“Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” divided the fanbase over perspective. Fans appreciated the switch to the first-person as Ethan Winters battled through unusual creatures and terrifying situations, but some veterans missed the third-person view that has been a mainstay of the series.
In “Resident Evil Requiem,” players can choose between both. It’s a way to satisfy both factions, but which one is better? I played a short Gamescom demo from both perspectives. I did the first-person and then the third-person. Players take on the role of Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst, who awakens and finds herself strapped upside down on a gurney. An IV is attached to her right arm, and she has to escape a mysterious white room.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POz1-EmLsTYPLAYING WITH LIGHTSThe atmosphere is immediately tense, as I rifled through drawers for any type of weapon. The only thing I found was that I’ve been administered Dexafil, a drug used to treat inflammation and suppress the immune system. Players could interact with the lights, but it turns out that only a few work.
The situation made me feel that someone would be searching for me, so I figured that darkness would be my friend, so I turned the lights off. The hallways and office areas were dimmed and fumbled my way through everything, eventually finding a caged doorway that could be opened if I had another fuse.
The shape of the demo was starting to take shape as I searched through a drawer and found a key with a Cherub on it. That item would work on a locked door that I had just passed. You could feel the developers hands guiding players through the scenario. I did find a cigarette lighter and the fuse, but unfortunately, I needed a screwdriver to access it. Again, I turned off the lights because I had a suspicion that something would be stalking me.
The only other option was using the lighter to make my way and explore areas that were cut off because of the darkness. I lighted my way through the office, and found a door that I missed without illumination. I opened it and found a dead body and a horrifying creature, who made it a snack. It turned toward me, and I just panicked ran right into it. The creature bit off my head.
DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVESThis is where the differences in perspectives comes through. In first-person, “Resident Evil Requiem” is more visceral. You’re in Grace’s shoes, and your field of vision is limited. As the monsters creep around, senses have to be heightened, and you have to pay attention to the audio as the monster lurks around the office.
In third-person, the view is wider, and you can maneuver better and see where the danger is coming from. In the demo, I ran across two bottles, and they’re used to create distractions once I escaped from the creature. It took a lot of trial and error before I found out that I was doing the demo all wrong. The lights were on for a reason when I woke up on the gurney, and illumination is your friend. That discovery made me feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger finding out the Predator’s weakness.
The “Resident Evil Requiem” demo played off expectations like that. I found an empty ink ribbon cartridge while digging for items, almost like the team was mocking me.
FINDING THE WEAKNESSOnce I realized the secret the rest of the demo was manageable. After escaping, I had to sneak back into the office and avoid making noise because that would attract the creature. Every time, I searched a body or stepped over rubble I had to check around me and listen. Eventually, I found the toolbox atop a shelf, and to reach it, I would need to move over a tray table.
This was the most nerve-racking part of the demo no matter what perspective I played in. The first time I dropped trays and other items and the creature rushed into the room. I had to hide in a corner and play a game of cat and mouse. Again, the developers created a scenario where they can predict how a player would venture through the closed environment and created these terrifying moments that are both organic and staged.
I eventually got the screwdriver but not before the monster made a few more attempts to come after me, and even then, it’s not really clear if Grace could really escape.
From what I played, the Capcom team knew how to press the right buttons to create an intense horror experience, but for “Resident Evil” fans, there’s an extra layer of terror because it feels like the developers are playing mind games, trying to use past experiences against you.
“Resident Evil Requiem” is expected to be released next year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S and PC.