RE Requiem Length: Decoding the Playtime of the Next Resident Evil Saga
Anticipation for Resident Evil Requiem – often unofficially dubbed RE9 – is at an all-time high, and one of the most pressing questions on every fan's mind is: how long to beat RE9? As the latest chapter in Capcom's iconic survival horror series, Requiem promises a thrilling new narrative featuring two distinct protagonists, Leon and Grace. While concrete figures are always subject to individual playstyle, early insights suggest that the game's duration will offer a substantial experience, positioning itself uniquely between the lengths of recent entries like Resident Evil Village and the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 4 Remake.
Understanding game length isn't just about the main story; it encompasses everything from a rushed critical path to meticulously uncovering every secret and mastering every challenge. For Resident Evil Requiem, this spectrum appears to be particularly broad, inviting players to dive as deep as they dare into its horrors.
Unpacking RE Requiem's Core Playtime: Longer Than Village, Shorter Than RE4?
Based on initial previews and trusted industry whispers, a standard first playthrough of Resident Evil Requiem is projected to last anywhere from 10 to 16 hours. This places its primary narrative experience firmly in the mid-range for modern Resident Evil titles. The unique dual-protagonist structure, where Leon and Grace's paths intertwine at crucial junctures rather than offering separate campaigns, likely contributes to this focused yet rich experience.
The leaker "Golem," a notable analyst in the Resident Evil community, has indicated that Resident Evil Requiem is "longer than Village but shorter than Resident Evil 4." This aligns well with the 10-16 hour estimate for Requiem's average story length. To put this into perspective:
- Resident Evil Village typically takes around 8-10 hours for its main story.
- Resident Evil 4 Remake, by comparison, often clocks in at 10-12 hours for its critical path and 15-20 hours for a more standard first run including some side content.
So, while RE Requiem might not match the extensive initial journey of RE4 Remake's average playthrough, its core narrative is designed to be more substantial than Village. This sweet spot suggests a well-paced story that balances action and survival horror elements, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in both Leon and Grace's distinct playstyles without feeling either rushed or overextended. For a detailed breakdown of how these playtimes might unfold, you can delve deeper into How Long to Beat Resident Evil Requiem? Story vs. 100% Runs.
The single campaign featuring two perspectives offers an intriguing narrative device. Players won't be restarting from scratch to experience another character's journey; instead, they'll witness how two different skill sets and viewpoints contribute to a cohesive storyline, enhancing the overall depth without necessarily multiplying the critical path's duration. This strategic design ensures that even a player focused purely on the main plot will still experience a robust and comprehensive story in RE Requiem.
The Completionist's Epic: 40+ Hours of Terror in RE Requiem
Where Resident Evil Requiem truly sets itself apart from its predecessors in terms of sheer playtime is in its completionist runs. While a standard playthrough might fall in the 10-16 hour range, reports suggest that achieving 100% completion in RE Requiem could demand well over 40 hours of dedicated gameplay. This is a significant leap compared to Resident Evil 4 Remake's 20-25 hour completionist average, hinting at an incredibly dense world packed with secrets, challenges, and unlockables.
What exactly might contribute to such an expansive completionist experience in RE Requiem? Players can likely expect:
- Extensive Side Quests and Bounties: Much like the Merchant Requests in RE4 Remake, Requiem could feature numerous optional objectives that send players exploring every nook and cranny of its environments.
- Vast Collectibles: Beyond standard files and lore documents, expect a plethora of unique items, hidden treasures, and possibly character-specific collectibles that require meticulous searching and puzzle-solving.
- Weapon Upgrades and Customization: Fully upgrading every weapon for both Leon and Grace, potentially unlocking unique modifications or prestige versions, could be a significant time sink.
- Unlockable Modes and Challenges: Similar to "The Mercenaries" or other bonus content in past titles, Requiem might introduce post-game modes or challenge scenarios tied to specific achievements.
- Secret Areas and Optional Bosses: The world might be filled with areas that are off the main path, leading to challenging encounters or unique rewards for those brave enough to explore.
