It's been four years since the last mainline Resident Evil release. While 2023's Resident Evil 4 Remake did a great job of keeping fans content, there's been a growing desire among the fan-base for something completely new, and something that pushes the series' timeline forward. Resident Evil Requiem is that game.
The closing announcement in Summer Game Fest's opening ceremony, Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline installment of the long-running horror franchise. It'll see players take control of Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst sent to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at the Wrenwood Hotel, the site of her mother's death eight years prior. Thankfully, fans won't need to wait too long to uncover these secrets, as Resident Evil Requiem already has a confirmed release date of February 27, 2026. The seven months between now and then might feel like a lifetime to some, but there are plenty of relevant Resident Evil games fans should play in the meantime.
Resident Evil's Latest Announcement is Hopefully Just Testing the Waters
Capcom's newest Resident Evil announcement may not have turned many heads, but it's hopefully a sign of things to come for the franchise.
Games to Play While Waiting for Resident Evil Requiem: Resident Evil 7
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (Cloud), PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS
Part one of the Ethan Winters duology, Resident Evil 7 might not end up having many direct ties to Resident Evil Requiem's story, but it's still worth a playthrough before Requiem's release for a few key reasons. The first of which is that Resident Evil 7's director, Koshi Nakanishi, is also directing Requiem. By playing through Resident Evil 7, fans will hopefully get a good idea of Nakanishi's directorial style, and what type of mood, atmosphere, and scares they can expect to find in Resident Evil Requiem.
Playing through Resident Evil 7 will also give fans a refresher on the series' first-person gameplay systems, which are set to return again in Resident Evil Requiem.
Resident Evil 7 is also home to a collectible that references Alyssa Ashcroft, a character directly tied to Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Grace.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
Games to Play While Waiting for Resident Evil Requiem: Resident Evil 2 & 3 Remake
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (Cloud), PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS
Capcom has already confirmed that players will be heading back to the charred ruins of Raccoon City in Resident Evil Requiem. What's more is that, according to the recent batch of developer interviews during the Capcom Showcase, Requiem's title refers to the new game being a sort of "eulogy" to those who were affected by the initial Raccoon City outbreak. Resident Evil 2's Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, and Resident Evil 3's Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira are the most important characters tied to that event.
Though no cameos have been confirmed just yet, it's very likely that Resident Evil Requiem will feature references to these previous protagonists, along with featuring key landmarks and locations from those games, with the Raccoon City Police Department already appearing in Requiem's first trailer. It's also been heavily rumored that Leon Kennedy will appear as a second playable protagonist in Resident Evil Requiem, so it'd be great for players to get a refresher of his character's origin before its launch next year.
The original versions of Resident Evil 2 and 3 are worth a playthrough as well, but the remakes should have priority as Resident Evil Requiem's version of Raccoon City is more likely to draw inspiration from them than the originals.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Games to Play While Waiting for Resident Evil Requiem: Resident Evil 4 Remake
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, iOS
If Resident Evil Requiem does end up bringing Leon Kennedy back into the fold, then a playthrough of the recent Resident Evil 4 Remake might be worthwhile. Not only would fans get a refresher on Leon's post-Raccoon City adventures, they'd also get to experience the latest entry in the franchise, which Resident Evil Requiem's third-person gameplay will likely borrow from.
Resident Evil 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- March 24, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Franchise
- Resident Evil
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Games to Play While Waiting for Resident Evil Requiem: Resident Evil Outbreak
Platforms: PlayStation 2
Mentioned up top, Resident Evil Requiem's story begins with Grace Ashcroft being sent to investigate the Wrenwood Hotel, the place where her mother mysteriously died eight years before the game's events. Grace's mother is Alyssa Ashcroft, a reporter by trade and one of Resident Evil Outbreak's eight playable characters.
Released in 2004 in North America, Resident Evil Outbreak is a PS2 exclusive that saw players teaming up via online co-op and escaping from Raccoon City during the height of the T-virus outbreak. If players want to get the full picture of Grace Ashcroft's family history, they should give Resident Evil Outbreak and its sequel a go.
- Released
- March 31, 2004
- ESRB
- m // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom Production Studio 1
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- id Tech 3
