Resident Evil Requiem Review: Resident Evil 9 Launches With Dual-Protagonist Horror and a Spoiler Storm

Resident Evil Requiem, the long-anticipated next chapter commonly referred to as Resident Evil 9, is arriving with big expectations and even bigger pressure. The new mainline entry expands the franchise’s modern survival-horror formula with a dual-protagonist structure, a heavy return-to-roots atmosphere, and a launch week dominated by leaks, takedowns, and spoiler avoidance strategies across the gaming community.

For players in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, the rollout is happening on a tight schedule with staggered unlock behavior depending on platform, while early impressions point to a confident—if sometimes cautious—evolution of the series.

Resident Evil Requiem Review: Two Play Styles, One Core Identity

This Resident Evil Requiem review centers on the game’s most defining design choice: two distinct playable perspectives that shape how fear is delivered. One route leans into methodical investigation and puzzle-forward pacing, emphasizing limited resources, close-quarters tension, and environmental unease. The other path plays more like a classic franchise “specialist,” pushing tougher encounters, more dynamic firefights, and higher-pressure set pieces.

The result is a campaign that feels more flexible than recent entries. Players who want slow-burn dread get long stretches of exploration and mounting anxiety; players who prefer sharper combat tempo still get moments of release without the game tipping fully into action-first territory. The tonal balance is the headline achievement: Resident Evil Requiem manages to feel modern without abandoning the franchise’s vulnerability-driven DNA.

Resident Evil 9 Launch Timing in ET for US, UK, Canada, and Australia

Resident Evil 9 is releasing with a mix of “midnight local” console unlocks and a more synchronized PC unlock approach, creating different “first playable” moments depending on where you live. Below is a simplified snapshot of what that looks like when translated into Eastern Time (ET).

The practical takeaway: console players in different time zones may see Resident Evil Requiem unlock earlier or later on the ET clock, while PC players are more likely to hit a single shared start moment.

Spoilers, Leaks, and Launch-Week Damage Control

The biggest non-gameplay story around Resident Evil Requiem is the leak situation. Pre-release material circulated widely enough that spoiler management has become part of the launch ritual, with fans actively warning each other away from comment sections, search suggestions, and auto-playing clips.

The developer has publicly urged restraint around story reveals and signaled aggressive takedown activity. That has created a tense split in the community: excitement for a new mainline entry, paired with anxiety that narrative beats could be spoiled before players even start.

Adding fuel to the moment, a high-profile review dispute broke out when a major review aggregator removed a questionable review flagged for inauthenticity. In a year where AI-generated content is increasingly hard to spot, the incident has become a flashpoint for how games coverage is vetted—especially during launch windows when traffic, hype, and misinformation collide.

Performance and Presentation: RE Engine Still Sets the Mood

From early hands-on impressions, the visual and audio presentation is a standout. Lighting and shadow work do much of the horror heavy lifting, with narrow sightlines, flickering sources, and deep blacks creating consistent dread. Sound design remains a franchise weapon: distant movement, subtle environmental creaks, and sudden spatial cues are used to unsettle rather than overwhelm.

Performance appears strong across current-gen hardware, with a notable spotlight on the handheld experience for Switch 2, where optimization has become a talking point. The game’s overall approach favors clarity and responsiveness—important in a title where a missed shot or a wasted heal can spiral into panic fast.

Verdict So Far: A Strong Entry That Plays It Safe in Smart Ways

So where does this Resident Evil Requiem review land for Resident Evil 9? The early read is that it’s a high-quality, well-directed mainline sequel that prioritizes atmosphere, structured pacing, and flexible player experience over risky reinvention.

Some fans may want bolder departures, but the game’s discipline is part of its appeal. The dual-protagonist setup adds variety without breaking cohesion, the horror cadence is more deliberate than bombastic, and the presentation is built to support tension at every step.

With spoiler concerns still dominating launch-day conversation, the best experience may come from going in as blind as possible. For many, Resident Evil Requiem looks poised to be one of the franchise’s most polished modern entries—and a strong case for why Resident Evil 9 still matters in 2026’s crowded blockbuster calendar.