Recently, I had the chance to try out Resident Evil Requiem on a Nintendo Switch 2, and despite my initial concerns, I was seriously impressed by how capable the hybrid console is at tackling such a demanding survival horror game.
During my demonstration, I played the same short demo featuring series newcomer Grace Ashcroft that we tried last year at Summer Games Fest, so I won’t spend too long on the contents of the game itself. However, I have to say I’m suitably impressed with how well Nintendo’s second-generation Switch can handle the game, based on what I’ve seen so far.
A master class in optimization
Let’s tackle the elephant in the room first, and hopefully put a pause to those of you heading straight to the comments section to yell at me. No, Resident Evil Requiem will not run as well on the Switch 2 as it will on more powerful hardware like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. If that’s a surprise to you, I’m sorry to break the bad news, but it really shouldn’t be.
I played using a Switch 2 Pro Controller in docked mode during my demo, navigating an abandoned, ghoulie-ridden hospital as the defenseless (and painfully slow) Grace. Both first-person and third-person perspectives were clear and crisp, cutscenes are smooth and suspenseful, and the controls felt natural and comfortable; a good start.
Of course, we can’t have nice things in the world of Resident Evil, so the aim of the game is to avoid the lank-haired creature chasing Grace through the hospital’s harrowing halls. Periodically, this creature will erupt through a ceiling or wall during a chase sequence, spraying chips of wood and dust; environmental effects that the Switch 2 delivered with ease and solid fidelity. I was so immersed that, in a room full of my peers and with a healthy level of latent social anxiety, I squeaked like a mouse and cried out for divine intervention while fleeing for my life in-game. Not my finest professional moment.
In general, I didn’t notice any frame drops or performance issues at all in the demo; an impressive feat that’s a testament to the Switch 2’s capabilities, provided games have been well-optimized. The majority of the credit, therefore, goes to Capcom for its ability to do said optimization, as well as its impressive RE Engine.
Naturally, there are some graphical compromises, most noticeable in textures like hair and skin, as I found in my recent playthrough of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Switch 2 and many other triple-A games on the console. It’s far from egregious, but from some hands-on time with both, I’d say the graphics are closer to playing the Resident Evil 4 remake on the PlayStation 4 than anything I’ve tried on the PlayStation 5. Far from unplayable, but if you prize visual fidelity and/or want to play mostly on a big screen, you’d naturally be better off playing on more powerful hardware.
Make or break moment
That leads me to the second elephant in the room: handheld mode. The main reason I see most people citing for sacrificing the quality of big-budget games is the Switch 2’s portability. If I were to pick up a horror game like Resident Evil Requiem, I’d certainly prefer the ability to bundle up under my bed sheets and play (read: hide) there.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to try handheld mode during my demo, but that’ll be the deciding factor on whether the concessions made to performance pay off. Brightness, glare, and clarity naturally present a challenge for the smaller screen, though if you’re playing any Resident Evil game under bright lighting, you’re probably doing it a disservice regardless.
If I were Capcom, I’d have prioritised cross progression for this launch, giving players the full freedom of choice to play handheld on the Switch 2 or another portable console like the Steam Deck. However, the fact that the Switch 2 is getting a same-day release of Resident Evil Requiem alongside the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC is a pretty big deal as it is.
That being said, if Capcom and Nintendo have been able to stick the landing here, it could prove to be a big moment for the Switch 2, bringing it ever closer to being a viable, versatile option for triple-A gaming with solid performance – and a whole lot less waiting around for ports to land.
For the once close (and exclusive) partners, Resident Evil Requiem on the Switch 2 looks to be a pretty big deal, too. Capcom and Nintendo have announced a variety of exciting launch bundles and branded accessories, from the exciting, albeit presently UK-exclusive, Resident Evil Requiem Generations bundle (which also includes Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Gold Edition and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition) to the Resident Evil Requiem Special Edition microSD Express Card for the Switch 2. You can also preorder Resident Evil Requiem now ahead of its release on February 27, 2026.
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josephine.watson@futurenet.com (Josephine Watson)
