In the movie Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero, the zombie is no longer a simple monster, but an extreme symbol of the consumerism and greed typical of capitalist society. An avant-garde vision for the time – it was 1978 – enough to influence future generations of creatives. Among them is Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil. Starting from the first chapter of 1996 on PlayStation, the series translates Romero’s anti-capitalist vision into a video game key: the real evil is not the flesh-hungry zombie, but the hubris of the human being. The symbol of this criticism within the game is a multinational company, the Umbrella Corporationofficially a pharmaceutical company which however carries out horrible experiments against all ethics and laws. It is up to us, through heroic alter egos, to try to bring justice and truth, surviving the horror.
Thirty years after that first chapter, the series has changed many souls, also thanks to Mikami’s abandonment after Resident Evil 4. We have therefore witnessed the spectacular action of chapters 5 and 6, the visual and directorial revolutions of 7 and Village, the modernization of the historical chapters through remakes. Now, with Resident Evil Requiemthe question arises spontaneously: which soul chooses to embrace Capcom’s cult series? After trying it in preview, we can say that the new chapter does not choose a specific one, but merges them. But first a little context.
The double soul of Resident Evil Requiem
Unpublished protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem is Grace AshcroftFBI agent. She is a young woman with a traumatic past: her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, was killed due to her investigations against powerful people. In fact, Alyssa was a prestigious reporter, known in Outbreak, the 2004 chapter. Now Grace must return to where the nightmare began to shed light on some disturbing disappearances. From the first moments of the game, several details emerge that highlight his profound fragility: During the walk, Grace breathes heavily, her shoulders clench due to the tension. In the cutscenes, however, we witness frequent panic attacks, stuttered words, baths of sweat that bead on skin and clothes. The result is an insecure and deeply human protagonist, which it sharpens the empathy towards him but also the anxiety of playing in his shoes.
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To reinforce all this first-person viewwhich however is not mandatory. Resident Evil Requiem in fact allows you to switch from first to third person at any time via the game menu. A possibility introduced following the feedback received after Resident Evil 7 and Village: the game director, Koshi Nakanishitold the specialized press that many users were unable to complete the two titles mentioned, if not even start them, due to the tension resulting from the first-person view, which transforms the horror in a certain sense more tangible. Hence the choice to make Requiem more accessible through the change of view.
Yet, to fully enjoy Grace’s sensations, the first person is the recommended one. This is because, despite being an FBI agent, she is still a novice. He has a gun, but ammunition is always in short supply, and the places he will find himself exploring are full of zombies and ravenous monsters, some with macabre reasoning. An example would be the butcher armed with a cleaver looking for fresh meat. Then there are minor monsters who are not afraid of ambushing, following us, attacking us with improvised weapons.
In short, we live in constant tension, which most of the time forces us to go around enemies rather than face them. And this is where the strong survival horror component of Resident Evil comes to life. In this sense, the lack of resources does not only involve weapons and treatments, but also rescues. Just like in the first chapters for PlayStation, also in Requiem it is necessary to find or create ink in order to save your progress with the now familiar typewriter.
A nostalgic gimmick, aimed at first-time players, which can also be selected at the start of the game according to your preferences. Alongside the survival component, there is also the puzzle component, which will lead us to explore rooms and corridors in search of keys and passwords to unlock otherwise inaccessible doors. The result is a slow journey, full of anxiety – even through the fault of some jumpscare placed in a wise way – during which each step to take should be carefully chosen.
To dilute all the adrenaline accumulated with Grace, he comes to the rescue Leon S. Kennedythe hero of Resident Evil 2 and 4, co-protagonist of Requiem. Now he is a mature man, with an unkempt beard, different from the budding policeman with the helmet known in Racoon City. It seems he has contracted some type of infection that needs to be investigated. And this is why his destiny will intersect with that of Grace. The difference between the two is clear. First of all, character: Leon is bold, at times arrogant, with jokes like Han Solo from Star Wars during the most critical moments.
An approach to life that also affects playability. In his case, it is Third person view is recommendedbecause this is where Requiem presses the accelerator on the action. In fact, Leon has an important arsenal of weapons at his disposal, including a rifle, a rifle and even a chainsaw, in some cases. With him, we will start a real carnage of the undead, which not only entertains, but allows you to vent all the anguish felt in the role of Grace. An intricate plot acts as a glue between the two protagonists and their temperaments, which leaves the criticism against multinationals, and therefore against capitalism, intact.
Our opinion on Resident Evil Requiem in summary
The alternation between Grace and Leon, and therefore between two different game modes but united by the typical essence of Resident Evil, generates a truly pleasant gameplay rhythm, which also has repercussions on the settings, at times claustrophobic and labyrinthine, at times open and more exploratory. Of course, especially in the advanced part of the game we saw a certain dilution, however general feeling remains positive and engagingfor a total of approximately fifteen hours of gameplay.
To conclude, Resident Evil Requiem manages to condense the two typical souls of the franchise: the slow and anxious tension of the beginnings and the more dynamic and spectacular action of the modern chapters. In a world increasingly characterized by fear for the future and the normalization of violence and deception, Resident Evil shows once again how closely video games are linked to reality, not its opposite.
Specifically, Requiem puts us in the shoes of a fragile protagonist and then gives us back the control through actionreminding us that surviving means adapting. Added to all this is the ever-present anti-capitalist criticism, which today, after global pandemics, corporate giants more influential than individual states and political intrigues, proves more disturbing than ever.
