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Resident Evil Requiem will be the ninth mainline entry in the series, and in many ways its a culmination of the iconic survival horror series' many evolutions since its PS1 origins. Resident Evil Requiem has us playing characters new and old, with both the flair of a veteran zombie-slaying agent and the anxiety of someone caught up in a terrifying event for the first time. Taking the action back to Raccoon City, this promises to be an adventure worthy of releasing in the series' 30th anniversary. We've gone hands-on with the game for a final time ahead of its February 27, 2026 launch, and this time we've played as both Leon Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft.
Leon Kennedy, of course, is a returning fan favorite who's most recently starred in Resident Evil 2 remake and Resident Evil 4 remake. He's known as a quippy and capable agent, especially in his appearance in the fourth game, and in Requiem, that's only be dialled up all the more. Grace Ashcroft, meanwhile, may have familial connections to the series (her mother was a part of spin-off Resident Evil Outbreak), but this FBI agent is in over her head when she stumbles into an outbreak of her own. Leon and Grace are two sides of a coin, coalescing decades of game design ideology into two halves that complement one another.
Developer: In-house
Publisher: Capcom
Release date: February 27, 2026
Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X
Resident Evil: Requiem pre-orders
We've already become familiar with how anxiety-inducing Resident Evil Requiem's scariest moments can be the last time we played it. But, we couldn't resist one final hands-on ahead of the February release, especially one that allows us to play sections Leon and Grace side-by-side to give them the ultimate head-to-head. Join us below as we really dig into our final Resident Evil Requiem hands-on with Leon and Grace, and everything else you need to know about this return.
Resident Evil Requiem Previews
Hands-on with Leon in Resident Evil Requiem: Playing as Leon S. Kennedy feels like a direct evolution of Resident Evil 4 remake. Taking control of this veteran agent, his sections are full of bloody action as he effortlessly fights through hordes of infected. But, more than a retread, you really feel how Leon has become even more experienced since the last time we met him. His gunplay packs plenty of impact, and he's able to tear enemies limb from limb with just melee weapons (slay a foe with a chainsaw, and now Leon will even allow himself the pleasure of picking it up for once). Leon's action hero antics can feel like a wonderful breather after dealing with Grace's tenser and more demanding parts. Leon can even move through some of the same areas, easily turning foes that hounded Grace into mush without breaking a sweat.
Hands-on with Grace in Resident Evil Requiem: She might be an FBI investigator, but compared to Leon, Grace Ashcroft just doesn't have the experience dealing with infected zombies hungry for flesh. In comparison, she's much more vulnerable and consequentially must be much sneakier to survive. In what we play, staying quiet and aware of surrounding threats is vital to staying alive as Grace, whether that's baiting a light-switch obsessed zombie to move by clicking a different switch, or dodging around a nasty chef-like infected. While Leon gifts her a huge handgun early on, ammo is very scarce and in first-person you can feel her struggle to even lift the thing. Her gun is less a tool for combat than it is a last-ditch defensive measure to give her just enough time to sprint away, panting and heavy breathing as she does so.
Dive Deeper into Resident Evil
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Resident Evil dual gameplay explained: Capcom talks dual protagonists, turning the terror up to 11, and the impact of using two different approaches to telling the same story.
How Resident Evil Requiem can tie decades of lore together: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, can this story-rich series make it all make sense? Now's the best time to give it a go.
The scariest Resident Evil yet? During an earlier look at Requiem, we found that just 30 minutes was all we needed to get the fear. This is shaping up to be a truly terrifying taste of horror.
The best Resident Evil games of all time: With 30 years of mainline entries and legions of spin-offs, we count down our favorite entries in the iconic series, from PS1 all the way up to modern day.
The evolution of Resident Evil's combat: From pure survival horror inventory management to action packed co-op adventure, Resident Evil has done it all while keeping it horror.
The making of Resident Evil 4: In many ways, Requiem feels like a real successor to the fourth game, which reimagined the PS1 survival horror formula into legendary action horror.
The ultimate guide to the Resident Evil games: New to the king of survival horror? We break down just why the series has become so revered over the years, and where to get started.
Latest Resident Evil Requiem gameplay
New Resident Evil Requiem Screenshots
Seeing Leon's finishers in Resident Evil Requiem has pushed me to replay the series' most misunderstood title. Resident Evil Requiem releases February 27, 2026 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
