Today’s showcase for Resident Evil Requiem did seem to revisit a lot of the previously disclosed info, but it managed to sneak in some juicy new gameplay details. Perhaps the biggest reveal, at least for fans of the classic survival horror vibe, is the introduction of a new difficulty mode. This will require players to hunt for ink ribbons during Grace’s segments, a throwback to the old-school mechanics that many long-time players have fond memories of.
Requiem will feature a variety of difficulty settings. Among them is Casual mode, which includes an aim assist feature to help players tackle enemies with less hassle. Then there’s Standard (Modern), which aligns with what players have come to expect from contemporary Resident Evil titles. But if your nostalgia lies with the PS1 classics, you’re definitely going to want to check out Standard (Classic). This mode offers “limited” autosaves during Grace’s sections; outside of those, it’s all about locating ink ribbons to ensure your progress is secure. I’m pretty thrilled to see Requiem’s two protagonists embody the series’ signature gameplay styles—action and survival horror—so effectively.
Capcom hasn’t clarified what, if any, additional distinctions exist between the different difficulty modes, and notably, there was no mention of a hard mode during the presentation. I’m guessing that a hard mode could be an unlockable feature, but that’s purely speculation at this point.
Another exciting aspect is the ability to customize the gameplay experience for both Leon and Grace. Players can select whether they want to experience each character in first- or third-person perspectives. While we already knew there would be a toggle for this, allowing such a choice on a character-by-character basis adds a nice twist. Based on the gameplay we’ve seen, Capcom appears to favor a first-person horror experience for Grace, while Leon’s segments lean more towards third-person action.
For more on upcoming horror titles, stay tuned.