Gamescom 2025 has introduced some very welcome information about Resident Evil Requiem, the upcoming instalment to its ever-popular horror franchise. With a narrative and gameplay showcase now made public data, there’s much more to unpack concerning the new recreation than meets the attention.
From possible occurrences within the recreation’s story to gameplay tweaks that would up the ante for Grace Ashcroft as she encounters extra horrors than she bargained for when she joined the FBI, listed here are some new particulars that we had been capable of glean from the gameplay showcase and the nostalgic look it gave us into Grace and Alyssa’s time as mom and daughter.
Let’s dive in.
1. The New Lighting System Is Extra Than Simply Beauty
Grace’s terrifying time within the recreation’s demo introduced one thing very fascinating to, er, gentle. We already knew that Requiem was going to be fairly photorealistic, presenting the collection’ trademark terrors with cinematic aptitude and a daunting stage of authenticity. Its lighting techniques had been terrific additions, including to the oppressive environment the builders needed to convey.
However the brand new demo showcases that they might be necessary elements of the gameplay loop as nicely. Grace is proven turning on an overhead white lamp in a particular room as she is relentlessly pursued by the sport’s new Stalker enemy. Surprisingly sufficient, the monster is seared by the sunshine, instantly retreating from the room and giving Grace a quick respite from the chase.
It’s fairly possible that different enemies within the recreation may face related damaging results, making the strategic use of lights in sure environments fairly essential to surviving the ordeal that’s in retailer for us. It could be fairly a sensible strategy to make the most of current-gen energy to amp up the expertise on supply, and the RE Engine appears fairly as much as the duty at this level.
2. Eerie Enemies
Requiem appears to be putting a steadiness between the unique Resident Evil video games and their fashionable counterparts, mixing motion and slower sequences with aplomb. After all, that mix wants the proper of adversaries to carry all of it collectively, and this upcoming title appears to have that lined.
The Stalker is terrifying, no two methods about it. Grotesque, imposing, and seemingly devoid of a shred of mercy, its pursuit of Grace has been the spotlight of a number of analyses of how the sport delivers its scares. Nonetheless, we simply can’t appear to shake the picture of the monster from the story showcase, the dried up blood round its eyes and mouth as haunting as the best way during which it killed the poor lodge supervisor with no qualms and an nearly bloodthirsty manner about it.
If these two enemies are any indication, this can be a recreation that makes us hesitate to take it on, irrespective of how keen we’re to play it.
3. Ink Ribbons Don’t Save
It appears that evidently the sport is continuous with extra conventional strategies of saving your progress, with a tongue-in-cheek reference to ink ribbons included within the demo. Grace finds one hidden away, just for the merchandise description to state that it’s fully ineffective.
For these of you who’re unaware, ink ribbons was an merchandise accessible in restricted portions all through older Resident Evil video games, including a layer of technique to every playthrough as you wanted to watch out about utilizing them.
Maybe there’s extra to that reference, and the studio is trying some critical misdirection? We’ll have to attend to seek out out.
4. Parallel Views
Whereas so much has already been mentioned on the relative deserves of a first-person versus a third-person perspective within the recreation, we might weigh in by saying that each angles are equally terrifying and completely viable methods of having fun with the sport.
It’s going to boil right down to your preferences and the way you select to benefit from the expertise. Our suggestion could be switching between the 2, which appears to be fairly seamless, simply as the sport meant it to be. They’re each equally terrifying, which is what actually issues in a recreation like Requiem.
5. The Extra Issues Change, The Extra They Keep The Similar
Though Requiem is bringing lots of groundbreaking additions to the franchise, it’s nonetheless a Resident Evil title at its coronary heart. You’re nonetheless going to be making your approach by areas, chasing down helpful gadgets and provides like therapeutic herbs whereas avoiding confrontations with the sport’s terrifying enemies.
It’s good that there’s a modicum of familiarity to supply us some consolation in a recreation the place security and safety are very precious commodities.
6. A Bond of Blood
It’s time to show our consideration to the story showcase, and the flashback to Grace and Alyssa’s time on the lodge is a superb place to start out. Grace is clearly sad with Alyssa’s absence for an unspecified, prolonged length, however their relationship appears fairly sturdy regardless of that.
