A Beginner’s Guide to Resident Evil: Requiem

Resident Evil: Requiem is one of the boldest moves Capcom has made in the franchise’s 30-year history. The game offers a unique dual campaign: while Leon S. Kennedy’s episodes deliver explosive action in the spirit of RE4, playing as FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft brings us back to the purest, most claustrophobic survival horror the series has to offer.

Trapped inside the terrifying Rhodes Hill Medical Center, Grace cannot rely on brute force or a well-stocked arsenal. Her real weapons are her mind, silence, and the ability to blend into the environment. This guide will help you survive your first few hours without staring at the “You Are Dead” screen on repeat.

1. Stealth Is Your New Reality

In Grace’s campaign, the developers have taken stealth mechanics to an entirely new level. Enemies don’t just react to line of sight – they respond to the slightest sound and any source of light. Underestimating this will get you killed.

Crouch Walk – The Golden Rule

The moment you enter any new, unexplored area of the hospital, crouch immediately. Grace’s footsteps echo through corridors, instantly alerting mutants in adjacent rooms. Moving upright in this game is a death wish.

Use the Environment as Bait

Resident Evil: Requiem actively rewards creative stealth play. If an enemy is patrolling a narrow dark corridor, you don’t have to fight. Turn on a light in the next room or switch on an old radio to pull their attention away, then slip past silently in the shadows.

Mechanic	How to Use It	Beginner Tip
Crouch (Ctrl / L3)	Slower movement, minimal noise. Default stance in any new area.	Always crouch in shadows – enemies react to movement, not just sound.
Distraction	Flip light switches, push carts, or throw bottles to draw enemies away.	Watch for 10–20 sec first: patrol routes are cyclic – learn them.
Light & Darkness	Stay away from lamps and windows. Grace in shadow is nearly invisible.	Your lighter repels stalkers after wounding them. Use it wisely.
Hiding Under Furniture	Press Interact (E / F on PC) near a table or bed to hide.	Combine with crouching – get under cover before you’re spotted.

💡 Pro Tip: Enemies in Requiem have distinct “personalities” – one fixates on light switches, another feeds on corpses. Study each enemy type to manipulate them more effectively.

2. The Art of Hiding: Why Tables Will Be Your Best Friends

Throughout Grace’s campaign, you’ll be hunted not only by standard zombies but by dangerous “stalker” enemies – including the game’s chilling main antagonist, Victor Gideon. When a stalker is nearby, running and hiding is the only reliable way to survive.

Break Line of Sight First

If you’ve been spotted, don’t dive under a table while the monster is looking at you – it will reach you before you’re fully hidden. First, run around a corner or into another room so the enemy loses visual contact, then find your hiding spot.

Proper Hiding Technique

• Crawl toward a table or bed in advance – before you hear footsteps.
• Press Interact (E or F on PC) when the highlighted icon appears.
• Once hidden – don’t move. Any sudden motion triggers instant detection.
• Watch the enemy’s feet and listen to their breathing. They may stop right next to you.
• Be patient: the AI in Requiem is smart – a monster may pretend to leave and double back.

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t over-rely on the same hiding spot. Stalkers in Requiem “learn” and will start actively checking typical hiding places – tables, beds, wardrobes. Rotate between locations if you’re evading the same enemy for a long time.

3. Ammo Conservation: Every Bullet Is Worth Its Weight in Gold

Unlike Leon, Grace is an ordinary person with no special forces training. Her resources are critically limited and her weapons deal less damage. Trying to “clear” an entire location of enemies will guaranteed leave you with an empty magazine right before a boss encounter.

Shoot to Escape – Not to Kill

If you’re cornered, use your pistol tactically. One precise shot to the knee or head will put a zombie into a “stagger” state for a few seconds – just enough time to run past. Spending 1 bullet instead of 6 or 7 is the fundamental skill of surviving as Grace.

Ammo & Crafting System

Strategy	Details	Effect
Blood Collector Crafting	Collect infected blood from zombies. Analyze it in the lab to unlock skill tree branches.	Generates ammo without looting. Priority #1 upgrade.
Hemolytic Injections	Craft for stealth kills: inject into the neck – silent takedown, no mutation.	Replaces 5–10 bullets per use.
Knife / Melee	Push a zombie (push), then finish with the knife up close.	Zero ammo cost. Risky in groups, effective 1-on-1.
Stealth Bypass	Distract enemies and walk past without firing a single shot.	Conserves up to 80% of ammo per location.

Investment Priorities

• Craft stealth kills (hemolytic injections) first – they replace an entire magazine’s worth of damage.
• Save powerful ammo exclusively for mandatory story encounters.
• Blood analysis in the lab is your #1 skill upgrade priority.
• Sell unneeded items and reinvest in crafting injections and herbs.

💡 Pro Tip: The inventory in Requiem is grid-based. Combine herbs for better heals and optimize space by placing long items horizontally.

4. Survival Roadmap: Grace’s First Few Hours

• First minutes: Grab the Blood Collector immediately. Avoid any direct combat.
• Exploration: Scan photos and documents – they hold clues to puzzles and hidden resource stashes.
• First chase sequences: Hide under tables, run into rooms with low doorways (large enemies can’t fit through).
• First lab upgrades: Unlock hemolytic injections before anything else.
• Patrols: Always observe an enemy’s patrol route for at least 1–2 full cycles before moving.

Conclusion

Playing as Grace Ashcroft demands patience, cool-headedness, and careful planning. This is classic Resident Evil at its finest – you feel vulnerable at every turn, and that is the game’s greatest strength. Explore every corner for resources, and remember: the best fight is the one you managed to avoid.

What’s your approach – slow and tense stealth as Grace, or explosive action as Leon? Share your first impressions in the comments!