Three years after its spectacular remake of Resident Evil 4, Capcom returns with the ninth main entry in its genre-defining survival horror series. Set 28 years after the destruction of Raccoon City, the game initially follows FBI analyst Grace (Angela Sant’Albano, giving a superbly judged emotional performance) as she investigates a mysterious death in a condemned hotel. This prelude, played in first-person, is steeped in dread. The lack of a visible UI, combined with dynamic positional audio and genuinely stunning graphics, sells the horror of this extended prologue. Remedy’s superb Alan Wake 2 (itself heavily inspired by Resident Evil) is an obvious influence, as is Hideo Kojima’s infamous cancelled Silent Hills teaser, PT.

The game then opens up into more traditional Resident Evil territory with a sprawling medical centre where Grace must solve puzzles while avoiding zombies and other monsters. Here, a shortage of ammunition and healing items keeps players constantly on edge, without tipping over into frustration. Although the story mainly follows Grace, it occasionally switches to series stalwart Leon Kennedy for some highly entertaining third-person combat sequences. Later areas (including an extended return to Raccoon City) push the series’ mythology further, making this feel like a particularly ambitious chapter.

Throughout, director Koshi Nakanishi (Resident Evil 7: Biohazard) demonstrates masterful control of tension, borrowing elements from titles as varied as Amnesia: The Bunker, Spec Ops: The Line and Among The Sleep. It’s only April but this already feels like a serious contender for game of the year.

Resident Evil Requiem is out now on PC, Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

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