Resident Evil Requiem Showcase: How Grace’s Horror and Leon’s Over-the-Top Action Split the Game

This caught my attention because Capcom is intentionally splitting its campaign into two distinct playstyles: one built for spectacle, the other for dread. That design choice can make Requiem feel like two different games stitched together-brilliant for variety, risky for cohesion.

Resident Evil Requiem: Grace vs. Leon – Two Tones, One Campaign

• Dual identity: Chapters flip between Leon’s action-forward combat and Grace’s stealthy, resource-starved horror.
• Meaningful tools: Leon’s hatchet-parry and repair loop gives combat rhythm; Grace’s Requiem revolver and blood-crafted injectors force a stealth-first economy.
• Enemy design supports playstyle: “Mimic” infected with job-based behaviors create environmental puzzles for Grace and tactical targets for Leon.
• Risk points: No demo, sharp difficulty swings between modes, and durability/economy systems that will need balancing post-launch.

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Publisher|Capcom
Release Date|Feb 27, 2026
Category|Survival horror / Action hybrid
Platform|PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2
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What Capcom is Trying to Do – And Why It Matters

Requiem’s core philosophy is obvious: alternate between the punchy, limb-targeting combat lineage of Resident Evil 4 and the twitchy, vulnerable exploration of RE2/RE7. That alternation delivers variety and narrative contrast—Leon plays like a power fantasy, Grace like an immersive nightmare. As a long-time series watcher, I appreciate the ambition: Capcom is not layering stealth onto action, it’s forcing players to swap mindsets.

Leon: Combat That Wants You to Play Aggressive

Leon’s sections lean into spectacle. The hatchet parry system encourages timed counters, chaining into limb-specific finishers and resource-reward loops (finishers yield scrap for upgrades). Hatchet durability and whetstone repairs add a tactical retreat/recover element—fun, but it can puncture momentum if the tool breaks mid-swarm. Enemy disarms and improvised weapon combos expand options, making Leon’s chapters feel like an evolved RE4 with extra melee showmanship.

Grace: Scarcity, Stealth and a Crafting Twist

Grace flips the script: low ammo, limited stamina, and a craft-from-blood system that rewards risk. Her Requiem revolver is powerful but scarce; most encounters are meant to be avoided or neutralized silently using injectors made from harvested infected blood. That harvesting loop—kneel, collect, craft—creates tense moments where success depends on observation and patience. Grace chapters promise real dread when the game punishes aggressive play.

Enemy Design: Environmental Storytelling as Gameplay

The showcase’s “mimic” infected who repeat job-based habits is the smartest part: they provide both clues and hazards. An office worker that shuffles papers can hint at a keycard; a mechanic who tinkers creates a baitable pattern. Rare “dialogue” zombies that respond to Grace add puzzle layers rather than pure combat fodder. These encounters naturally favor stealthers while still rewarding Leon’s opportunism.

Difficulty Modes and Practical Concerns

Tiered modes (Casual → Standard → Standard Classic) let players tune save systems, aim assist, and resource scarcity. Classic mode’s ink-ribbon saving for Grace is a deliberate throwback that will amplify tension but also frustrate those who prefer continuity between playstyles. My main concern: no demo and aggressive economy mechanics mean early balance patches are likely—Capcom has a mixed history here but usually responds quickly.

What This Means for Players

If you favor cinematic combat, Leon’s chapters will scratch that itch. If you want creeping dread and careful resource management, Grace delivers. Expect a jarring tone switch between chapters—some will love that contrast; others may wish they could choose one path and stick to it. Multiplayer or cross-progression isn’t in view at launch, so this is primarily a single-player narrative gamble.

TL;DR — My Take

Requiem is one of Capcom’s boldest structure experiments: a built-in genre shift between chapters. It’s compelling because the systems—hatchet durability, blood injectors, mimic behaviors—support the split. It’s risky because pacing and balance must survive abrupt transitions. For fans, that risk is worth watching: this could be the series’ most narratively and mechanically ambitious entry in years, provided Capcom irons out the economy and durability rough edges after launch.