed it perfectly.

Despite its flaws, Resident Evil Requiem feels remarkably smooth and natural – like a gloomy sky during a zombie outbreak, or a seemingly normal person secretly infected. This is especially true in the first section of the game, where you’ll investigate both the Rhodes Hill Care Chronic Care Center and the unsettling Holding Cells.

You likely know that Grace Ashcroft, the new main character, has been kidnapped by Victor Gideon, a scientist formerly with Umbrella who now owns the Chronic Care Center and is conducting dangerous experiments. The building itself isn’t just meant to resemble Spencer Mansion; it hints at the bizarre and frightening world Grace is about to enter. And like many journeys into the unknown, Grace finds herself disoriented at the start. After managing to escape, she begins to explore the seemingly elegant but unsettling interiors and quickly realizes she’ll need to find some fuses to unlock the path forward.

Things get much harder when a new, incredibly dangerous Stalker appears – it’s huge, has rows of sharp teeth, and seems to constantly want to attack people. This turns a difficult situation into a desperate game of survival. The story then shifts back to Leon, who was already struggling with the fallout from Gideon infecting people near the Wrenwood Hotel. What begins as a seemingly normal situation quickly descends into chaos as patients inside the hospital start showing signs of infection. After fighting his way through, Leon finds Grace and gives her the Requiem, urging her to escape, before briefly speaking with Gideon.

The game alternates between the perspectives of two characters, which keeps things interesting and gradually reveals a larger mystery. When you play as Grace, you’ll focus on choosing your fights carefully and using stealth to survive. You’ll also encounter unusual infected – they’re essentially zombies, but with remnants of their former lives. Each one, like the man endlessly flipping a light switch or the maid obsessively cleaning mirrors, presents a unique challenge and offers a clue. The environment is largely locked down, with most exits blocked by metal bars, forcing Grace to search for alternative routes.

Things really get intense when I meet Emily, one of Gideon’s… creations. I immediately knew I had to get her to safety, which added a whole new set of puzzles to solve. I was already trying to save ammo, collect blood to make these powerful injectors that instantly kill the infected, and just escape this nightmare. But then, to top it all off, there’s this other monster hunting me – a huge, terrifying creature that looks like a mutated baby, and it doesn’t even flinch in the light! So I have to be extra careful and work around it, which is seriously stressful.

Leon is a powerhouse, equipped with plenty of weapons to easily take down zombies at the Care Center without constantly worrying about running out of ammo. This impacts how Grace approaches the area – she can choose to sneak past enemies and let Leon handle them. This not only saves ammo but also encourages a stealthier playstyle, allowing players to conserve valuable resources for things like powerful Requiem shots.

Leon demonstrates his skills effectively, but the game quickly returns to Grace and one of its most frightening locations: the Holding Cells. Situated below the Care Center, this area features some incredibly intense moments. At one point, a zombie construction worker smashes through a wall in a bulldozer, and Grace has to quickly eliminate the threat. Later, you’ll find yourself in a processing plant filled with bodies hanging from hooks, resembling a gruesome assembly line. The tension ramps up when you’re unexpectedly carried on a conveyor belt towards a massive industrial shredder, with corpses clawing their way towards you. Let’s just say you definitely want to avoid those blades.

Just a reminder, that Stalker we saw earlier is still lurking around, feeding on bodies and causing trouble for Grace. You’ll eventually get a chance to fight back, though. The developer explained last October that this game is more like the original Resident Evil games. Instead of relying on powerful weapons – that’s more Leon’s style – Grace needs to carefully explore and use her surroundings to her advantage.

There’s plenty more to unpack – like Leon discovering Grace is still in danger and needing to help her remotely – but the series really captures that core Resident Evil feeling: a mix of fear and intense drama, the relief of escaping one terrible situation only to find yourself trapped in another. It’s consistently engaging, even though it’s incredibly stressful.

Everyone’s been talking about how powerful Leon has become, quickly defeating monsters with both his skills and a chainsaw. But Grace is the true standout character. She starts as a frightened FBI analyst, easily startled by noises and movement. Yet, she quickly adapts to the horrors of Wrenwood, bravely facing monstrous creatures, wading through dangerous environments, and even taking action herself. While she doesn’t undergo a complete personality change – she remains scared and a bit clumsy – her determination to protect Emily and uncover the truth about Elpis is incredibly well-portrayed.

If the game focuses on Leon, as it should considering his history with the city’s destruction and everything that followed, then the Care Center and Holding Cells will really showcase Grace’s character. While there will be more opportunities later, the beginning of the game is particularly strong in introducing her and her mindset. Beyond that, this section is brilliantly designed with a great flow, varied gameplay, and solid mechanics. It perfectly captures the classic Resident Evil feeling of survival horror, while also including the intense action that became a hallmark of later games, especially in Leon’s sections.

It’s hard to say if the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center and Holding Cells will be as iconic as locations like Baker House or the Raccoon Police Department from previous games. However, if this is meant to be a final chapter for Raccoon City while also introducing Grace as a new leader, these locations are beautifully designed and packed with unforgettable scenes.

Just so you know, the opinions shared in this article are the author’s own and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2026-03-06 14:12