Resident Evil Games You Need To Play Before Requiem

Resident Evil 9, or Requiem, is set to release on 27 Feb, 2026. The game has strong anticipation behind it, and given the amount of hype it has, it may break the records of the past games in the franchise. The recent reveals featuring Leon and Grace’s gameplay have managed to raise the bar quite high.

The developers seem to have treated this game quite well. That is because there are going to be around 100 zombie types, and each of them will have a unique personality. Also, the first-person experience in this game is said to be scarier than ever, even more than Resident Evil 7.

So, if you are someone who has been looking forward to this game but has not played all of the games in the franchise, I will tell you which ones you should play. While you can jump into Resident Evil Requiem when it releases, I recommend playing a few of the previous games to have the best experience.

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Recommended Resident Evil Games To Play Before Requiem Releases

The following are the games I highly recommend playing before Requiem releases so you can have the best experience:

Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 Remake is available, and it is arguably one of the best entries in the franchise. You should definitely give it a try, and it is not going to take much of your time. You can easily complete this game in up to 10 hours. Also, as Requiem takes place in Raccoon City, you need the full lore behind it.

In Resident Evil 2, you will witness the full outbreak in Raccoon City, and characters like Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield will be introduced. It features quite a strong narrative, and while the puzzles can be a little challenging, I can assure you that you will have fun. This is one of the games that laid down the foundation for the franchise, so if you have not played it yet, play it before Requiem releases.

Resident Evil 4

The remake of Resident Evil 4 is also available, and I consider it to be the best remake of all time. Capcom did justice to all of the characters, and the combat is close to perfect. You will mainly be playing as Leon Kennedy, and as you know, playing as him can never be boring.

So, for a full combat and action-packed experience along with progression in the story, you must play this game. For me, this is the best Resident Evil game. So, even if you do not want to play it for lore reasons, I would still highly recommend giving it a go.

The bio-terror threat becomes global in this game, so understanding the narrative may be important.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Another game that you must play before Requiem releases is Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. This game is an absolute gem in the franchise and offers the true horror experience. Even if you are not a fan of first-person horror, play this game, as it will ready you for what is coming in the upcoming game.

Resident Evil Requiem will feature the first-person mode, and utilizing that while playing as Grace is recommended. The first-person perspective is executed best in Biohazard, and to get a feel for what to expect from RE9’s gameplay, I strongly recommend giving it a try.

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil 8, or Village, is the last game in the franchise that I strongly recommend playing before Requiem comes out. This game is also full of action and develops quite a lot of Chris’s character. The game itself is solid and one of the most loved entries in the franchise.

Resident Evil 7 and 8 are the recent games in the franchise, so you must play these. Also, as Raccoon City is introduced in Resident Evil 2, that game is also a must. Other than that, Resident Evil 4 further expands on Leon’s character, who is featured in the upcoming game. So, playing all of these games, in my opinion, before RE9 releases is essential.

Optional Games To Play

The following are some optional Resident Evil games you may want to play before Requiem comes out:

Resident Evil 1

If you want to understand the complete origin of the events leading up to the upcoming game, you should play Resident Evil 1. This game features the Umbrella Corporation, which is basically the root cause of almost every bio-weapon disaster. The T-Virus and B.O.W. experiments were caused by this corporation.

This game also introduced Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Wesker. However, it is linked mostly to Resident Evil 5, so even if you skip these, the impact is not huge. However, if you want the complete picture of what happened at the beginning, this game is important to play.

Resident Evil 3

There is a remake for Resident Evil 3, so playing it can be worth it. This game further shows the collapse of Raccoon City, where the upcoming game is set. It also features more activities of the Umbrella Corporation. So, if you are interested in learning more about Raccoon City’s destruction and the Umbrella Corporation, you should play this game.

Resident Evil 5

As I mentioned above, Resident Evil 1 and 5 are linked together. This game features the arc of Wesker and completes the Umbrella storyline. While the story of the Umbrella Corporation concludes here, it all started with this corporation. So, understanding the origin and how its story concluded is also quite important.

This game further shifts the focus to the worldwide bio-terror networks, which are expanded in games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica.

Time You Need To Play The Recommended Games

Breakdown of the time you will need to play all of the recommended games:

• Resident Evil 2: up to 8 hours
• Resident Evil 4: up to 15 hours
• Resident Evil 7: up to 8 hours
• Resident Evil Village: up to 10 hours

So, even if you are not very skilled at video games, the recommended games should not take you more than 50 hours in total. However, for most players, it would take less than 45 hours, which can easily be completed in around two weeks. There are still over two weeks before Resident Evil Requiem releases, so it is totally doable.

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