Summary
- RE Requiem returns to Raccoon City after a nuclear strike, possibly channeling Fallout's post-apocalyptic setting.
- The game may introduce radiation mechanics and mutated enemies, inspired by Fallout's nuclear wasteland.
- RE Requiem connects with older RE games, hinting at first-person gameplay and the return of the G-virus.
In addition to giving players their first look at the franchise's ninth game, the reveal trailer for Resident Evil Requiem during this year's Summer Games Fest appeared to channel the Fallout series with its chosen setting. While Resident Evil's latest games have focused on new and even unexpected locations, ranging from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard's Louisiana swampland to Resident Evil Village's rural Eastern Europe, it seems that Resident Evil Requiem will instead return to the series' most iconic setting, Raccoon City. However, with the events of Resident Evil 3 likely fresh in players' minds following its 2020 remake, this setting could prove to be the series' most dangerous yet.
Featuring an aerial view of an unmistakable crater amidst Raccoon City's ruins, RE Requiem's latest trailer has teased the aftermath of a missile strike that occurred during the ending of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Although it may not have been explicitly confirmed, in-game cutscenes and fan theories seem to suggest that the missile used was nuclear, which could have major implications for RE Requiem's setting if true. Just as the Fallout series has embraced its nuclear post-apocalypse with radiation-based lore and mechanics, so too might Resident Evil as it returns to a nuked Raccoon City.
More Resident Evil Requiem News Could Be Coming Sooner Than You'd Think
Resident Evil Requiem fans looking for more news about the upcoming game may not have to wait long to hear more information from Capcom.
Resident Evil Requiem Could Benefit From Fallout's Influence
As per its namesake, Fallout's story and gameplay have arguably been most defined by its nuclear wasteland backdrop, with the fallout of a nuclear detonation leading to mutated creatures and irradiated landscapes. But while Resident Evil and its mutated monsters have traditionally centered around viral, parasitic, or fungal bioweapons, RE Requiem could break new ground for the franchise if it takes notes from the Fallout series. With RE Requiem returning to Raccoon City after its nuclear detonation, the upcoming game could use Fallout as its inspiration to explore its own potential radiation mechanics, mutations, and more.
For instance, had Capcom kept its open-world plans for RE Requiem from early development, then the game could have adapted Fallout's use of radiation to prevent players from straying out of bounds as they explore Raccoon City. However, even with the traditional survival horror approach of classic Resident Evil, radiation could still influence the next game's mechanics and storylines, especially given RE Requiem's ties to the likes of Resident Evil Outbreak and RE 3: Nemesis. More specifically, should viral bioweapons like the G-virus also return in RE Requiem, then Fallout's irradiated mutations could be a significant source of inspiration.
Resident Evil Requiem Might Return To The Series' Roots With A Twist
After Alyssa Ashcroft's name cropped up in RE 7: Biohazard, RE Requiem has directly connected its protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, to one of RE Outbreak's playable characters. As a result, RE Requiem appears to be building on the original stories of RE 3: Nemesis and RE Outbreak in combination with the series' most recent games. While this could mean that RE Requiem's gameplay could be first-person like the latest games, it could also use the ties to these older games as a way to return to Resident Evil's roots through its characters, stories, and, in particular, settings.
Whereas Resident Evil's t-virus only caused minor mutations and zombie-like necrosis, the greater threat posed by the G-virus's exponential mutations in RE 3: Nemesis and RE Outbreak ultimately led to Raccoon City's destruction. However, should the G-virus have survived the nuclear detonation, its potential return in RE Requiem could mutate the virus even further due to the radioactive fallout. With the G-virus's ability to repair, revive, and even evolve its hosts, RE Requiem has unlimited enemy potential when it comes to its irradiated mutants, much like Fallout's own Radroaches, Death Claws, Ghouls, and Super Mutants.
OpenCritic Reviews
WHERE TO PLAY
Requiem for the dead. Nightmare for the living.
Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth title in the mainline Resident Evil series.
Prepare to escape death in a heart-stopping experience that will chill you to your core.
Technological advancements combined with the development team's depth of experience combine in a story with rich characters and gameplay that's more immersive than ever before.
A new era of survival horror begins in 2026.
