Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi has spoken about the title feeling “almost like an upgrade” to Resident Evil 2, leaning closer to survival horror than Village or Resident Evil 4. That logic also applies to the boss battles, which encourage players to “overcome obstacles using their wits,” similar to the first two games in the series.
“Of course, there will be boss battles,” he told Automaton-Media. “However, rather than defeating enemies in a flashy manner as you progress through the game, like in games that emphasize gun shooting action, the style is more like Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2, where players expand their exploration area in a closed space and overcome obstacles using their wits.”
It’s in line with the growth of protagonist Grace Ashcroft, who goes from being scared of her predicament to eventually fighting back. “One thing that’s so appealing about the Resident Evil series is that characters who are initially terrified grow stronger as they gain experience in extreme situations. Grace is scared at first, but the situation eventually causes her to snap, and she becomes able to fight her enemies.
“Being able to experience this process of growth together with the protagonist is one of the highlights of the game,” said Nakanishi. Interestingly, he mentions that knives will allow for “new ways” to take down threats.
Of course, there are rumors of Leon S. Kennedy, who is playable and seemingly offers larger gameplay gameplay areas compared to Grace. However, these are also allegedly more grounded and horrifying than his previous stints. With how wild previous games’ bosses have been, it should be interesting to see how they turn out in the sequel.
Resident Evil Requiem is out on February 27th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. It’s arriving to celebrate the series’ 40th anniversary with Resident Evil 7: biohazard and Resident Evil Village out on the same day for Switch 2 players.