Another month, another Geoff Keighley-hosted showcase that felt like, well, more of a show rather than a momentous event. Such was Gamescom Opening Night Live, kicking off the four-day trade fair, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have some pretty big announcements or trailers. Off the top of my head, Ghost of Yōtei Legends, Silent Hill f, Ninja Gaiden 4, and, of course, Hollow Knight: Silksong made some of the biggest impressions. Then there’s Resident Evil Requiem, which felt more like a smaller piece of reveals to come.
The “exclusive new look,” as Keighley hyped it up to be, was a blast from the past – a look at Grace Ashcroft when she was younger. It starts with Alyssa Ashcroft, her mother, returning from what’s doubtless a long day of work (which Grace herself indicates with no small amount of frustration). The latter types away on her computer like, and let’s not mince words, a nerd, asking for her mother’s hand but also pulling it away when told to get some sleep. But then the phone rings, inquiring about a “Ms. Ashcroft” – not Mrs., which is interesting in its own right.
Grace answers with a simple, “Yes?” before the caller hangs up. She then relays the news to Alyssa, who’s already looking out the window into the rain and softly exclaims, “They’re coming.” At that point, it becomes clear – this isn’t just a look back on a moment between mother and daughter. It’s the Wrenwood Hotel, and the night that Alyssa is murdered, an event that left Grace traumatized.
Following a power outage, the two exit their room with Grace saying there’s no time to explain while pulling out a gun. They encounter the building manager downstairs after a short jump (during which players control Grace). A man in a hood pops up from behind and murders him. There are traces of blood leaking from their eyes, bloody teeth, and indications of either an infection or something else taking over. Above all else, the calculated and cold-hearted manner in which they kill the manager.
One thing that strikes me about this scene, which we’ve seen before: Why put a plastic bag over his head, only to slice his throat immediately after? To muffle any sound that he could have made, sure, but who else would he have called out to, leaving aside the already-present Grace and Alyssa? Perhaps other guests in the hotel, but maybe the killer didn’t want him making any noise that would indicate the location of the latter.
We then cut to the two entering a room as Alyssa helps calm her daughter’s breathing. Grace tells her how much she’s scared and that they left their stuff behind. Despite Alyssa saying they can come back for it later, Grace steps towards an exit and turns around, only for a familiar-looking silhouetted knife – perhaps belonging to the assailant from earlier – suddenly appearing. Alyssa’s fate is left unknown, but judging by Grace’s expression, this is the moment of her murder.
Before this, however, Alyssa promises Grace that she’ll explain “all of this” to her, “one of these days,” and adds, “Please know, you are my hope,” and to “Never forget that.” They exchange “I love yous” before Alyssa’s supposed demise.
Yes, it’s not a whole lot to go off on, and that’s more than intentional. It feels like some gaps are meant to be filled out by impressions and additional footage, which leaker AestheticGamer says is due soon. However, even if we see more gameplay from this specific flashback, it may not provide all the answers. AestheticGamer alleges that this isn’t even the beginning hours and that much of what we’ve seen of Requiem is from “roughly the first 30-45 minutes.” They compared it to Ethan’s home from the beginning of Resident Evil Village and the forest trail that leads to the actual village (with a few bits of the location thrown in). Long story short, this is a very, very small part of the overall experience thus far.
And yet, there are more than a few solid theories. Alyssa fiddling with a bag before leaving their room, perhaps to remove the handgun from it; Grace freaking out about not having any of their stuff; and most importantly, the anonymous phone call confirming the Ashcrofts’ location all point to signs of them being on the run. Perhaps Alyssa arranged for this as a sort of business trip, which would explain Grace’s annoyance at her mother’s prolonged absence due to work. But really, it’s because something or someone is after Alyssa because of whatever she’s looking into.
Perhaps the biggest question, one which persisted since the very first trailer reveal: How did Grace survive? Whatever is after her mother would have no trouble catching up with her (and probably isn’t even alone). Did they let her go intentionally? Or is there something about Grace that warrants leaving her alive? Is it possible that someone intervened on her behalf and saved her? Rumors indicate that Grace’s blood is important, which would explain that scene where she’s strapped to a hospital gurney with an IV tube.
What if Alyssa’s investigation revealed something regarding Grace, and she’s on the run to protect her? After all, if it was Alyssa that they were after, why not leave Grace somewhere safe? You would think the former is connected well enough to do so, but then again, perhaps the severity of her findings means she can’t trust anyone. Maybe her reason for not telling Grace anything is that she’s waiting for something or someone.
Outside of the trauma of seeing her mother murdered in front of her, this trailer also further feeds into the themes of light and darkness. Grace has an attack of sorts, and while there’s any number of reasons for the same – stress, asthma, panic, all three combined – perhaps being in the darkness is what triggers it. Her struggle to make peace with the entire incident and potentially blaming herself is obvious.
Would her mother have lived if she hadn’t picked up the phone and confirmed it was Ms. Ashcroft speaking? Perhaps if she didn’t make a big deal about wanting their stuff? Her goal for joining the FBI was to discover who killed Alyssa (thus becoming her mother’s hope). However, the memory of the murder is undoubtedly a severe mental block that she’ll need to overcome, especially if the identity of the giant stalker in the present day is true.
Of course, there’s a lot more to theorize, such as how this incident connects to Raccoon City, the ruins of which players will return to in the present day. How this all allegedly ties into Umbrella – and somehow, it always seems to – is another big question. There’s this feeling that every important player in the Raccoon City incident (and their descendants) is funneled back to where it all began. To what end ultimately remains to be seen, but as much as it seems like the developer is finally ending the long-running saga, we’re curious about where it could go from here.
Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and even with all the rumors, theories and trailers, it barely feels like we’ve scratched the surface of what’s going on. And as much as I’m looking forward to actually witnessing first-hand how all of this comes together, the anticipation, the rummaging for clues and potential answers is something that remains as endearing as ever.
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.
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.