Capcom brought the scares to New York Comic Con this year with a trial of the upcoming ninth installment to the Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil Requiem.
Attendees were granted 15-minute time slots to test out the new game, and during my window, I was not the only one jumping straight out of my skin with a shriek. The latest chapter in the RE world does justice to the horror the franchise is known for. As you walk through the dark in first-person point of view with not even a flashlight, your nerves are already fraying within the opening moments, and whether you’re expecting it or not, it doesn’t matter. It still gets you.
The graphics are (horrifyingly) stunning, and they’re leaning into the upgrade. Capcom is well aware they’ve stepped it up, and they’re using it to their advantage. They’ll make you sick to your stomach (which is likely already in knots) and have you wishing for “one of these f**king light switches to work.” From facial features, lolling blood, and the eerie environment around you, everything in Requiem is elevated to a more realistic level. Personally, that always helps me immerse further into the game, and Capcom has done well to bring these characters and their world to life on the screen.
Grace Ashcroft is who you begin the game as, whether that’s true for the entire story remains to be seen. The controls are simple enough, although we weren’t able to even breach the surface of what the game entails. It maintains the classic Resident Evil item pick-up, and it’s got you looking for old-fashioned, fancy keys right off the bat. All-in-all, there was no mistake that I had been transported back to Raccoon City, even though I was hanging out with (as?) a new character. One whose personality seems to be a stark difference from many of our other heroes.
Requiem is gearing up to be a fantastic and chilling new adventure within the Resident Evil universe. I may have died often in my trial, but I thoroughly enjoyed every brutal fatality. (I did peek around to make sure I wasn’t the only one dying, and I am thrilled to report I was not.)
Oh, and I hope you liked being chased around the Raccoon City Police Department by Mr. X. Not for, like, any particular reason or anything…
Resident Evil Requiem releases on February 27, 2026 on PS5, Steam, Switch 2, and XSX.
