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Resident Evil 9: The Survival Horror King is Back! 🧟

 

Look, I'll just come out and say it. I've been a Resident Evil fan since the days of tank controls and fixed camera angles, so when *Resident Evil 9: Requiem* dropped on February 27th, my Xbox Series X basically became a dedicated RE machine for the weekend .

And after rolling credits? I'm sitting here with a 9.5 out of 10. This is the real deal, y'all.

 

A Match Made in Umbrella's Lab 🥼

 

If you've been following the reviews, you know the critics are feeling it too. Over on Metacritic, the game is sitting pretty with scores in the high 80s and low 90s across platforms, and IGN gave it a well-deserved 9 . But honestly? Numbers don't capture what it *feels* like to play this thing.

Capcom did something really smart here. They basically took the terrifying survival horror DNA from *Resident Evil 7* and *RE2 Remake* and spliced it with the over-the-top action of *RE4* . The result? A game that flips between heart-stopping dread and "hell yeah" power fantasy without missing a beat.

You've got dual protagonists this time. There's Grace Ashcroft, this new FBI analyst who's basically us—easily scared, introverted, just trying to survive . Playing as her feels tense and vulnerable. Then you've got Leon S. Kennedy, who's back in Raccoon City (again) and absolutely wrecking everything in sight like the grizzled veteran he is . The way their stories weave together? Chef's kiss.

And get this—you can switch between first-person and third-person whenever you want . Wanna feel the claustrophobic horror up close? Go first-person. Wanna see Leon do his stylish kicks? Flip to third. It's such a simple feature but it completely changes how you experience the game.

 

The Spider Fight from Hell 🕷️

 

Okay. So. We need to talk about the elephant in the room. Or should I say... the giant arachnid.

This game is a 9.5 for me, no question. But I'm docking that half point for one very specific, very personal reason: **the fucking spider boss fight** .

Leon's back in Raccoon City, you're making your way through The Applegate Hotel, and suddenly you're getting chased by a massive spider. Then the objective pops up: "Defeat the giant spider" . Cool, cool, cool. Except I have arachnophobia. Like, real bad.

The fight itself is fine mechanically—you shoot explosive containers, aim for the pulsating spot on its rear, shotgun is your best friend . But visually? Absolutely not. I was squinting, leaning back in my chair, making sounds I'm not proud of. It's a great boss fight if you're not me. If you *are* me, it's a nightmare fuel experience that I power-gan through with sheer panic and spite.

That's literally the only reason this isn't a straight 10. Everything else is pristine.

 

Why You Need to Play This! 🎮

 

Look, whether you're on Xbox like me, PS5, or even Switch 2 (which apparently runs this shockingly well with ray tracing), you owe it to yourself to play *Resident Evil 9* . The critics on Nintendo Life are calling it a "new benchmark for the series," and I agree .

The return to Raccoon City hits all the nostalgia buttons without feeling lazy . The RE Engine is doing absolute wizardry with character details—like, you can see individual sweat droplets on faces during cutscenes . The zombies are scarier, the gore is turned up to 11, and the balance between horror and action is *chef's kiss* .

Sure, some folks are saying the back half gets a little more bullet-heavy than the front, and there's no Mercenaries mode at launch . But honestly? The main campaign is so meaty and satisfying that I barely noticed.

So yeah. 9.5 out of 10. Minus half a point for giving me arachnophobia flashbacks. But if you've got the guts (and don't mind spiders), this is essential gaming.

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go hug my controller and recover from that boss fight.