First Impressions: ‘Resident Evil Requiem’ Leads With A New Kind of Protagonist

CAPCOM’s next entry in the Resident Evil franchise feels like a homecoming in more ways than one. The ninth mainline title in the horror-survival franchise, Resident Evil Requiem brings players back to the missile-torn ruins of Raccoon City. Following a new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, the game’s narrative centers around the mysterious circumstances of her mother’s death while tying back to the first zombie outbreak in 1998.

At gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show last month, we had the opportunity to experience a 30-minute preview ahead of its release on February 27th, 2026. The demo dropped us straight into peril as Grace Ashcroft goes through great pains to escape her confines, only to be faced with a hulking Baba Yaga creature with an appetite for human flesh.

The Resident Evil series has leaned heavier on action in recent entries, but there seems to be a palpable tone shift with Resident Evil Requiem. Grace Ashcroft may be an FBI agent, but she isn’t combat trained like the other protagonists. She panics when she sees dead bodies, trips and falls while running, and only has a trusty lighter to guide her way. For a horror series that has started to lose the ability to scare, this hard pivot back to its survival-horror roots is a breath of fresh air.

While it is easy to predict players becoming frustrated with Grace Ashcroft — not unlike the adverse reactions to Ashley Graham in Resident Evil 4 — this evolution in protagonist is a necessary step forward for the franchise. It’s time to admit that the silent soldier archetype does nothing for fear factor. What sold me on the horror in Resident Evil Requiem, even more than the atmosphere and monster design, was the shaky voice and occasional choked sobs from Jeannie Tirado’s vocal performance as Grace.

“In previous Resident Evil titles, protagonists were often portrayed as confident and capable characters. With Requiem, we wanted to return the spotlight to pure horror and to make players truly feel fear. That’s why we created Grace, a character who begins her journey terrified and gradually learns to face her fears. Through her growth, players experience that same evolution, growing stronger alongside her amid the terror,” shares producer Masato Kumazawa and director Koshi Nakanishi.

Combining learnings from previous titles, Resident Evil Requiem will allow players to freely swap between first and third-person perspective to suit individual playstyles. When asked if there was a preference between camera styles, producer Masato Kumazawa and director Koshi Nakanishi had this to share:

“First-person makes the experience more intense and terrifying, while third-person softens the fear a little, making the game more approachable for players who find it too scary.We had already experimented with this in Resident Evil Village through additional DLC, so implementing it in Requiem wasn’t a major technical challenge.”

“In Requiem third-person view, you’ll actually see Grace. Her fear, her panic, even the way she runs or trips when terrified. These details were intentionally added to strengthen the emotional connection between the player and the character.”

Personally, I have to admit to a significant third-person perspective bias. If you can put up with the slight clunkiness that comes with navigating narrow corridors and small rooms in third-person, I found that Grace’s character animations adds a great deal to immersion, while watching her character move through the environment makes the experience feel more cinematic overall.

Either way, the demo has given me more than enough to look forward to when Resident Evil Requiem drops on February 27th, 2026.

Read our full interview with Resident Evil Requiem producer Masato Kumazawa and director Koshi Nakanishi here.