Back to Where It All Began

The story of Requiem is set in October 2026, 28 years after the destruction of Raccoon City. It follows FBI intelligence analyst Grace Ashcroft — daughter of Resident Evil Outbreak protagonist Alyssa Ashcroft — and Division of Security Operations agent Leon S. Kennedy, a protagonist introduced in Resident Evil 2. 

Set three decades after the missile strike erased the city, the narrative explores long-term consequences and personal trauma, with emotional depth and environmental storytelling shaping both protagonists' journeys. Raccoon City isn't just a backdrop — it's a wound that never fully healed.

Two Heroes, Two Completely Different Experiences

The defining innovation of Requiem is its dual-protagonist system, and it works brilliantly.

Grace Ashcroft's segments emphasise stealth and guile. Players must use the environment to distract foes and escape quickly, but caution is paramount — enemies can track Grace's movements by sound, even through floors and ceilings. Grace is also responsible for handling the game's more complex puzzles, all while being hunted by relentless, Nemesis-like pursuers. 

Leon Kennedy, on the other hand, provides the high-octane action fans expect. Equipped with firearms, chainsaws, and hatchets, Leon can perform signature melee moves like German suplexes and tactical parries. 

Players can freely switch between first-person and third-person perspectives at any point during gameplay — with first-person offering tense, realistic gameplay and third-person being ideal for those who enjoy action-packed sequences. 

Five Million Copies in Five Days

The numbers speak for themselves. Requiem sold five million copies in five days, becoming the fastest-selling Resident Evil game in the franchise's history. 

On Steam alone, the game has accumulated over 41,000 user reviews — with a staggering 96% of them being positive, earning the rare "Overwhelmingly Positive" badge. Players and critics alike are calling it a masterpiece.

What Critics and Players Are Saying

The reception has been extraordinary. Reviewers describe Requiem as beautifully tense, gorgeously crafted, and brimming with atmosphere — balancing classic survival horror with big, exciting action, largely thanks to its dual protagonists. 

Many fans are calling it the culmination of three decades of survival horror evolution — not just the best Resident Evil game in years, but one of the best games of 2026 outright. 

A Hype Train Years in the Making

Announced at Summer Game Fest in June 2025, the reveal trailer was the show's concluding reveal and was added to over one million wishlists across all platforms — reaching five million wishlists just three weeks before release. 

Trailers showcased at Summer Game Fest, The Game Awards, Gamescom, and PlayStation State of Play steadily revealed story layers and gameplay mechanics, building one of the most sustained hype campaigns in recent gaming history. 

A Surprise for Nintendo Fans

A Nintendo Switch 2 version was not originally considered because the system had not been officially revealed yet. Following the team's acquisition of Switch 2 development kits, they tested the hardware by prototyping a port of Resident Evil Village. The porting process went smoothly, giving the team confidence to bring the in-development Requiem to the system as well — with Capcom initially skeptical but ultimately surprised by how well it ran. 

Conclusion

Resident Evil Requiem is more than a sequel — it is a love letter to thirty years of survival horror, and a bold statement about where the genre goes from here. With Grace Ashcroft's terrifying stealth sections, Leon Kennedy's legendary action moments, a return to Raccoon City, and five million copies sold in under a week, Capcom has delivered one of the defining games of this generation.

The nightmare is back. And it has never felt this good.

Requiem for the dead. Nightmare for the living.