Resident Evil: Requiem Final Preview: Dual-Protagonist Horror Experience, Return to Raccoon City Nears

As the ninth mainline installment in the series, Resident Evil: Requiem represents, in a sense, the culmination of this classic survival horror franchise’s evolution since its debut on the PS1. This title returns players to Raccoon City, unfolding a horror adventure worthy of the series’ 30th anniversary milestone. Ahead of its official release on February 27, 2026, we were granted a final hands-on opportunity, experiencing for the first time chapters featuring both protagonists: Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft.

Developer: Capcom in-house team
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X

Leon, a beloved series veteran, has recently starred in Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 4 Remake. Known for his sharp wit and exceptional skills, this characteristic is further amplified in Requiem. Though Grace has ties to the series (her mother is a character from the spin-off Resident Evil: Outbreak), this FBI agent finds herself overwhelmed when accidentally caught in a viral outbreak. Leon and Grace are two sides of the same coin, embodying decades of the series’ design philosophy through two complementary playstyles.

Hands-On: Leon S. Kennedy
Leon’s chapters are filled with visceral action as he deftly maneuvers through hordes of infected, with combat directly evolving from Resident Evil 4 Remake. Players can clearly feel the accumulated experience of this agent since his last appearance: firearms deliver impactful feedback, and melee weapons alone can dismember enemies (he can even pick up a chainsaw after using it to kill foes as an improvised weapon). Following the tense and oppressive atmosphere of Grace’s sections, Leon’s “action hero” antics provide a cathartic release. In some shared environments, he effortlessly dispatches enemies that once posed serious threats to Grace.

Hands-On: Grace Ashcroft
Despite being an FBI investigator, Grace is far less experienced than Leon when facing bloodthirsty infected. She is more vulnerable, relying on stealth and strategy for survival. During our session, staying quiet and aware of environmental threats was key to staying alive—whether luring a switch-obsessed zombie to move or avoiding a chef-like monstrous infected. Although Leon gifts her a large handgun early on, ammunition is extremely scarce, and the first-person perspective vividly conveys her struggle to even lift the weapon. This gun serves less as a combat tool and more as a last resort to buy her time to flee, her heavy breaths accompanying each desperate sprint.

Dual Horror Experience Blending Old and New
Five years have passed since Resident Evil Village concluded Ethan Winters’ story, and Capcom is once again pushing the series’ boundaries with Requiem. The game adopts a single-campaign, dual-perspective narrative structure. Grace’s chapters延续 (continue) the immersive horror style of Resident Evil 7 and Village—slow-paced, atmospheric, with critical resource management, requiring players to carefully choose between combat and stealth. In contrast, Leon’s sections shift toward the action-horror of Resident Evil 4, offering an enhanced combat system: precise shooting, counters, execution moves, and stylish melee combos.

This contrast is vividly realized in the demo. Grace’s exploration of Rhodes Hill Asylum feels like navigating a haunted house, demanding careful calculation at every step, while Leon can storm through the same areas with shotguns and grenades. The game also introduces a unique “blood analysis” crafting system: by collecting enemy blood samples and decrypting files on terminals, players unlock recipes for medical supplies and ammunition—a mechanic both peculiar and fitting for the series’ tone.

Modern Reinvention of Classic Elements
Beyond evading pursuit, classic elements like puzzles and document collection remain prominent. Players will gradually unlock new areas, weapons, and upgrades (such as inventory expansion or aim stabilization) while exploring the hospital. The introduction of a new enemy type, the “Blisterheads,” adds further challenge—similar to the Crimson Heads from Resident Evil Remake, they will revive if not properly disposed of before mutation, posing a significant threat to Grace, while Leon can engage them head-on with firepower.

Through the starkly different survival narratives of its two protagonists, Resident Evil: Requiem successfully merges two signature styles of the franchise. As the shadows of Raccoon City loom once more, this interwoven nightmare of old and new is poised to deliver an unforgettable horror feast for the series’ 30th anniversary. On February 27, the truth will be revealed.