Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem has landed and done so in fine fashion, becoming the fastest-selling game in the franchise, with over five million copies sold in just under a week. Requiem has received widespread positive reception from critics and fans, and it’s safe to say it’s easily one of the best games in the franchise.
However, I’ll take it a step further. Resident Evil Requiem stands alongside Resident Evil 4 (2005) as the two best entries in the franchise. That’s a tough task to accomplish, based on how successful the original RE4 was and still is via its reimagined Resident Evil 4 remake (2023).
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Normally, dual protagonists and two distinct tones in one game don’t always work, sometimes resulting in a messy experience, but Capcom nailed it.
Playing as Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy gives you the best of both worlds; Grace’s segments are filled with pure dread, as you fight tooth and nail to survive against dangerous and deadly foes. In Leon’s segments, you’re essentially in a Doom simulator, effortlessly taking down zombies in style.
Most importantly, Requiem features the best combat in the franchise yet, and while the game isn’t short (and already has strong replay value), there’s one key mode missing that would take full advantage of that combat and act as the icing on the cake to an incredible game.
Note: this article contains a few images from the horror game series that some folks may find graphic.
Co-op mercenaries is a must for Resident Evil Requiem
With Capcom’s golden boy, Leon S. Kennedy, at his peak as a seasoned veteran in Requiem, combat takes a significant step above Resident Evil 4 remake and every other entry in the franchise.
Animations are very contextual, and players may often find new combat animations in subsequent playthroughs, notably Leon’s gun executions or gruesome wall head splatting kicks. Some of these executions are rare and require specific positioning, enemy stuns, and depend on an enemy’s remaining health.
They feel incredibly satisfying to pull off, but Requiem left me wanting more enemies to take on with Leon before the game’s end credits. That’s exactly where Capcom’s newly announced mini-game mode comes into play, and I’m hoping it’s a new co-op mercenaries mode, because Requiem desperately needs it.
The last co-op mercenaries game mode in the Resident Evil franchise among mainline entries was in Resident Evil 6. Capcom has only stuck with single-player mercenaries since then, with Resident Evil Village and the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Single-player mercenaries would still be an amazing addition for Requiem, as it would serve as a strong way to satisfy players like me looking for more fun combat encounters, and it could include legacy characters that didn’t appear in the main game.
However, I think Capcom would be doing itself a massive disservice by leaving out co-op functionality, especially considering the open-world multiplayer game that Requiem was going to be during development. It’s a very easy way for Capcom to capitalize on the game’s success, as players coming back to play with friends would provide near-infinite replay value.
Co-op mercenaries worked very well in Resident Evil 5, and while it was expected for that entry due to its main game co-op template, I don’t think it should be too difficult for Capcom to replicate it with Requiem.
Fortunately, we’ll have an answer soon enough, as game director Koshi Nakanishi stated the mini-game mode should arrive in May 2026. Let’s just hope Capcom doesn’t miss such a big opportunity.
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