Resident Evil 9 Requiem (2026 Complete Review).

Review After Two Full Playthroughs:

After playing Resident Evil Requiem again on my couch at 2am last week, my body has decided this franchise deserves special “no sleep” privileges. Due to my impatience, I rushed through some parts when I first played it in February. With a clearer head, I realized how much I missed the first time months later.

The time between my two playthroughs was ideal for a proper review, as my initial impressions and my considered assessment differed in several areas. This isn’t an “I played it once, here’s my hot take” review. This is the story, gameplay, performance, sound, and everything from living with this game for a few months.

Quick Overview Before We Dig In:

Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom’s ninth installment in the main survival horror series, released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27, 2026. Since previous entries in the series have staggered console availability, the simultaneous release across four platforms is noteworthy.

The tale follows new character FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, who investigates a frightening series of incidents, alongside returning franchise veteran Leon S. Kennedy. As their paths cross, the story moves forward, bringing players back to Raccoon City for the first time since its destruction at the end of Resident Evil 3, now reimagined with decaying, rain-heavy settings.

Story: Strong Start, Slightly Messier Finish

Since many early reviews missed this, let me say that the story is compelling for the first two-thirds of the book and loosens up by the end. Grace’s journey as an outsider trying to solve a horrific mystery works well, especially with the possibility of a first-person perspective that emphasizes her vulnerability and isolation. Leon’s plot returns to series territory, and fans will enjoy Grace’s research weaving into his development.

The back third is the shakiest. A few plot threads pushed emotional or narrative payoffs beyond the framework, and although it didn’t spoil the experience, knowing where things were going made me noticecrunch. the seams more clearly on my second playthrough.

Gameplay: The Perspective Switch Actually Works.

I approached the experience doubtful that you could flip between first-person and third-person at any time at will. That seemed more like a marketing bullet point than a true feature. I was mistaken.

Grace’s portions are organically suited to first-person exploration, and the tension that perspective brings to slow, probing moments really takes the horror up a notch. Leon’s gun-heavy scenes benefit from the switch to third-person, since you’ll have a better idea of where enemies are in a gunfight. By my second run I was jumping between perspectives mid-mission depending on what a given room or encounter called for, and the change never once felt cumbersome or disorienting.

Classic resource management is back in a major way too. Ammo and healing items are sparse in reality and take up space quickly, so be careful. In my initial playing I burnt through supplies way too early since I was firing at anything that moved from being nervous. The second time I was more intentional about what genuinely deserved a bullet, and it made a world of difference in how the tension grew naturally instead of me just running out of alternatives in the middle of a fight.

Graphics and Performance: Where This Game Genuinely Shows Off.

If you have the hardware for it, this is one of the greatest-looking horror games I have ever played. The rain-drenched, bleak streets of Raccoon City appear genuinely creepy in a manner that static screenshots can’t quite do justice for. This is the kind of setting you really gain from traveling through in real time.

On PC, Requiem supports path tracing with DLSS 4, multi-frame creation, and ray reconstruction. Because I was worried about how it would run on my mid-range RTX card, I ran it with path tracing off first and then on. The improvement in lighting depth and shadow detail (especially in Raccoon City during the rain) was enough to recommend giving it a shot if your GPU can handle it, even if you have to lower other settings.

If you’re playing on console, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S both run the game just as well, but without the path tracking bells and whistles that PC players have access to. Owners of the Switch 2 also receive a truly playable experience, albeit they don’t expect the graphic fidelity of the other systems.

Sound Design: Underrated MVP of the Whole Experience.

I don’t think enough people are commenting about how fantastic the acoustic design is here. Sound has always been something Resident Evil games have used to establish dread, with distant groans and footfall that might not be yours, but Requiem achieves something smarter with directional audio, specifically. With a good headset I could really detect the difference between a threat coming from behind me or one that was still in another room, and that made a difference in how I explored constantly.

If you are going to play this, do yourself a favor and use actual headphones instead of the TV speakers. This is one of those games where the sound design is doing half the emotional heavy lifting, and a lot of that is wasted through worse speaker configurations.

Replayability: Worth a Second Run, for Different Reasons Than You’d Expect.

I didn’t play again because I liked the ending or wanted more combat. I returned after realizing I had rushed the previous run and missed ambient details I wanted to dwell on. That’s different replay value than most action games, so know that going in.

You can still enjoy a full game experience if you rush through it once and move on. If you take your time on a second playthrough, especially during Grace’s investigations, you’ll find wonderful environmental storytelling that you might miss if you rush through the game.

How I would recommend playing this, step by step, for the best experience

So here’s the order I’d actually recommend, having done both runs:

1. Play your first run at a reasonable pace, not a rushed one. I know the temptation to speed through tense sections is real, but slowing down is where this game earns its atmosphere

2. Use headphones, not TV or laptop speakers. The directional audio design genuinely changes how you play if you can actually hear it properly.

3. Turn on path tracing if your PC can handle it, and use DLSS 4 to offset the performance cost. The visual upgrade in Raccoon City’s environments is worth the setting toggle.

4. Ration your resources deliberately rather than reactively. Don’t shoot at every noise. Save ammo for confirmed threats, and you’ll avoid the supply crunch I hit on my first playthrough

5. Save a second playthrough for after you know the story beats. Going back once you understand where the plot is headed reveals a lot of foreshadowing and detail you’ll miss going in blind.

Common Mistakes to Avoid.

• Rushing through Grace’s bits because you want more action. Her parts are written for tension, not speed, and playing them like a shooter cheapens the experience.
• Ignoring perspective-taking. Most players go back on one view out of habit and miss tactical advantages the other view offers for particular fights.
• Dismiss the role of audio. “The game is really scary, and playing without good headphones is a whole different experience.”
• Cranking all your graphics settings up to 11 without considering your hardware first. Path tracing is tough, yet it looks fantastic. Know your GPU’s capabilities before you set up options that will kill your frame rate.
• Judging the entire plot by its more ramshackle back third. The whole experience is quite good, even if the ending doesn’t exactly land as neatly as the builthe gamehad promised.

Final Verdict

I’d give this an 8.5/10. The mood, dual-protagonist structure, sound design, and brilliant perspective-switching feature make this one of the franchise’s best entries in years. The story sags at the end, and some narrative lines seem to stretch beyond the groundwork, but that’s a minor complaint about everything the game does well.

If you’re familiar with this franchise or want a horror game that earns its suspense without cheap jump scares, the experience is worth your time. Consider not playing it at 2am with all your lights off like I did twice. Try being honest. This may disrupt your sleep schedule, but it’s better.

Final Thoughts & Stay Updated

Thank you for reading our complete review of Resident Evil Requiem. We hope this guide helped you understand the game’s story, gameplay features, graphics, sound design, and overall experience.

Have questions, opinions, or your own experience with the game? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. We would love to hear your perspective.

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Last updated on July 31, 2026.