Nonetheless, the truth that they’re staying at a lodge, coupled with Alyssa’s response to the mysterious cellphone name she receives, means that the 2 could have been on the run from somebody, or one thing.
That’s additional solidified by the truth that Alyssa instantly reaches into her purse for a handgun, exhorting Grace to hitch her flight. That plan clearly goes awry, with the pair being attacked by the enemy we talked about earlier than and Alyssa’s obvious off-screen loss of life. We’re nonetheless not satisfied that she’s actually lifeless, a concept that we’re going to dive into in only a minute.
7. Alyssa’s Pistol
Earlier than we dive into Alyssa’s presumed loss of life, let’s discuss concerning the gun she attracts from her purse after the cellphone name. It’s fairly just like the pistol that Leon and Ada Wong use in Resident Evil 2, which opens up fascinating prospects.
For example, we all know that Alyssa’s time with the Racoon Press introduced her involved with the Umbrella Company’s shady dealings. We additionally know that Resident Evil, the place she made her first look within the franchise, is ready between the occasions of RE2 and RE3, titles that featured Leon, Ada, and Jill Valentine. Might the cellphone name she acquired be from considered one of these characters, whom she could have met in the course of the course of her investigations?
As soon as once more, we’re going to have to attend to seek out out if bringing in a few of its iconic forged from the previous or if that pistol is only a intelligent reference.
8. The Stalker
With a number of latest Resident Evil titles that includes a Stalker enemy in some kind, the one on this recreation might be as horrifying as it’s for a purpose. We’ve already put Alyssa on the very prime of characters we want to see making a return to the franchise, speculating that having her alive would lend weight and emotional heft to Grace’s harrowing journey and provides significant improvement for her character.
The Stalker’s blond hair and its obvious obsession with Grace may very nicely imply that Alyssa’s destiny on the finish of the story trailer was that she was remodeled into the Stalker after the assault on the Wrenwood Lodge.
It makes lots of sense, and might be the catalyst for Grace discovering the braveness to face down her fears, spurred on by the hope of discovering a treatment for her mom’s situation and maybe working into Leon on the best way. Making the Stalker such an necessary a part of the narrative might be a wonderful approach for Requiem to lift the stakes and maybe assist Grace turn into greater than the fearful individual she appears within the gameplay showcase.
9. Grace’s Potential Character Arc
Grace’s character might be an enormous a part of the story and gameplay in Requiem, with all proof pointing in the direction of a journey from the nerdy little lady she was within the story showcase to the terrified FBI investigator she is within the demo, to an eventual badass who takes the challenges in her approach head on to aim saving Alyssa if she is certainly the Stalker.
On the gameplay entrance, enjoying in third-person sees her stumble and fall in concern as she flees the Stalker’s imposing presence, her concern and apprehension an nearly palpable a part of the expertise. That would change as she finds her footing, seeing her turn into more and more assured, if nonetheless a bit of terrified concerning the threats she faces.
It might be the proper strategy to tie the narrative and gameplay collectively, making her the glue that brings the whole expertise right into a cohesive entire.
10. Leon’s Continued Absence
Leon’s distinguished absence from any of the brand new promotional materials solely makes us extra assured that he stands tall among the many aces that the sport is holding up its sleeve, able to spring a really welcome shock on Requiem’s gamers in some unspecified time in the future throughout its story.
The timeframe of the narrative, coupled with Alyssa’s flashback and maybe even the pistol we talked about, is both intelligent foreshadowing on the studio’s half or a fully good try at misdirection.
For our half, we’re favoring the previous over the latter.
Bonus: A Playable Demo
It’s possible that the gameplay demo that was accessible for testing at Gamescom 2025 might be made accessible to gamers in some unspecified time in the future after PAX and the Tokyo Video games Present.
Whereas we might hope that it’s considerably greater than twenty minutes and features a little extra of the sport, attending to expertise the Stalker’s pursuit for ourselves is actually one thing we need to do!
And that’s a wrap on every thing new we’ve been capable of be taught or guess about Resident Evil Requiem. It’s going to be an extended wait till February 2026, however let’s hope that the sport continues to carry us new info to sink our enamel (pun meant) into.
