REVIEW: ‘Resident Evil Requiem’: A Heart-Pounding Nightmare with One Frustrating Detour

By Alex Harrison '26

The most boring month of the year, late February 2026, had nothing going for it. We are close to the end of the school year but still far away, there are no fun holidays, and there is really nothing to look forward to. I was stuck at a tedious DECA state competition, unable to even sit comfortably in a restrictive suit and tie. The competition swallowed an entire Friday, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. While at this event (which I won, of course), I was sweating and stressing while scrolling through TikTok, when I had a sudden wave of happiness.

The next “Resident Evil” game was coming out the next day. Sitting at that competition, I probably looked like a dork getting excited over videos of people playing the game early in other countries, but then I realized I was surrounded by dorks anyway. For the rest of the day, I was reading up on the new features, and it got me hyped. The game definitely lived up to the excitement, though it had parts that were absolutely horrible despite the praise they received online.

On Feb. 26, 2026, the ninth “Resident Evil” installment of the main franchise was released to consoles. The game is half survival-horror and half action as you switch between characters. You play as Leon Kennedy, a D.S.O. agent tasked with stopping Umbrella (an evil version of big pharma) from creating deadly viruses and selling them to the highest bidders. You also play as Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst with a secret that builds the story's tension. Leon’s side of the story is purely action-based, while Grace’s segments are pure survival-horror.
I have played a decent amount of “Resident Evil” games since I was young—specifically when my brother would force me to play them just to scare the life out of me. Because of this, every time a new game comes out, it feels nostalgic.

Overall, the game does an amazing job balancing its two halves, but the action parts feel bland and rushed. Specifically, when you get to Raccoon City as Leon, you feel like you're losing your mind; you’ll likely find yourself looking up YouTube videos on how to progress after running in circles for two hours. I am even replaying the game currently with my brother, and when he was only an hour into this section, he was so annoyed he had to pause the game and walk away just to clear his head. The moral of the story: If you can get past that part without turning the console off, the game is a blast.

Graphics-wise, this game is outstanding and showcases a level of animation that raises expectations for the entire industry. The combat feels more alive than any previous entry; certain attacks with short, heavily detailed animations make the experience more enjoyable. The "injured" animations are especially effective; when playing as Grace, her panic causes her to bang into walls and trip over obstacles.

The story features two endings, one of which will make your jaw drop. This branching path hasn't been done in recent games and ensures you actually pay attention to the plot. While the story feels like a breath of fresh air, it does have some plot holes that will hopefully be explained in future DLC.

I would give “Resident Evil Requiem” an 8/10 rating. I hate to rank it that low, but that Leon section in Raccoon City makes you want to throw your Xbox out the window and put your controller in the garbage disposal. Aside from that single segment, the horror aspect will have you terrified and yelling “RUN FASTER” at the screen the first time you play.

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