Resident Evil Requiem: Why Capcom’s return to a split horror/action structure matters for current‑gen players

Resident Evil Requiem arrives as another example of Capcom leaning into reliable formulas on Xbox Series X|S, with a clear split between slow-burn horror and action‑heavy play. That split shapes pacing, player expectations, and who will feel the game’s strengths first: players who favor tense, exploration-led sections or those who prefer fast, weaponized combat. The balance here decides whether Requiem reads as a greatest‑hits tribute or a mismatched collage.

Resident Evil Requiem’s design choice: why the dual lead matters now

Capcom’s decision to divide the experience between Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy creates an intentional cadence shift across the game. Grace’s sections are described as darker, tighter, and built around tense encounters; Leon’s are broader, action-forward, and engineered to keep momentum high. For players who judge modern entries on pacing and variety, that structural choice is the defining change Requiem brings to the current generation.

How Grace and Leon shape play (embedded detail, not step-by-step)

Grace Ashcroft’s passages lean into classic exploration and creeping dread, though they reportedly fall short of the most unsettling entries in the series. Her largest playable sequence puts her escaping the Rhodes Hill clinic while seeking a trio of relics; that area evokes strong Racoon Police Department vibes from the Resident Evil 2 remake, emphasizing creeping, backtracking exploration. Grace’s voice actor, Angela Sant'Albano, is called out for delivering a convincing performance.

Leon Kennedy dominates roughly half the runtime. Those sections pivot to an action-first approach, compared directly to the Resident Evil 4 remake in tone and tempo. Leon is portrayed as older, smarter and more battle-hardened; he’s equipped with shotguns and snipers and described with a colorful simile about a boot more in-sync with an opponent’s chin than Shawn Michaels’—a detail meant to underline how forceful his combat feels. The alternating segments are said to create strong pacing, with Leon’s appearances preventing the experience from feeling too slow.

Across both threads, the overall impression is that Requiem functions like a 'greatest hits' compilation of franchise strengths: Capcom is handling multiple approaches and, in this view, mastering them. The narrative side is treated as standard franchise fare—escaping ludicrous villains, discovering strange biohazards and overcoming impossible odds—while deeper series lore may have more to offer dedicated fans. The reviewer’s closing line cuts off mid-sentence after noting they are "mostly here for the fantastic mix of"—unclear in the provided context.

Side items in the context pool: a brief performance note and an odd title

• There is a separate, standalone title in the material called "Client Challenge"—the context provides that title but no additional text.
• A short performance note included in the material says the process "should only take a few seconds, " and invites readers to get in touch if they encounter issues so problems can be learned about. The statement reads as a brief user-facing troubleshooting prompt.

Quick Q&A — concise signals for players

• Q: Who will enjoy Resident Evil Requiem most? A: Players who like a mix of exploration-led horror and set‑piece action will find the split design appealing.
• Q: Does the game favor one playstyle over another? A: The balance tilts between Grace’s tighter horror beats and Leon’s action — roughly half the experience plays as Leon.
• Q: Is the story required reading for newcomers? A: The narrative is serviceable as a standalone; players invested in deeper lore may extract more, while others can treat it as a self-contained experience.

Here’s the part that matters: the structural choice to split the game between two contrasting protagonists changes how individual sections are judged. If you prefer creeping exploration, Grace’s clinic segment and its R. P. D. echoes will be the highlight; if you favor empowered combat, Leon’s half will likely be most satisfying.

What’s easy to miss is how much this split functions as a deliberate attempt to please different parts of the fanbase at once—an editorial balancing act that can feel like mastery or compromise depending on the player.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up, it’s because pacing and protagonist identity determine the perceived success of a series entry more than isolated technical or narrative beats. The material here emphasizes design and player experience rather than technical specifics, and some finishing remarks in the original review are incomplete—unclear in the provided context.