Resident Evil Requiem Review Switch 2: Two Games in One
At this point I would call myself a Resident Evil Fan. I enjoyed each of the new entries since the comeback with Resident Evil 7. Each game offered a very different approach from intense slow paced horror to pure action. Resident Evil Requiem now tries to combine both approaches and succeed with it, at least to a certain extent.
Part 1: Grace - A Horror Masterpiece
The story of Resident Evil Requiem revolves around Grace Ashcroft, a shy and socially awkward FBI agent and Resident Evil Legend Leon S. Kenedy. At the beginning of the game we see in a flashback sequence how Grace's mother got brutally killed in front of Grace's eyes. Many years later we are ordered to return to the place of the death to investigate strange murder cases. Without saying anything more about the story, it's simply an entertaining plot full of nonsense that is still fun to experience.
The first half of the game heavily focuses on Grace. As mentioned earlier the game is pretty much divided into two games and graces half is the classic resident evil survival horror part. We end up in a medical facility and have to escape this place. This is easier said than done as the place is filled with strange zombies and other creatures.
Grace is meant to be played from a first person point of view, even if you do get the option to change into 3rd person. In the beginning you are pretty much helpless. You barely have any weapons or ammunition and the same goes for health items. Your focus in the beginning hour is to explore the facility and hide as much as possible from the zombies.
What really helps to make those moments scary is the performance of Grace's voice actor. The way she breaths heavy in stressful moments, cries or stumbles upon her own words is simply outstanding. You really feel for Grace and the horrible situation she got put into.
Another aspect, why this works so well is also the audio and visual design of Resident Evil Requiem. The game looks simply stunning on Switch 2 and is easily the most impressive Switch 2 game to date. Most of the time the game runs at 60fps with small drops from time to time. The audio is also on point. Hearing Zombies talk to themselves or slowly getting closer to you just feels so real, maybe even too real.
Exploring the facility and finding out all its secrets was one of my favorite parts of the game. The place is really well designed and there is so much to find. The progression is also on point. You start out as a helpless Grace but over time you become better equipped and will be able to deal with most of your enemies.
But there are a few stronger enemies. I don't want to spoil anything about those encounters. In between we change our perspective to Leon from time to time. He's the total opposite of Grace. Leon is a true action hero and loaded with weapons and ammunition. During this first act Leon often supports Grace. We also get the change to get our revenge on those stronger enemies with Leon which really feels satisfying.
Part 2: Leon - Resident Evil 4 Knock Off
The second half of Resident Evil Requiem focuses fully on Leon. We arrive in Racoon City and the setup of returning to this place for the first time since Resident Evil 2 Remake sounds really promising at first. Sadly it's here where Requiem disappoints me the most.
Let's first talk about Leon's Gameplay. It's very similar to Resident Evil 4 Remake and the complete contrast to the first half of the game. You shoot your way through hordes of Zombies and fight some ridiculously huge bosses. The progression system also changes. You get points for each enemy you kill, with those points you can buy new weapons or upgrades.
Sadly this progression doesn't feel as earned and satisfying as it did with Grace or in 4 Remake. You unlock everything you want way too fast and the difference between the upgrades and weapons also don't feel as impactful.
The game also loses a lot of its horror during this section. You are in Racoon City in broad daylight and as you are so powerful with leon you rarely feel scared. The pacing itself also feels a bit off, I wouldn't say I felt bored, but a bit more enemy variety could have really helped to keep me more engaged. However, it's not all as bad as it sounds.
Firstly the core gameplay with Leon is still fun. Combat feels good and on point. Capcom also came up with some creative ideas for the different scenarios you get thrown into. One moment you balance over windows on a broken skyscraper, the next you are in a dark basement and in the end you even have a motorbike chase section. But sadly none of the sections gets even close to Resident Evil 4.
In many ways the Leon part feels like a typical Hollywood Action Blockbuster with some funny one liners from Leon and simply filled with action. It's just not as engaging and special as the Grace section was. In my eyes it also really hurts that you never play as Grace in this part. The change of perspective from time to time in Part 1 really made the game feel more dynamic.
Part 3: A Solid Conclusion?
All of this ends in a much shorter 3rd part of the game where you play some Grace and some Leon sections. I don't want to spoil anything about this but Resident Evil Requiem's story left me quite satisfied. It was from start to finish entertaining nonsense.
Now where does this leave me at the end? The first half of Resident Evil Requiem is quite simply a masterpiece in my eyes and the most fun I ever had in a Resident Evil game. The medical facility is cleverly designed, the progression feels satisfying and Grace as a character together with the great voice acting really makes for a memorable experience.
Sadly the second part falls off for me. It's still fun to play as Leon and be a freaking cool action hero. It just doesn't feel as well designed as Resident Evil 4 Remake or the first half of the game. Thankfully in the end it all still comes together and makes for a great Resident Evil game. I enjoyed my 10-15 Hours I spent with Requiem and really look forward to what comes next for the Resident Evil franchise.
Rating: Strongly Recommended