9 Essential Resident Evil Requiem Tips for Beginners
Capcom is back with another terrifying entry in its legendary survival horror franchise. Resident Evil Requiem is a massive, stressful, and brilliant experience that essentially gives you two games in one, splitting the campaign between two very different protagonists: Grace and Leon.
Because the two characters have entirely different rules, resources, and playstyles, surviving the night is going to take some serious adaptation. Before you dive in, here are 9 essential Resident Evil Requiem tips you need to know to survive the night.
1. If a door won’t open, it’s probably for the other character
Because Grace and Leon often navigate the same environments at different times, you will constantly run into locked doors, heavy cabinets, or items you just can’t interact with. Don’t waste time stressing over a puzzle you can’t solve yet! If Grace can’t get in, there is a very high chance Leon will be able to chop the door down with his axe later. Make a mental note and move on.
2. Check your map for missed loot
Resources are incredibly scarce in this game, especially during Grace’s chapters. Fortunately, the in-game map is remarkably generous. If you walk past a green herb or a box of ammo but fail to pick it up, the game will automatically mark it on your map. If you are limping around on low health, always pop open your map to see if you left any supplies behind in a previous room.
3. Stop wasting bullets on collectibles
Hidden throughout the game are dancing raccoon bobbleheads. While it’s tempting to shoot them to claim your collectible, ammo is far too precious—especially for Grace. Instead, use your melee options! Leon always has his hatchet, and Grace can craft makeshift shivs from scrap. Use these to smash the bobbleheads and save your bullets for the monsters.
4. Stunning is better than killing (for Grace)
Leon is heavily armed and can blast his way through most encounters. Grace, on the other hand, is all about survival. Instead of dumping an entire magazine into a zombie to secure a kill, shoot them once or twice in the kneecaps or the head. This will put them in a temporary “stun” state, allowing you to easily run right past them while conserving your precious ammo.
5. Don’t ignore the crafting menu
While old-school fans might love dragging and dropping items together in the inventory screen, Requiem includes a dedicated Crafting Menu that is vastly superior. It automatically shows you every recipe you have unlocked and highlights exactly what you can build with your current inventory. It saves time, saves inventory space, and keeps you from fumbling around while a monster is chasing you.
6. Grab permanent upgrades before you leave an area
Throughout the game, you will find locked cases (which require coins) or puzzle rooms that grant permanent upgrades to your health, damage, or inventory slots. Requiem will frequently lock you out of older areas as the story progresses. If you see an upgrade, do whatever it takes to unlock it immediately, or you might lose access to it forever.
7. Master the 180-degree quick turn
It sounds basic, but in the heat of a terrifying chase, a lot of players forget this classic Resident Evil mechanic exists. Pressing backward on your thumbstick and hitting the cancel button (Circle on PlayStation / B on Xbox) will instantly spin your character around. This is mandatory for dodging lunging attacks and creating space to reload.
8. Leave the heavy lifting for Leon
Because both characters share the same world, your actions as one character directly impact the other. Since Grace usually explores areas first and lacks firepower, it is highly recommended to just avoid the biggest, tankiest enemies. Leave them alive! When you return to that area later as Leon, you can use his superior arsenal to clean out the rooms much more efficiently.
9. Play Grace’s chapters in first-person
The game lets you toggle between first-person and third-person perspectives. While third-person is great, playing in first-person during Grace’s segments actually gives you a slight mechanical advantage. In third-person, Grace has dramatic, scripted stumbling animations when running from monsters. In first-person, those stumbles are reduced to prevent motion sickness, technically allowing you to move and escape just a little bit faster!
For more tips, tricks, and strategies, head over to the main Raidenza Guides page!