Resident Evil Requiem Story: A Deep Dive
Resident Evil Requiem, the fan-conceived title for the ninth mainline entry in the series, presents a dark, personal story that masterfully intertwines a new protagonist with a deep-cut character from the franchise’s past. The narrative is built on a foundation of family tragedy, corporate conspiracy, and a long-awaited return to the haunted ruins of Raccoon City.
Here’s everything we know about the compelling story of Resident Evil Requiem.
The Protagonist: Grace Ashcroft, An FBI Agent with a Past
The story centers on a new protagonist named Grace Ashcroft, an FBI agent tasked with investigating a series of bizarre deaths linked to a mysterious, unidentified disease. The concept trailer paints her as a determined but burdened character, stepping into a world of bioterrorism that is deeply connected to her own family history.
Grace’s story is not just a professional assignment; it’s a personal vendetta. She is driven by the unresolved murder of her mother, which looms large over the game’s central plot.
The Core Mystery: The Murder of Alyssa Ashcroft
The most significant element of the Resident Evil Requiem story is its direct connection to Alyssa Ashcroft, a playable character from the 2003 cult classic, Resident Evil Outbreak.
Who Was Alyssa Ashcroft?
Alyssa was a tenacious reporter for the Raccoon Press and one of the few confirmed survivors of the Raccoon City Destruction Incident in 1998. Her survival was canonized in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, where players can find a newspaper article she wrote in 2016 detailing the mysterious disappearances surrounding the Baker family.
A Tragic End
The story for Requiem reveals that Alyssa’s luck eventually ran out. Eight years prior to the game’s events (around 2018, assuming a 2026 setting), Alyssa was murdered while investigating a sinister location known as the Renwood Hotel.
A Daughter’s Mission
Grace, Alyssa’s daughter, is now being sent to that very same hotel to investigate the new viral outbreak, forcing her to confront the dark legacy that claimed her mother’s life. This setup provides powerful emotional stakes, blending a classic bio-horror investigation with a deeply personal revenge narrative.
The Setting: A Tale of Two Horrors
The Resident Evil Requiem story unfolds across two distinct but connected locations, each promising a unique brand of horror.
- The Renwood Hotel: This location serves as the game’s modern-day centerpiece. In the vein of the Spencer Mansion or Baker Estate, the Renwood Hotel is a classic Resident Evil haunted house—a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors, foreboding atmosphere, and macabre secrets. It is here that Alyssa met her end and where Grace must uncover the truth behind the new disease and the enigmatic villain pulling the strings.
- The Ruins of Raccoon City: In a move that would excite longtime fans, the story takes players back to the franchise’s most iconic location: Raccoon City. The game is set 28 years after the city was wiped off the map by a thermobaric bomb in 1998. Players would get to explore the desolate, crater-marked ruins of familiar landmarks, such as the iconic Raccoon City Police Department. The narrative could achieve this through two methods:
- Present-Day Exploration: Grace visits the abandoned ruins to find clues her mother may have left behind.
- Flashback Sequences: Players could take on the role of Alyssa Ashcroft herself in flashbacks, exploring a newly-devastated Raccoon City shortly after the bombing or during her final investigation at the Renwood Hotel.
The Antagonist: A New Face of Evil
At the heart of the conspiracy is a sinister new villain. Seen in the Renwood Hotel wearing a distinctive snakeskin coat, this antagonist appears to be an original character rather than a returning one like Albert Wesker.
He shows a chilling, personal interest in Grace, referring to her as “the chosen one.” This suggests Grace’s lineage as an Ashcroft is central to his plans. The disease she is investigating is almost certainly his creation—a new bioweapon that could be a novel variant of the T-Virus or something entirely new.
Timeline and Potential for Returning Heroes
- Timeline: The story is set around 2026, placing it after the events of Resident Evil Village. This is calculated based on Alyssa’s last canonical appearance in 2016 and her death eight years prior to the game.
- Cameos from Legacy Characters: The fictional trailer includes a montage of voices that sound suspiciously like franchise legends. This strongly implies that legacy characters like Leon S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and Chris Redfield could play a role in the story, either as playable characters or in supporting roles, similar to Chris’s appearances in RE7 and Village. Their involvement would help guide the new protagonist, Grace, through the familiar nightmare of bioterrorism.
In summary, the Resident Evil Requiem story is a thoughtfully crafted narrative that honors the series’ past while pushing it forward. By introducing a new hero intrinsically linked to a fan-favorite character and setting the stage for a return to the hallowed ground of Raccoon City, it represents a perfect blend of nostalgia and new-age horror that many fans hope to see in the series’ future.