You do not need to play any earlier Resident Evil game before Resident Evil Requiem. Capcom says newcomers can start immediately, and director Koshi Nakanishi describes the game as welcoming to people who know nothing about the Raccoon City Incident. If you want one optional preparation game, play the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2. Add the 2020 Resident Evil 3 remake for more Raccoon City history, or revisit Resident Evil Outbreak if the Ashcroft family connection interests you.
The order below separates what is useful from what is actually necessary, so you can choose a short route without turning Requiem into franchise homework.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition - PlayStation 5 | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5 | $15.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5 | $18.13 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Resident Evil 4 - PS5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Can you start Resident Evil Requiem with no previous games?
Yes. Capcom’s October 29, 2025 story recap says: “Even if you haven’t played a Resident Evil game before, you can jump right in, though long-time fans will notice plenty of familiar touches through the game.”
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDirector Koshi Nakanishi made the same point in a January 29, 2026 interview, saying the game is “designed to be welcoming to complete newcomers who don’t know anything about the Raccoon City Incident or haven’t played any Resident Evil titles before.” That is the clearest answer to both common questions: you can play without knowing the incident, and you do not need a franchise catch-up marathon.
#1 Best Overall
- Amazon Exclusive - 2 sided poster included in every game!
- Grace Ashcroft, an FBI intelligence analyst who is introverted and easily scared, representing a new type of character for the Resident Evil series. Grace will experience horror from the same perspective as the player as she learns to overcome her fears throughout the course of the story.
- For the first time ever in Resident Evil history, players will be able to freely switch between both first- and third-person perspectives throughout the game.
- An Anniversary to Remember: With March 2026 marking the Resident Evil series’ 30-year anniversary, Resident Evil Requiem marks its own milestone in the franchise.
- Pre-orders for Resident Evil Requiem are now open, with the bonus of Grace’s costume: Apocalypse. Please note that the picture weapon does not come with the costume, but it can be obtained in-game.
Earlier games still add recognition and emotional context. Requiem returns to Raccoon City, features Leon S. Kennedy, and connects new protagonist Grace Ashcroft to a family from the series’ past. Those are bonuses for returning players rather than entry requirements.
The best games to play first, by goal
| Game | Best for | What it adds | Status before Requiem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake) | The strongest one-game preparation | Leon and Claire’s Raccoon City story; direct familiarity with the setting and Leon | Optional |
| Resident Evil 3 (2020 remake) | More Raccoon City background | A second perspective on the city’s disaster and the events surrounding the second and third games | Optional |
| Resident Evil Outbreak and Outbreak File #2 | Deep-cut Ashcroft history | The earlier Ashcroft family connection associated with Grace | Optional; availability depends on platform and region |
| Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village | The Ethan Winters arc | Context for the storyline that preceded the return to the older mainline direction | Optional |
| The original Resident Evil or a full-series run | Completionists and lore historians | Long-term series history, recurring ideas and connective lore | Optional |
The ranking in this table is an editorial guide based on the setting and characters Capcom has identified; Capcom has not published a prerequisite list.
Why the Resident Evil 2 remake is the best single pick
The official PlayStation listing identifies Leon S. Kennedy as one of Requiem’s protagonists and describes him as a survivor of the Raccoon City Incident. Capcom’s recap places Resident Evil 2 at the center of that incident, following Leon and Claire when the outbreak reaches the city.
That makes the 2019 remake the most efficient way to recognize the location, the crisis that shaped Leon, and the tone of a Raccoon City survival-horror story. The recommendation is an inference from those connections, not a statement that Capcom requires the remake. You can begin with Requiem and learn the relevant information as the new story presents it.
Choose the remake rather than assuming you must play every older release. It gives you the relevant Leon-and-city context in a modern presentation while keeping the preparation list to one game.
Rank #2
- FEAR COMES HOME -- Fear, combat, exploration, and item management: these are the four pillars of survival horror, a genre that has never been more masterfully executed than in the gameplay of Resident Evil. The horror continues in the ground-breaking Resident Evil 7. Step into the new Isolated View and experience true survival horror in a world created by the all-new RE Engine.
- DEEP IN THE BAYOU - When Ethan Winters opened his inbox, the last thing he expected was to find an email from his wife; she had been missing for three years. The message was simple: "Come get me," and an address in Louisiana. This leads Ethan to a decrepit mansion in the heart of the bayou. The place has a seriously creepy vibe, but Ethan continues his search – until a stranger attacks him and knocks him unconscious. Ethan has no idea what awaits him when he wakes up...for he is now in the clutches of the Baker family.
- A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- In RESIDENT EVIL 7, we're changing the way you interact with the world. For this next major entry in the series, play from a first-person point of view, dramatically increasing your ability to become fully absorbed in the world we have created.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
What the Resident Evil 3 remake contributes
Capcom discusses the second and third numbered games together as entries that brought the action directly into Raccoon City. The 2020 remake therefore works as a companion to Resident Evil 2: it expands your sense of the citywide disaster and shows another part of the timeline.
Play it after Resident Evil 2 if your interest is specifically the setting rather than Leon’s personal history. It is a second optional stop, not a prerequisite identified by any official source. If you only have time for one game, keep Resident Evil 2 and skip this one without concern.
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Producer Masato Kumazawa said the Ashcroft family returns from the Resident Evil Outbreak series. In the June 26, 2025 PlayStation Blog interview, he explained that the team wanted a protagonist with a personal connection to the city while making Grace distinct from established heroes such as Leon and Chris.
The PlayStation character description identifies Grace’s mother as Alyssa Ashcroft, a Raccoon City Incident survivor and reporter who continued investigating Umbrella. That information gives longtime players a reason to look back at Outbreak, but the producer does not say that playing either Outbreak game is necessary to understand Grace.
