Since 1996, Capcom has built the iconic Resident Evil franchise, giving us unforgettable characters, enemies, and moments- such as the 1998 Raccoon City outbreak, a dark European village, the action-packed streets of Africa and China, the Baker residence, and more. This latest main installment of the franchise is no exception.
Set 30 years after the events of the infamous Raccoon City outbreak, the game follows Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst sent to investigate a string of murders across the Midwest. However, you are not alone. You will also play as series veteran Leon S. Kennedy, now an agent for the DSO. Together, you will uncover the truth behind Raccoon City and the pasts of Leon and Grace. As you play as both characters, you will explore places such as the ruins of Raccoon City, the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, and the Wrenwood Hotel- where former T-Virus researcher Victor Gideon has plans for Leon and Grace. For the first time, you can now switch from third-person to first-person camera perspectives. This gives players who have enjoyed previous titles such as Resident Evil 7 & 8, in addition to the 2, 3, and 4 remakes, the best of what the franchise has been known for: a tense horror atmosphere and heart-pounding action.
With Grace’s gameplay, she specializes in stealth and avoiding enemies by using crafting items such as a blood collector that will allow her to craft injectors to explode certain zombies and other items. In contrast, Leon’s gameplay focuses on intense action, which relies on handguns, shotguns, and rifles. In addition to this, he has a brand-new hatchet with which he can parry enemies. I really like the hatchet system that Leon has because it lets you repair it on the fly to keep the gameplay flowing. This is very reminiscent of Resident Evil 4 remake style of gameplay, using a knife to parry attacks and melee, just refined- while the gameplay for Grace is similar to Resident Evil 7's, specializing in more resource management.
The overall gameplay is very smooth with impressive graphics, setting a high standard for the Resident Evil franchise with its revolutionary RE engine, delivering stunning visuals and gameplay. However, the switching between protagonists felt a little repetitive at times. I felt like I didn’t get enough time with the characters during certain sections, which made it feel a little weird and a little bit confused when the switching happened.
Overall, the game is an absolute blast from start to finish. Whether you are playing as Grace or Leon, there is a constant sense of tension and thrilling action as the game goes on. What Capcom has done for the last thirty years, revolutionizing the franchise to even bigger expectations, is truly satisfying as a fan of this franchise myself. As a longtime fan, playing always feels like a trip down memory lane and I hope that future installments do the same.
I would rate this game a 4.5 out of 5.
