Resident Evil Requiem always ranked as one of my most anticipated games of 2026, and after getting my hands on the game earlier this month, it lives up to the hype, and then some. In fact, it might just be my favorite Resident Evil game to date (excluding remakes).
But before you can dive into Capcom’s latest slice of slick survival horror-action, you are confronted with an important choice: first-person or third-person. The long-running franchise has been experimenting with perspective in recent years. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard brought the terror closer than ever via first-person, while the modern remakes of classics like Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 opted for a traditional over-the-shoulder point of view.
Resident Evil Requiem, which is the ninth mainline entry in the series, offers two playable characters: the returning Leon S. Kennedy and newcomer Grace Ashcroft, and allows you to select between the two play modes. It’s not the first Resident Evil game to do this; 2021’s Resident Evil Village offers a choice, with a third-person mode added via post-launch DLC.
But the difference in Resident Evil Requiem is that you have even more options. You can play the entire 12-hour campaign in first-person or third-person, or you can opt to switch perspectives depending on which character you’re playing as. I’ve been testing each mode to determine the best way to enjoy Resident Evil 9, and I’ve found there’s a clear winner.
Both viewpoints have their advantages (and disadvantages)
I’m traditionally a third-person kind of person. While I certainly enjoy a good first-person shooter (I’m still regularly playing Battlefield 6 on my PS5 Pro), when it comes to single-player experiences, third-person has always been my preferred perspective.
In the world of Resident Evil, being able to see your entire character does have its advantages. During the most frantic moments, when a mutated zombie or nightmarish creature is bearing down on you, it’s a lot easier to avoid getting munched on by the undead when you can fully take in your surroundings. Not to mention, in the case of Leon, it feels very fitting to play third-person, as the Leon-starring Resident Evil 4 set the standard by which many action games are still measuring up to even now, more than 20 years later.
However, there’s no denying that third-person blunts the horrific atmosphere that Resident Evil thrives on. Resident Evil 7 is often credited as the most terrifying installment in the series, and I firmly believe the more immersive perspective is a major reason why that game still gets my palms sweating even after three complete playthroughs. Heck, I’ve just started a fourth run on the excellent Nintendo Switch 2 port, and I’m getting creeped out.
The same is true of Requiem. The fantastic first half takes place in the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, and exploring the shadowy halls of this asylum feels all the more unnerving when you are vulnerable and can’t creatively maneuver your camera around each corner.
Forget choosing, why not both?
Going into Resident Evil Requiem, I really wasn’t sure how I was going to choose between first and third person. I was delighted when I discovered the Capcom developers had found a way to allow players to get the best of both.
While you are free to play the full game in either mode, the default option is actually a hybrid. Playing Leon’s chapters in third-person, and Grace’s in first-person. After sampling a portion of the game in every variant. Very quickly, it became clear that the default mixed approach was absolutely the way to play.
Not only does it allow you to enjoy the benefits of both, leaping between slick third-person action and terrifying first-person horror, but it’s also narratively appropriate. Leon is a grizzled veteran who has battled (and beaten) the worst this T-Virus-infected world can throw at him already, while Grace is comparatively fresh-faced and somewhat unprepared for her dark ordeal.
Grace’s portion of the game had me slowly creeping down low-lit corridors, nervous about what disgusting creature would pop up next (there’s plenty of nasties to encounter), while Leon’s section acted as a much-needed palate cleanser. They offered cathartic moments when I turned the tables on my tormentors and unloaded a whole load of lead into the face of any zombie foolish enough to cross my path, with a roundhouse kick for good measure.
In Resident Evil Requiem, the real answer to the choice between first-person and third-person is not to choose at all. Neither is superior, but situational instead. So, when you first boot up the game and are presented with the option, select the default setting. And if you find yourself greatly preferring one over the other, you can switch things up at any time.
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