How Is Resident Evil Requiem Related To Previous Games In The Series?

Are you wondering about how Resident Evil Requiem is related to other games in the series? Capcom's survival-horror franchise has been around since 1996. In the last 30 years, the series has had numerous spinoffs and movie tie-ins (both live-action and animated). Naturally, there have been a few updates and retcons, along with some issues with plot holes and canonicity. Our guide examines how Requiem ties into the lore of this whole setting, but be forewarned that there are a few spoilers, too.

Note: We've got a Resident Evil Requiem guides hub to help you fight countless infected and other nightmarish beings.

Alyssa and Grace Ashcroft

One of the playable characters in Resident Evil Requiem is Grace Ashcroft, an FBI agent who also happens to be the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft. Alyssa, a reporter for Raccoon Press, originally appeared in Resident Evil Outbreak, which was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003.

Although Alyssa survived the ordeal back then, she was eventually killed in Wrenwood Hotel while investigating incidents that might be tied to the original outbreak. Alyssa's murder happened eight years prior to the start of Requiem. Grace, who was a teenager at the time, was traumatized at the sight of her mother dying in front of her.

Grace would later pursue a career with the FBI. At the start of Requiem's campaign, Grace is tasked with investigating Wrenwood Hotel after a string of violent deaths, almost akin to another outbreak. Her superior adds that the case might help her confront her grief and trauma head on.

Note: In Resident Evil Outbreak, Alyssa's mechanics include a means of using lockpicks to gain access to various rooms. In Resident Evil Requiem, Grace can acquire lockpicks to open drawers with loot. This also rewards an achievement called "Like Mother, Like Daughter."

Victor Gideon

Victor Gideon serves as the primary antagonist in Resident Evil Requiem, though he hasn't appeared in previous games in the series. A former researcher for Umbrella Corporation, Victor managed to elude authorities throughout the years. He eventually took control of the Care Center in Rhodes Hill, which gave him plenty of room to conduct his experiments into viral strains.

Victor also happens to be obsessed with "Elpis," another one of Umbrella's secret projects that only a select few know about. This obsession led him to capture Grace in Wrenwood Hotel at the start of the campaign. Grace, eventually, has to escape Victor's clutches in the Care Center.

The ruins of Raccoon City

Later in the campaign, you get to return to Raccoon City, the site of the T-virus outbreak that occurred in September 1998. Players have explored this location numerous times in the past, most notably in Resident Evil 2 (released in 1998) and Resident Evil 3 (released in 1999). In fact, it was toward the end of Resident Evil 3 where we saw the city's destruction via thermobaric missile. The devastation was total, as only a few hundred people managed to survive.

Fast forward to Requiem's campaign, and you'll notice how all buildings are in ruins, while cars and vehicles remain abandoned. That said, there are still dangers that lurk in every corner, as several infected seem to have survived the blast. Some even appear as upgraded variants.

RPD

While playing as Leon in Requiem, you'll revisit Raccoon Police Department (RPD), where he first started his journey as a rookie cop in Resident Evil 2. Veteran players will likely notice several Easter eggs and nods to the original game. Leon's remarks when interacting with puzzles, like the ones from Resident Evil 2 Remake (released in 2019), might make you chuckle, too.

Note: The next section contains even more spoilery tidbits regarding the story.

Raccoon City Syndrome

One of the over-arching narrative plots in Resident Evil Requiem involves Raccoon City Syndrome, a latent strain of the T-virus that only affects the survivors of the original outbreak from 1998. Basically, anyone who made it out of Raccoon City decades ago, and is still alive today, is likely to be infected.

However, this strain has remained dormant for decades, only manifesting in more recent years. The symptoms of the disease include black marks on the skin, almost similar to veins or tendrils, that gradually appear on other parts of the body. The disease continues to worsen until the subject reaches the terminal phase. This is when they experience severe fatigue and vomit blood uncontrollably.

Leon is certainly infected, which is why Requiem's campaign is a race against time. Other characters are also infected, though we don't want to spoil all the details here.

That about wraps up our quick refresher on Resident Evil Requiem's lore and how it's tied to previous games in the series. If you're eager to dive into massive spoilers territory, we've got an endings guide and an Easter eggs guide for you.