Resident Evil Requiem Looks Amazing in Handheld Mode on Switch 2

In just a few more weeks, the wait for Resident Evil Requiem will finally be over, and horror game fans all over the world will rejoice in unison as they hop into the game as both newcomer Grace and the legend himself, Leon. As February 27th comes closer and closer, final preview coverage for RE9 is taking place.

Last week, I got to partake in one of these previews myself, courtesy of a Nintendo Switch 2 event that featured several games that are coming to the platform soon. Capcom was present at this event, showing off both the promising-looking new sci-fi IP Pragmata, as well as Resident Evil Requiem.

While the section of RE9 that I played was the same as what we already got to preview last year (and what you can already watch on YouTube), this was our first time going hands-on with the Switch 2 port of the game. Let's talk about how the game is shaping up to be on the flagship Nintendo console.

Running the Halls on Switch 2

Upon getting set up at my demo station to test out Requiem on the Switch 2, the rep from Capcam that was nearby explained to me that this was actually a slightly older build of the game that I was seeing that day. As such, he assured me that the more recent/updated builds do look a bit better than what I'd be seeing, but that my build still looked and ran great as is.

Upon jumping into the demo as Grace, strapped to an inverted gurney in some terrifying operating room, it didn't take long to see that the Capcom rep was telling the truth. Resident Evil Requiem on the Switch 2 looks really, really good.

Heck, even the game's director remarked that Requiem on Switch 2 impressed him with how beautifully it ran, and after seeing it for myself, I get it. It currently seems like the days are gone when Switch players would have to make some third-party quality concessions in order to get the games they wanted on their Nintendo device. The Switch 2 is keeping pace much better in this regard.

I do think I could tell that this was a slightly older build, just in terms of some things like textures and animations. Still, RE9 on Switch 2 looked great as is, and I can only expect that the final version will look better once it's all said and done too. I assume there will be some difference between Switch 2 and other platforms, but I also don't expect it will be significant enough to warrant purchasing elsewhere if you prefer the game on Switch 2.

Holy Handheld

Where Requiem really shines on Switch 2 is in Handheld Mode. At the event, I almost didn't take the time to demo the game in Handheld after playing the whole thing on a TV. I had some other stations to hit, and just kind of figured that it probably looked totally fine in Handheld, but I didn't necessarily need to go back to test it.

I'm very glad that I did, however. After moseying around a bit and having play sessions with Pragmata and the new Virtual Boy unit, I doubled back to the Requiem setup and jumped back in for a partial replay of the demo on Handheld.

With the wonderful screen that comes native on the Switch 2, Resident Evil Requiem really looked amazing. I saw no graphical drop-off whatsoever, and in fact, there's a case that the game might even look better in this form factor. It also continued to run smooth as butter, and I walked away insanely impressed at what Capcom was able to pull off here.

The word on the street is that Switch 2 is easier to port for than ever, which obviously makes sense since the 2 is much beefier than the OG Switch. Still, I have to tip my hat to Capcom for just how well-optimized it seems RE9 actually is on the Switch 2, Handheld Mode specifically. Between this demo and Pragmata's, which was also an incredible experience, Capcom seems to be leading the charge for setting the third-party bar extremely high on the Switch 2.

Get Ready for More Soon

While I personally think the RE9 demo featuring Grace isn't the most revolutionary thing in the world, and I still haven't gotten to experience any chunks of the title as Leon, I have no doubt that RE9 is going to be another stellar entry in the recent history of the series.

This particular demo is fairly standard in terms of RE gameplay. Explore hallways, run from a scary creature, find items to retrieve other items to access new doors and rooms. It's stuff we've done before, but polished to a level you'd expect from the ninth mainline entry in the franchise.

At the end of the day, I'm excited to see the final product, and the wait is thankfully almost over. Resident Evil Requiem arrives on February 27th, which also happens to be my birthday. Thanks, Capcom. That's a pretty cool gift!

I should also mention that I got to play the demo using the new, currently unreleased Switch 2 Pro Controller that's themed around Resident Evil. It's not the flashiest limited edition controller out there, but I tend to like a more subtle design like this overall. And of course, it's still a Switch 2 Pro Controller, so it handled like a dream.

This edition retails at $99.99, so it's a little pricier than a standard controller, but will be worth it for fans that want to make their Switch 2 set up more of an homage to their favorite series. It will also be released on February 27th alongside the game itself.