Resident Evil Fans Are Complaining About One Thing With Requiem (And It Doesn’t Make Sense)

With the release of Resident Evil Requiem, players are seeing the latest in Capcom’s survival horror franchise, with many early reviews praising the game as one of the best in the series. However, one common critique seems to touch on a complaint many Resident Evil games have also received, talking down Requiem in spite of its positive reception. Much like prior titles, this nitpick has always been strange, especially considering the genre the Resident Evil games occupy.

The gameplay of Resident Evil‘s latest title is divided between its two protagonists — Leon and Grace. Grace’s sections in the game are intense encounters that call dial up the insurmountable terror, while Leon’s part is crafted through survival horror action that emulates Resident Evil 4 in many regards. Reviews for Resident Evil Requiem praise how these differences blend together well to craft an experience that appeals to fans of both approaches.

Resident Evil Requiem’s Harshest Criticism Is That The Game’s Story Is Far Too Short

As of this time of writing, Resident Evil Requiem‘s biggest downside for fans is that the game is too short, only coming up at around 10 total hours of playtime to complete its story. Some players say it took them between 12-16 hours, with a few more added to reach 100% completion or get all the trophies/achievements in the game. For many, having such a small window of play time for a fully priced $70 title is a deal-breaker, either leading to frustration from those who bought it or a refusal to purchase the game from Resident Evil fans.

These numbers vary depending on if you’re the type of player to go exploring or simply follow the main plot until the credits roll. Some might want to do a New Game+ run, which easily doubles the average length of Resident Evil Requiem to clear it again. However, New Game+ also unlocks new weapons and tools to beat the game, making the process much faster. On average, most players will have done everything there is to do in around 19-23 hours of gameplay.

Past Resident Evil Success Stories Have Never Been Super Long Adventures

Although there is some merit in fan complaints about Resident Evil Requiem‘s length, it hardly represents a new criticism for the series. Nearly every Resident Evil game is on the shorter side, with most of their stories only take up 8-15 hours on average in each title. Even Resident Evil 4, possibly the most celebrated survival horror game of all time, only takes around 15 or 16 hours to beat, with the remake introducing tools that speed up your experience even more.

The solution that most Resident Evil games have to this “problem” is to have a wealth of postgame features at the player’s disposal. Optional side stories in Resident Evil 2, DLC stories in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, or alternate modes in Resident Evil Village add greater variety for players to experience long after the main campaign ends. Alternatively, New Game+ features encourage fans to repeat a Resident Evil games’ story, finding secrets they’ve missed or using new content not available in their first playthrough.

Some players even challenge themselves by trying to speedrun Resident Evil games, seeing how long they can complete a New Game+ run in under a certain time. Learning the ins and outs of every encounter in a Resident Evil game to quickly complete it can be its own fun, almost celebrating the shorter length of the survival horror rather than viewing it as a negative.

Shorter Length Grants Higher Replayability Through Modifiers, Higher Difficulty, & Other Factors

All of the reasons why Resident Evil is purposefully a shorter game on its surface is to add replayability later, much like an arcade title would. The number of secrets in a Resident Evil game usually means you won’t find everything your first time through, so having at least one New Game+ run is almost necessary for the complete experience. Since this allows you to use unlocked weapons and items exclusive to New Game+ too, it’s almost like a win-win.

Trying to beat the game on higher difficulties can also lengthen your time playing it, adding new restrictions to Resident Evil‘s survival horror systems to add tension your first playthrough never had. With Resident Evil Requiem‘s DLC plans already in motion, it’s reported length is respectable to give players a wealth of postgame options without really overstaying its welcome.

Whether it’s trying out New Game+ content, attempting to clear the game’s story in the fastest time possible, or searching the story for missed secrets, the shorter length of this title all makes those approaches more welcoming to players. Complaints about Resident Evil Requiem are ones that aren’t as warranted for a series that consistently gives players more paths to follow beyond one single trip through the game’s main story.

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