By Resident Evil: Requiem main character Grace Ashcroft is a clever FBI analyst who has not only endured her mother’s sudden demise but also appears to willingly confront the murder scene due to both professional and spiritual motivation. Additionally, she sports quite practical leather boots. But have you pondered the fact that she’s quite petite?
Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi discusses in a newly translated interview with Automaton that the ninth installment of Resident Evil won’t emphasize extravagant gunplay, yet Grace is pleased with a firearm in her grasp as the image “expresses the romanticism of a fragile girl battling with a sturdy revolver.”
From Requiem’s current flow of advertising content before the survival horror game releases on February 27, I wouldn’t label the timid yet determined Grace as “fragile” – during the gameplay summary I viewed at this year’s Summer Game Fest, she forces herself free from a restraint chair she’s bound to even as she’s lightheaded from hanging upside down, with a bag-worth of blood seeping out.
However, regardless of her fragility, Grace won’t heavily rely on her firearm regardless. Nakanishi also informs Automaton that even though “naturally, there will be boss confrontations,” Requiem explorers should anticipate nuanced skirmishes reminiscent of 1996’s Resident Evil or 1998’s Resident Evil 2 instead of “showy” chances for violence, “as seen in games focused on shooting action.” Players will instead need to “broaden their exploration territory in a confined setting and navigate challenges with cleverness,” Nakanishi elaborates.
As you acclimate to Requiem’s surroundings, Grace will adapt as well. She’s “frightened initially,” Nakanishi states, “but the circumstances ultimately drive her to lose control, and she gains the ability to combat her foes.
“Experiencing this journey of progression alongside the protagonist is one of the game’s main attractions.” Even the most delicate skin can toughen over time.