Was there ever any doubt that Resident Evil Requiem would end up as successful as it has? After launching last week following extensive praise from critics – currently an 88 Metascore based on a whopping 121 reviews – the return to Raccoon City didn’t just surpass expectations – it blew them out of the water. The concurrent player count on Steam peaked at 344,214, which is currently the highest in the series. That’s more than double that of Resident Evil 4 Remake and over triple that of Resident Evil Village.
But wait, there’s more. It’s a huge release – a far cry from Monster Hunter Wilds’ peak, sure, yet consider their reception. While the latter has been plagued by numerous issues since launch, which have reflected in sales and user reviews over the past year, Resident Evil Requiem is currently rated “Overwhelmingly Positive,” with 96 percent of nearly 22,000 users giving it the thumbs-up.
As if it wasn’t basking in enough glory already, sales numbers have also been announced – over five million copies within the first week. The record set by the infamous Resident Evil 6 – which shipped 4.5 million in its first day – has somewhat been beaten (and the fact that it’s confirmed sales is all the better).
And if that’s not enough, Requiem also currently has a Metacritic user score of 9.5. Not only does that beat out the likes of Clair Obscur, Metal Gear Solid, The Witcher 3 and Silent Hill 2, but it also finally unseated Disney Cory in the House. How long will that last? Who can say? Regardless, it’s yet another accolade.
So what is it about the game? Why are so many people addicted? Granted, the hype around it has been unreal – over a million wishlists just a few weeks after the first trailer is nothing to scoff at. But beyond Leon’s dashing looks, what is it about the game that has people so head over heels?
For starters, the very premise. After all these decades, the only time we’ve been back to Raccoon City is in Resident Evil 3 Remake, and even then, that doesn’t represent its current state. We’re finally seeing what it’s like in the present day, and to the development team’s credit, it didn’t skimp out on anything. Rather than simply presenting it as a series of linear sections, your first introduction is actually very semi-open-world-ish. Some places are locked off, but after the harrowing first boss – if you can call it that – you’re let loose to truly explore.
In classic Resident Evil fashion, there’s plenty of item hunting, but you have some freedom in deciding how to acquire these things. And even if its grayscale ruins can be very depressing – as they should be, given the horrors that unfolded – they’re far from abandoned. Zombies are still present and have a few new tricks, outright tossing rebar at Leon from afar. The level design also facilitates different kinds of situations, whether you’re sneaking through the parking garage and assassinating zombies, desperately fighting in the Sewage Facility against a new enemy, or navigating a tower, taking care not to fall through the glass.
And that’s before you even get to the highway. Or Raccoon Police Department.
Of course, Requiem isn’t sold on Raccoon City alone – look no further than the first Act in the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, which seamlessly bounces back and forth between Leon and Grace. It’s not even a case of experiencing the classic survival horror in one section while going chainsaw massacre against zombies in another. Playing cautiously and avoiding fights with Grace is a tactical decision because, beyond conserving ammunition, you can be assured that Leon will take care of those same enemies later. However, Grace is the only one who can craft Hemolytic Injectors for instantly taking down zombies and preventing them from mutating, which means Leon wastes less ammo and has less to worry about during his side.
And just like Raccoon City, there’s no shortage of cool moments, whether it’s encounters against The Girl, the new stalker, or venturing ever deeper into the Care Center’s basement and water treatment plant to unearth the awaiting horrors. All of it works in tandem with the overarching mystery of Elpis and what Grace’s connection to it is. Comparatively, the secret of Raccoon City and Leon racing against time to learn more about Elpis while dealing with Raccoon City Syndrome creates a similar urge to keep pushing through.
Frankly, I could go on about the attention to detail in the game – the secrets, the callbacks, the shocking returns and so on. But perhaps the biggest reason why players are so addicted to Resident Evil Requiem is that, just like Village, Resident Evil 2 Remake, biohazard, and Resident Evil 4 Remake, its gameplay is just sublime.
From scavenging for blood for crafting as Grace to using Leon’s hatchet to parry attacks and chop up zombies, the new additions are great and naturally slot into the existing gameplay loop. But alongside the gunplay and movement, and how naturally responsive they feel, the development team deserves extra credit for slotting two different perspectives into the game. It’s not simply a matter of setting the camera differently and calling it a day. Both perspectives would have been painstakingly optimized for each character and their actions, besides taking the level design into account.
The results are worth it, though, and even encourage replay value. What’s it like to play through entirely as Leon in first-person, replicating the final act of Resident Evil Village? How much more immersive would Raccoon City be if you were experiencing everything through his eyes? For that matter, how much more would you empathize with Grace while playing through third-person? How much scarier would her situation come across when you can see her disturbed facial expressions and awkward animations as she fights against her fear?
Now throw in the usual unlockable content that every Resident Evil has to offer, from an unbreakable knife to new Charms. Want to simply tear through the game with unlimited ammo and a charm that causes all handgun bullets to penetrate enemies? How about a charm that will increase your firepower the longer it stays in your inventory? You could even attempt challenge runs by mixing and matching these aspects, going through the entire campaign with Leon’s hatchet but taking advantage of infinite durability.
Of course, unlocking all of these requires earning Challenge Points, which means completing various types of challenges, pushing you back into the nightmare again and again. Except the first playthrough already gives enough Points to unlock some new weapons, keeping things fresh.
And hey, if you want the classic Resident Evil experience, Ink Ribbons and all, Standard Difficulty (Classic) is always there. Conversely, venture into Insanity to truly push your skills to the limit.
Any new Resident Evil title is subject to the same hype cycle as every major new release. Over time, we’ll move on to the next big thing, whether it’s Crimson Desert, Saros, Pragmata, and so on. But those moments stay with us. An excellent Resident Evil title is one that you want to keep revisiting, even if there are still so many questions to ask (and which may not be answered for who knows how many years). In that regard, Requiem is a fantastic addition to the series that will remain with us, even if we aren’t always thinking about it, not unlike Raccoon City Syndrome. Barring the horrifying symptoms, of course.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
Resident Evil Requiem Is Hooking Millions of Players – Here’s Why
Source: Buzz Trends Updates
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