Review of the Month, February 2026: Resident Evil Requiem

Nioh 3 and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined both had a case but the pick was a no-brainer. The 9th mainline game from Capcom, Resident Evil Requiem, launched on the final Friday of February and quickly became the most reviewed game of the year so far. It is a rare sequel that manages to please the ‘scare’ fans and the ‘gun’ fans alike.

Two heroes, two very different games

Requiem has a split campaign with two main characters. The story follows FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft as she tries to solve a string of mysterious deaths connected to Raccoon City and her own mother’s past. Her parts of the campaign will feature plenty of survival horror style gameplay, including puzzles, scarce ammo, crafting and exploration of the creepy Rhodes Hill care centre. In contrast, the sections featuring Leon S. Kennedy are much more action orientated. Grace’s sections are set in first person by default, while Leon’s are in third, but you can switch the camera for either character if you wish. Eventually both characters will find themselves drawn back to Raccoon City.

What critics praised, and where they pushed back

Game Informer was the most enthusiastic of the big outlets, arguing that the constant back-and-forth between Grace’s dread and Leon’s set pieces stops either style from outstaying its welcome. It also liked a new twist on the infected, who now cling to fragments of their old lives. TheGamer liked the blend too and gave particular credit to the performance behind Grace, though it felt the campaign was too short for either character’s upgrade systems to really develop, and that Raccoon City itself gets less screen time than its billing suggests.

The sharpest criticism came from Push Square. Its reviewer thought the survival horror was excellent and the action among the best the series has done, yet found that the second half tilts heavily towards Leon, leaving horror fans short-changed. It also found the story surprisingly tame and missed a post-game mode such as Mercenaries.

Critic scores and details last checked in September 2026.

Verdict

Requiem isn’t quite the total reinvention some fans might have hoped for – it still relies more heavily on nostalgia than it needs to. Still, it’s all been done very well, and this is a very polished, confident and, at its best, genuinely frightening horror game. The ‘Grace’ scenes are up there with some of the very best Resident Evil horror – and if you only buy one Resident Evil this decade, this is a very safe bet. Just don’t believe everything the marketing material tells you – there’s more Leon than it implied.

Quick questions

How long is Resident Evil Requiem?

Assuming you’re not going for 100% completion for every file and collectible, and you’re not playing on a higher difficulty than normal, expect around 15 hours for a first completion of the main campaign, which is the figure Push Square gave. The time will of course go up noticeably if you do, and the game was designed with re-runs in mind once you know where everything is.

Do I need to have played the earlier games?

No prior knowledge is needed, as the new character of Grace introduces the player to the plot through her eyes. Of course, Leon’s return and the Raccoon City setting are far more meaningful if the player has played Resident Evil 2 or 4, but the most useful single ‘catch-up’ for this would be the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2.

Is it too scary for a nervous player?

It can be; however, this can be softened. The game is available on a number of difficulty settings, from Standard up to Insanity, and the tougher modes bring back ink ribbons for saving, so the lower settings are far more forgiving. Also, switching Grace’s sections to a third-person camera makes it a bit easier to cope with the horror, as there is more of a distance between you and whatever is lurking.

More Review of the Month: Previous pick: January 2026, Cairn | Next pick: March 2026, Pokémon Pokopia

Related guide: PEGI Age Ratings Explained: A Guide for UK Parents