Following Summer Game Fest, horror gaming enthusiasts were treated to the first look of Resident Evil: Requiem. Although the first trailer showed off a new character for the project, Capcom gave a new gameplay mechanic that was not revealed to the public.
Players can experience the terror in first-person and third-person view from the launch day itself! The addition of two different perspectives is a big step for the franchise and gives players the option of how they want to experience the horror.
Behind-the-Scenes Gameplay Reveals New Mechanics
At Play Days, the private demonstration highlighted this functionality whereby action can switch from one perspective to the other. The developers showcased this capability near the end, revealing a pause option that allows players to switch views.
A Capcom representative stated this should allow the community long-requested flexibility in viewing. The development team felt that the horror experience should be enjoyed irrespective of the player’s perspective preference.
Franchise Evolution and Player Choice
This is a major shift for Resident Evil. The series has tried a number of different camera angles over the years. Earlier games presented either first-person or third-person styles of play, but only on one occasion were players able to make this choice for themselves, through DLC for Resident Evil: Village.
The addition of switchable perspectives should help close the gap that was created when the series went first-person in Resident Evil 7. Some long-time fans voiced their concerns over the loss of third-person that defined the earlier entries in the series.
Grace Ashcroft Takes Center Stage
The demo picked up right where the reveal trailer finished, with main protagonist Grace Ashcroft coming to in a medical gurney in a broken-down hospital. Players witness her escape and her exploration of the abandoned medical complex.
The game is pretty Resident Evil, and you’ll be finding items again.
Grace gathers important items such as a lighter, screwdriver, and electrical fuse parts to help her through environmental puzzles. The items are useful as well as contribute to the atmosphere and hallmark survival horror aesthetic of the series.
Traditional Horror Elements Return
As Grace wanders through the crumbling hospital, she finds horrible monsters that chase her throughout the building. Through the series of enemy encounters, players will feel the franchise’s signature tension-building mechanics, compelling them to inch closer and decide whether to confront or evade.
The environment of the hospital makes a nice setting for the horror experience. Environmental storytelling reveals the facility’s story through the graphic and atmospheric details in the location.
Leon Kennedy’s Mysterious Absence
The fandom speculated that Leon S. Kennedy would be the main character, but all of the shown gameplay was about Grace Ashcroft. Theories about Leon appearing in Resident Evil: Requiem remain unverified. That said, they certainly make people wonder if we’ll see any character teaming up or any other surprise in a full release.
Capcom reps wouldn’t hint at additional characters showing up, though more info on protagonists will be revealed in future promos and gameplay ahead of launch.
Technical Implementation and Player Experience
The system that switches perspectives seems like an organic part of the gameplay. Instead of needing level restarts or making awkward transitions, the feature lets users make changes in-real-time from the pause menu.
Capcom does this kind of modification, considering players’ varied preferences and not compromising on the game’s horror element. The game looks good and feels tense, no matter which way you are playing. It is just as tense from either perspective.