For months ahead of Resident Evil Requiem‘s February release date, rumors have persisted that the game is “open-world.” That would certainly be a significant shift away from previous games, but it’s not something players should expect from Requiem according to director Koshi Nakanishi, who said as much in an interview with Game Informer.
“[The development team] did just want to make clear one point,” Nakanishi said while speaking to Game Informer. “They’ve seen some speculation of whether there’s any open-world elements in the game, and they just want to set the record straight that this isn’t an open-world game.”
He continued: “The main concept behind this game is combining the very different gameplay of Grace and Leon into a cohesive package, and having those two gameplays represent the Resident Evil series, and I think when you play the game, you realize that, or you will find as well that the development team picked the best approach to do this.”
For years, the industry has been obsessed with open-world design. People want more freedom, more hours, more map. But the notion that Requiem might be an open-world game didn’t sit well with Resident Evil players who love the series’ linear, tightly controlled storylines. The horror of Resident Evil is informed by its design, and an open world would significantly shift the way players experience it. Footage shown last month of a city street with cars and pedestrians sparked some of that open-world speculation, which can now be hushed thanks to Nakanishi’s statement to Game Informer. In its Requiem preview, IGN said that Grace’s portions of the game should be “familiar to anyone who has played Resident Evil 2 or 7.” Leon’s sections, meanwhile, “stirred up our muscle memory of playing Resident Evil 4,” IGN said.
Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth mainline game in the franchise, will be released on February 27. Capcom’s last Resident Evil Game, Resident Evil Village, was released in 2021.
