Resident Evil 9 Requiem Review
Requiem combines the first person horror elements of Resident Evil 7 with the third person combat mechanics from the latest Remakes to create a game that functions as a Greatest Hits collection of franchise content.
Resident Evil 9 Requiem represents an ambitious venture which attempts to solve the franchises ongoing identity dilemma. The game combines the confined first person survival horror experience of Resident Evil 7 and Village with the refined third person gameplay from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 remakes. The result A medley that delivers everything fans want, serving as a massive victory lap for the series as it approaches its 30th anniversary.
The game divides its storytelling and gameplay between the two main characters Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy. The game offers two distinct gameplay experiences through its combination of dual character gameplay.
The Grace Sections Grace is an FBI agent sent to the Renwood Hotel the ominous site where her mother was murdered eight years ago. The game begins with first person view but players must follow traditional survival horror gameplay. The environment creates three types of spaces which include slow moving tight areas that develop into tense situations. You are exploring tight spaces, solving intricate puzzles, managing a limited inventory, and hiding from terrifying enemies, including a standout singing zombie in a wedding dress that is destined to become a horror icon.
Grace is not defenseless because she possesses combat abilities. She uses firearms and knives for combat but her special ability requires her to use a Blood Crafting System. She uses a special blood collector to gather fluids which she uses to create new items and upgrades. She needs to find syringes which will enhance her health and accuracy and firepower while collecting inventory expansion pouches from her surroundings.
The Leon Sections Switching to Leon provides immediate catharsis. Leon’s combat sections continue the story from Resident Evil 4 Remake through third person gameplay which allows character perspective switching in the settings. The character now exists in his 50s but he maintains his status as an exceptional fighter. The combat system features heavy action elements which include his iconic roundhouse kicks that now work based on enemy positioning (e.g., kicking enemies into walls to stun them).
Leon has received a new tactical axe as his latest equipment. The combat knife has been replaced by this weapon which developers acknowledge to have excessive power. You can swing it for melee, use it to parry attacks, and deliver brutal finishing blows to stunned enemies. The item requires sharpening (reloading) but it allows for an infinite number of uses. His progression system follows the same pattern as RE4 because players use currency to obtain new weapons which they can improve through weapon upgrades including keychains that provide stat enhancements however the game lacks any mysterious merchant character.
Leon’s search for Victor Gideon intersects with Grace’s investigation into her mother’s murder. Some people consider the plot to be a nothing burger which leads to repetitive storytelling until the conclusion but the plot functions as a solid foundation for gameplay. The pacing stands as the series best because it skillfully balances between Grace’s terrifying segments and Leon’s high energy action sequences.
The game depends on its lore as a critical element. Players who have not experienced earlier games will find this entry to be an unsuitable starting point. The content includes self referential elements which please fans while needing players to show interest toward established characters. Leon's appearance as an older character provides emotional weight for dedicated fans since it shows the time gap from his initial Raccoon City appearance.
The RE Engine's current version delivers the game with outstanding graphical quality which displays intricate visual elements throughout small spaces and narrow streets. Performance testing was conducted on PC systems and PS5 Pro and Nintendo Switch 2 platforms.
PC Performance Deep Dive
The RE Engine maintains its scalable capabilities while Ray Tracing (RT) and Path Tracing create significant VRAM requirements.
- RTX 5090 The beast of the generation. The system achieves over 60 frames per second at 4K Native with Maximum Settings that disable Path Tracing. The game becomes unplayable at 4K Native Path Tracing because it drops below 30 frames per second. The game becomes playable at 80 frames per second after activating DLSS Quality.
- RTX 5070 (12GB) Handles 1440p Native at over 100 FPS comfortably. The High Ray Tracing setting creates VRAM alerts which the system handles without losing performance. Players must activate DLSS technology to experience Path tracing at playable levels.
- RTX 5060 Ti (8GB) The system needs more VRAM than it currently possesses. The system experiences extreme stuttering during maximum settings. Textures must be lowered to get a smooth experience.
- RX 9070 A rasterization monster. The system achieves more than 160 frames per second at 1440p Maximum settings which disable RT. FSR 4 provides essential support to users who wish to activate standard Ray Tracing.
- RTX 3060 The budget king still holds on. The system achieves 80 frames per second with DLSS at 1440p Performance, while Path Tracing remains completely unavailable.
Note Path Tracing will automatically enable DLSS Performance mode during system restart which creates an undesirable system behavior.
Console Performance
PS5 Pro The console provides reliable 4K 60FPS performance with Ray Tracing technology activated. The image quality displays sharp details with only minor texture flickering issues appearing on rare surfaces.
Nintendo Switch 2 A surprisingly competent port. The game achieves 45 60 frames per second. The system maintains its performance through dynamic resolution and AI upscaling which creates visible hair texture improvements to its handheld mode.
Resident Evil 9 has received positive feedback yet its developers chose to maintain their established formula. The game refrains from taking the major risks which RE7 and Village introduced. The project reuses previous materials through asset reuse and animation reuse, which includes the partial recreation of a boss battle structure that appeared in the remakes. The marketing materials create excitement about the Return to Raccoon City portion, but the actual content fails to deliver enough narrative value from that environment.
The technical process requires proper VRAM management because it functions as a crucial element. 8GB cards will stutter at high settings, and the game’s Path Tracing mode is incredibly demanding, essentially requiring frame generation or heavy upscaling even on top tier hardware.
Pros
- The game creates excellent pacing through its horror scenes (Grace) and action sequences (Leon).
- RE Engine provides extraordinary visual effects with Path Tracing standing out as the best feature.
- The combat mechanics of Leon (Axe, Parries) provide players with deep satisfaction.
- The game offers high replayability through its unlockable content and weapon upgrade system.
- The system provides exceptional performance optimization for all types of hardware from Switch 2 to 5090.
- The sound design creates tension through both sound effects and complete silence.
Cons
- The story serves as a nothing burger because it requires players to have prior knowledge about the lore.
- The project reuses previous materials through asset reuse and animation reuse from the earlier Remakes.
- The game experiences performance drops on 8GB GPUs due to its high VRAM requirements.
- Leon receives more character focus within the story than Grace does.
- The game provides a challenging entry point for players who are new to the series.
Resident Evil 9 Requiem creates an excellent rhythm through its diverse content. Capcom has developed a fan package that incorporates both Resident Evil gameplay styles from two different eras. The experience delivers frightful moments while providing intense action sequences and outstanding visual effects. The game remake relies on established concepts and nostalgic elements but its execution remains at such a high level that players will not find anything to criticize. The game provides enjoyable experiences, from Grace's stealth through Renwood Hotel to Leon's roundhouse kicks against zombies. The event celebrates thirty years of survival horror.
Pc Version Tested.