Treat these games as optional history, especially because current platform and regional availability can vary. Check that your edition and hardware support them before planning a route around the Ashcroft connection.
Rank #3
- TERRIFYING ZOMBIES WAITING AROUND EVERY CORNER -- Driven by insatiable hunger, these creatures act on instinct, gnashing their teeth, ripping at flesh, and devouring their victims. The new immersive camera lets you feel their fangs as they sink into your flesh.
- RACCOON CITY, REBUILT IN INTRICATE DETAIL -- The characters, environments, and story have all been rebuilt from the ground up to create a terrifying world that feels both nostalgic and new.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
Should you play Resident Evil 7 and Village first?
Only if you want Ethan Winters’ complete arc. Nakanishi describes Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village as the entries that followed Ethan’s story. He also says that Ethan’s storyline concluded with those games and that the team wanted Requiem to steer back toward the main storyline leading up to Resident Evil 6.
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That makes the Ethan pair valuable broader-series context but a less direct introduction to Requiem than the Raccoon City games. They explain a different protagonist and a recent chapter of the franchise rather than Leon’s history or Grace’s family. Play them first when your priority is understanding the series’ modern evolution, not when you are looking for the shortest route into Requiem.
Do you need the original Resident Evil or a full playthrough?
No. A complete run from the original Resident Evil through every numbered sequel, remake and side story is for completionists. Capcom’s own series overview emphasizes that the games evolve their stories while maintaining a connective throughline, but it also says the developers do not bind each new entry to fixed notions from previous games.
That approach is why Requiem can use recurring places, families and characters without demanding that every player know the entire chronology. A full-series playthrough can deepen appreciation for references, but it is not an efficient preparation plan.
The story links you may notice in Requiem
Raccoon City
Requiem is set in the ruins of Raccoon City and investigates the truth behind the Raccoon City Incident. Kumazawa described the goal as returning to “a story that continues the overarching narrative rooted in Raccoon City and the secret machinations of the Umbrella Corporation.” You can understand that premise from the new game; earlier titles simply give the location more historical weight.
Rank #4
- CLASSIC RESIDENT EVIL GAMEPLAY -- Overcome chilling encounters in a relentless fight for survival that ratchets up the intensity through nail-biting exploration and gripping puzzle-solving.
- EXPLORE RACCOON CITY FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- Get even closer to the action with an over-the-shoulder camera and updated control scheme, drawing you into every bloodcurdling encounter.
- SURVIVE TOGETHER IN THE MULTIPLAYER MODE -- Bring up to four friends into the carnage with Resident Evil Resistance, a multiplayer survival horror experience included in the Resident Evil 3 package. Available as a PlayStation 4 title compatible on all PlayStation 5 devices. Includes code necessary for redemption, requires additional download not on disc.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
Grace Ashcroft and Alyssa Ashcroft
Grace is a new protagonist, but her family history reaches back to Alyssa Ashcroft, the reporter identified on the official PlayStation page. The connection gives Outbreak veterans an extra layer of recognition while allowing newcomers to meet Grace on her own terms.
Leon S. Kennedy
Leon’s presence is the clearest bridge to Resident Evil 2. Playing the remake lets you see the Raccoon City survivor before Requiem, but the new game is designed to introduce its circumstances without assuming that background.
The wider mainline narrative
Capcom describes Requiem as running through the series’ lore. Nakanishi’s comments about returning toward the storyline leading up to Resident Evil 6 explain why longtime fans may find references beyond the immediate city setting, while also distinguishing this direction from the completed Ethan arc.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Pick a preparation route
Route 1: Start immediately
- Begin Resident Evil Requiem with no prior game.
- Use the opening story information and character introductions as your context.
- Return to Resident Evil 2 later if Leon or Raccoon City makes you curious.
This is the route directly supported by Capcom’s newcomer guidance.
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- Play the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2.
- Start Resident Evil Requiem.
Choose this when you want the most relevant background with the least time spent away from the new game.
Best Value
- Reawaken a Classic – Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game, now reconstructed using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to deliver realistic visuals and additional narrative depth to the iconic story that was not possible at the time of the original release.
- Modernized Gameplay – The team from 2019’s Resident Evil 2 returns to build upon the series’ modern approach to survival horror. Engage in frenzied combat with the Ganados villagers, explore a European village gripped by madness, and solve puzzles to access new areas and collect useful items for Leon and Ashley’s constant struggle to survive.
- Overwhelming Hordes – Face hordes of rabid enemies that threaten to overwhelm Leon with even more diverse methods of attack than in the original release.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
Route 3: Raccoon City focus
- Play the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2.
- Play the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3.
- Begin Resident Evil Requiem.
This route adds more city history without requiring a tour of the entire franchise.
Route 4: Ashcroft and franchise-history focus
- Play Resident Evil Outbreak or Outbreak File #2 if you have compatible access.
- Play the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes for the central Raccoon City events.
- Add Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village if you also want Ethan’s completed storyline.
- Start Resident Evil Requiem.
This is a lore route, not a recommended entry requirement. It is appropriate when the history itself is the attraction.
Release details that do not change the recommendation
Capcom’s March 4, 2026 release announcement lists Resident Evil Requiem as released on February 27, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. The game includes multiple difficulty settings and lets you switch between first-person and third-person perspectives in real time. Those options may affect which platform or mode suits you, but they do not add a prior-game requirement.
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Recommended order
For the shortest useful preparation, play the Resident Evil 2 remake and then start Resident Evil Requiem. Add the Resident Evil 3 remake only when you want more Raccoon City history. Choose Outbreak for the Ashcroft-family deep cut, and choose Resident Evil 7 plus Village for Ethan’s separate arc. If your question is simply whether you can begin now, Capcom’s answer is yes.
Quick Recap
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