How Resident Evil Requiem Reviews Compare to Past Games

Resident Evil Requiem is officially here, and for those who have managed to dodge spoilers for the latest game in the storied survival horror franchise, it seems like Leon and Grace’s story is likely to leave them walking away satisfied once credits roll. GameRant’s own review for Resident Evil Requiem saw the game being granted a perfect score, with it dubbed a “horror gaming masterpiece.” GameRant isn’t the outlier, either, as a vast majority of critics are immensely satisfied with Capcom’s latest creation. And with the latest Resident Evil swimming in 8s, 9s, and 10s, it’s worth seeing exactly how it stacks up compared to the series’ most significant releases. The following article looks at mainline Resident Evil games, remakes, and significant spin-offs only. Charts are ordered from best to worst in terms of Metascore.

How Resident Evil Requiem Compares to Classic RE Entries

Before diving into this section, it’s important to note that back when games like the original Resident Evil and its first few sequels released, there were far less publications reviewing video games. This is clearly visible by the fact that, despite being more highly reviewed by the handful of outlets that existed in the 90s and early 2000s, the newly released Resident Evil Requiem has more perfect scores to its name. Still, while the sample size for the Metascore is noticeably smaller than it was for the games released after Resident Evil 4, it gives a general idea of the consensus around each game nonetheless.

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And, based on said consensus, it seems that Resident Evil Requiem is an excellent game that falls just short of the classics that laid the groundwork for the franchise. Outdoing Resident Evil 4 is a borderline impossible bar to cross given its 96 Metascore, with it widely recognized as one of the most innovative horror games ever made. That said, there was a better chance to surpass the trifecta of 91 games, but unless a significant batch of glowing reviews comes in, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen. Still, an 88 Metascore is hugely impressive, especially when games nowadays are judged more harshly for things like storytelling — something that a few of the less-celebratory reviews of Requiem have indeed criticized.

How Resident Evil Requiem Compares to the Rest of the RE Engine Era Games

Given the lack of review data for the classic Resident Evil games, a more fitting comparison may be to look at Requiem’s scores in comparison to its modern peers. And of the six games made with the impressive RE Engine, Requiem ranks third, besting the divisive RE3 Remake and both entries of the Winters saga. There’s not a huge gap between these games — two points separate Requiem from RE7, while it’s four points ahead of Village — but it’s significant nonetheless. After all, though Resident Evil’s many spin-offs are hit or miss, a vast majority of its mainline titles are critically acclaimed, and players can easily move them around based on personal preference. Some players may prefer RE2’s Racoon City setting (a setting that Requiem is returning to) over the villages of RE4, for instance, while the fully horror-focused tone of RE7 could just as easily make it the top title for someone else.

Resident Evil Requiem lost to the original versions of RE2 and RE4, so it’s only natural that it would be outscored by their stellar remakes as well. Yet when looking at the series holistically, it becomes clear that Resident Evil Requiem is performing far better than it may seem at first glance. It’s releasing in a horror boom period of sorts, is under the pressure of keeping a streak of great Resident Evil projects alive, and it’s dropping in an era where there are more critics than ever sharing their opinions on major game releases. There’s no telling how titles like OG RE2 and RE3 would have fared with dozens more voices in the mix, so Requiem’s 88 holding strong as more critics weigh in is undoubtedly impressive. And, when taking remakes out of the equation while also looking at how long it’s been since a non-remake RE game hit the high 80s, Requiem’s scores become significantly more impressive.

Resident Evil Requiem’s Overall Ranking

Image via Capcom

1. Resident Evil 4 (2005)
2. Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000)
3. Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023)
4. Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)
5. Resident Evil 3 (1999)
6. RE1 Remake (2002)
7. Resident Evil (1996)
8. Resident Evil 2 (1998)
9. Resident Evil Requiem (2026)
10. Resident Evil 7 (2017)
11. Resident Evil Village (2021)
12. Resident Evil 0 (2002)
13. Resident Evil 5 (2009)
14. Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020)
15. Resident Evil 6 (2012)

When looking more closely at Resident Evil Requiem’s placement, the following details become clear:

• Resident Evil Requiem is the best-reviewed original game (non-remake) in the series since 2005’s Resident Evil 4.
  • This means that, according to critics, Requiem is better than RE5, RE6, RE7, and RE Village. It also outscored RE3 Remake.
  • This also makes Requiem the best non-remake on the RE Engine thus far.
• Resident Evil Requiem is the 9th best game in a franchise with roughly 30 titles.
  • It is outscored by RE1 and its remake, RE2 and its remake, RE4 and its remake, Code: Veronica and original RE3.
  • If one were to not count remakes, Resident Evil Requiem would be in 6th place.
• Resident Evil Requiem outscores the co-op-focused RE5 and RE6, while also being the most critically acclaimed title in the first-person era (though first-person is optional in RE Requiem).

While one should always make up their own mind and not rely solely on the opinions of critics, it’s always worth taking something into consideration when so many people are saying the same thing. Critics feel that Resident Evil Requiem is the best fully original project the series has produced in over two decades, and that positive reception is hugely exciting regardless of how much stock one personally puts into reviews. Plus, with physical copies of Resident Evil Requiem selling out everywhere, it’s guaranteed that there will be plenty of regular players weighing in on its quality very soon.

Released

February 27, 2026

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases