Resident Evil Requiem Just Made These Niche Games Must-Plays

This year’s Summer Game Fest live show was a bit of a mixed bag. Though the annual show often has a few mobile game ads sprinkled throughout its runtime, it felt like they were doubled this year, and there was a good portion of the showcase where these ads were being shown back-to-back for what felt like an eternity. And though there were definitely some exciting games shown during SGF, but the lack of big announcements from major publishers did leave the show feeling a tad underwhelming. That said, SGF did finally give fans the long-awaited Resident Evil 9 reveal, which is now officially titled Resident Evil Requiem.

Following some truly unnecessary teases littered throughout the show, Resident Evil Requiem‘s debut trailer quickly became many fans’ highlight of the evening. What began as an unassuming look at an unknown FBI-related game quickly turned into an intense trailer filled with both subtle and overt references to the wider Resident Evil franchise. One of those references even ties the upcoming mainline entry to an oft-overlooked pair of Resident Evil spin-offs, which have now become must-plays in the lead up to Resident Evil Requiem‘s release.

Resident Evil Requiem’s Teases Have to Put Their Money Where Their Mouths Are with Lady Dimitrescu

Resident Evil Requiem’s presentation leaned heavily on Lady Dimitrescu; leaving fans wondering if she’s really coming back, and if Capcom will commit.

Resident Evil Fans Will Want to Play RE Outbreak Before Requiem’s Launch

An Introduction to Resident Evil Outbreak 1 and 2

Released in March 2004 in the US, Resident Evil Outbreak is a PlayStation 2-exclusive that takes place around the same time as Resident Evil 2 and 3. In RE Outbreak, players control one of eight playable characters during the fall of Raccoon City. Gameplay-wise, Resident Evil Outbreak plays pretty similarly to the 2002 remake of the first Resident Evil, with players controlling their character from a third-person, fixed camera perspective.

What separated Resident Evil Outbreak from the spin-offs that came before it was its focus on online co-op, which was only available for the Japan and North American versions of the game. RE Outbreak would receive a sequel just a year later in the form of Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2, which gave fans another five scenarios to play through involving the same eight characters. Both spin-offs received a mixed reception at launch from critics, but many fans now view them as ahead of their time given their focus on multiplayer action, something that modern-day Capcom still can’t quite nail.

How Resident Evil Requiem Connects to RE Outbreak

One of Resident Evil Outbreak‘s eight playable characters is Alyssa Ashcroft, an investigative journalist who witnessed some of Umbrella’s dirty work in the Arklay Mountains and was forced by Umbrella scientist Dr. Greg Mueller to undergo surgery to suppress her memories. Ashcroft is one of the few known survivors of Raccoon City, having escaped by some unconfirmed means minutes before the bombs decimated the area.

In Resident Evil Requiem‘s reveal trailer, players are introduced to Grace Ashcroft, Alyssa’s daughter. Working at the FBI, Grace is tasked with investigating Wrenwood Hotel, the site of her mother’s mysterious death eight years prior. Fans see a few glimpses of Alyssa during RE9‘s trailer, where she’s been given the full RE Engine makeover. Though nothing’s been confirmed yet, it seems likely that players will see Alyssa’s death during Resident Evil Requiem, possibly in some kind of playable flashback.

Alyssa Ashcroft was also referenced in Resident Evil 7 via an in-game newspaper article that reports on the uptick in missing persons in South Louisiana over the last two years.

How to Play Resident Evil Outbreak 1 and 2

Currently, the only way to play Resident Evil Outbreak and Outbreak: File #2 is to purchase the original versions for PlayStation 2. These games can sell second-hand for anywhere between $15 and $60, and their connection to Resident Evil Requiem might inflate that price in the coming days. It should also be noted that the official online servers for all versions of Resident Evil Outbreak and its sequel have been shutdown, though there are some tutorials out there that might be able to provide an unofficial workaround.