This 40+ hour commitment for completionists points towards a game designed to reward deep engagement and multiple explorations. It suggests that even after finishing the main narrative, there will be a wealth of content to discover, enriching the lore, enhancing combat prowess, and ultimately pushing players to master every aspect of the game. For an in-depth look at what these extensive runs entail, check out Resident Evil Requiem: How 40+ Hour Completionist Runs Unfold.
The RE4 Remake Benchmark: A Tale of Variable Durations
To fully appreciate the speculated length of RE Requiem, it's essential to understand the benchmark set by Resident Evil 4 Remake. Praised for its robust content, RE4 Remake offered a variable experience depending on player approach:
- Just Story/Critical Path: Approximately 10-12 hours.
- Standard Playthrough (Story + a few extras): Ranged from 15-20 hours. This is the experience most players had on their first run, naturally exploring a bit and upgrading gear.
- 100% Completionist Playthrough: Typically 20-25 hours, though many found their first true completionist run pushing well beyond 20 hours due to difficulty and the sheer amount of content.
Factors like individual skill level, the time spent strategizing for tough encounters (like surviving the infamous village), and the inclination to explore contributed significantly to these variations. Interestingly, even ignoring side content could sometimes prolong the experience in RE4 Remake, as players might find themselves under-equipped for later challenges without the benefit of extra loot and weapon upgrades.
The game also featured 16 chapters, with later chapters often being shorter and more intense, creating a satisfying sense of accelerated progression. This design philosophy, where the latter parts of the game are punchier, might influence RE Requiem's pacing as well.
What made RE4 Remake feel so substantial wasn't just its raw hours, but the density and quality of its content within those hours. Every area felt meticulously crafted, and optional diversions were often highly rewarding. When Golem suggests RE Requiem is "shorter than Resident Evil 4," it likely refers to this average first playthrough duration (15-20 hours), making Requiem's 10-16 hours for its core story a respectable, if slightly condensed, experience.
Beyond the First Playthrough: The Value of Replayability in RE Requiem
Resident Evil games have always championed replayability, and Requiem is poised to continue this tradition. Finishing the main story is rarely the end for a dedicated fan; it's often just the beginning of truly mastering the game.
Expect Resident Evil Requiem to feature robust New Game Plus (NG+) options, allowing players to carry over their progress, weapons, and upgrades into subsequent playthroughs. This opens the door for:
- Higher Difficulty Modes: Challenging yourself with Hardcore, Professional, or even a permadeath-like mode, which drastically alters combat and resource management.
- Speedrun Attempts: Just like RE4 Remake offered achievements for beating the game in under 5.5 hours, Requiem will likely encourage players to refine their routes and combat strategies for lightning-fast clears.
- Unlocking Powerful Gear: NG+ often provides access to overpowered weapons or special costumes, making subsequent runs a blast.
- Exploring Different Choices (if applicable): While Requiem has a single campaign, the dual protagonists might offer subtle variations or insights depending on how players approach certain sections with Leon or Grace.
- Achievement Hunting: Many achievements are specifically designed for NG+ or require multiple playthroughs, pushing players to engage with every facet of the game.
The dual protagonists could further enhance replayability, encouraging players to experiment with different loadouts and tactics unique to Leon and Grace in varied scenarios. A true Resident Evil enthusiast will likely spend many dozens of hours revisiting RE Requiem, tweaking their approach, and tackling increasingly difficult challenges long after the credits roll on their first run.
Conclusion
So, how long to beat RE9, or Resident Evil Requiem? For its main story, players can anticipate a solid 10-16 hour journey, placing it as a longer experience than Resident Evil Village but slightly more concise than the average first playthrough of Resident Evil 4 Remake. However, the real depth of Requiem seems to lie in its extraordinary completionist pathway, promising well over 40 hours of content for those who wish to uncover every secret and master every challenge. This blend ensures that whether you're a casual fan eager for the story or a hardcore completionist, Resident Evil Requiem will offer a substantial and terrifying experience designed to keep you on the edge of your seat for many hours to come.