1. What Is Resident Evil Requiem? Quick Context
Resident Evil Requiem — also referred to as RE9 — is the ninth mainline entry in Capcom’s legendary survival horror franchise. It was released globally on February 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. It was directed by Koshi Nakanishi, the same director behind Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
The game marks the franchise’s 30th anniversary and returns to its most iconic setting: Raccoon City — now 28 years after its destruction. It introduces a brand new protagonist in Grace Ashcroft while also bringing back one of the series’ most beloved characters, Leon S. Kennedy.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Title | Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) |
| Developer | Capcom |
| Director | Koshi Nakanishi |
| Release Date | February 27, 2026 |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Steam & Epic) |
| New Protagonist | Grace Ashcroft (voiced by Angela Sant’Albano) |
| Returning Protagonist | Leon S. Kennedy (voiced by Nick Apostolides) |
| Setting | Wrenwood Hotel, Rhodes Hill Care Center, Raccoon City ruins — October 2026 |
| Copies Sold | 5 million in first 5 days (fastest-selling in franchise history) |
2. Who Is Grace Ashcroft? Full Background Explained
Grace Ashcroft is an FBI intelligence analyst — not a soldier, not a field agent, and not a trained combatant. This distinction is everything. Capcom deliberately designed Grace to feel powerless in a way that most Resident Evil protagonists do not. She is described as an introverted bookworm whose skills lie in deductive reasoning and technical analysis, not in wielding firearms or surviving bioterror attacks.
Her life before the events of Requiem was shaped almost entirely by tragedy. When Grace was young, her mother Alyssa Ashcroft — an investigative journalist and survivor of the 1998 Raccoon City outbreak — was murdered at the Wrenwood Hotel. That single event turned Grace inward. She buried herself in work at the FBI, rarely socializing, rarely leaving her routine, and quietly carrying the weight of a past she never fully understood.
When a string of mysterious deaths among Raccoon City survivors leads investigators to the Wrenwood Hotel — the exact location where her mother was killed — Grace is assigned to the case by her superior, Nathan Dempsy. What begins as a forensic investigation quickly spirals into something far beyond what any FBI analyst was trained to handle.
Grace’s Origins: The Spencer Connection
Grace’s backstory contains one of the most unexpected lore reveals in recent Resident Evil history. She was originally an orphan adopted by Oswell E. Spencer — the very founder of Umbrella Corporation and the architect of the T-Virus. Spencer, in his final years and consumed by regret for the catastrophic harm his work caused the world, regarded Grace as his “blind hope” — an act of atonement rather than experimentation.
At the end of an interview Spencer granted to Alyssa Ashcroft — in which he hoped his confession would serve as a “requiem for those who have passed” — he asked Alyssa to hold the infant Grace, and then entrusted the child to her care. Following Spencer’s death in 2006, his butler Patrick delivered his final will to Alyssa, granting her full legal custody. Grace was raised under Alyssa’s surname and grew up largely unaware of her extraordinary origins.
3. Who Created Grace Ashcroft — and Who Plays Her?
Grace Ashcroft was created by Capcom’s development team under director Koshi Nakanishi, with story contributions from writer Haris Orkin, who worked on the project for approximately two and a half years. The character was designed to represent a fundamentally different kind of Resident Evil protagonist — someone whose strength comes from intelligence and resilience rather than combat training.
Grace is voiced and performed via motion capture by Angela Sant’Albano, an actor for whom Resident Evil Requiem was her first-ever video game role — and her first experience with motion capture technology entirely. The performance received considerable critical praise, with multiple reviewers singling out Sant’Albano’s portrayal as one of the game’s genuine highlights.
In Japanese, Grace is voiced by Shihori Kanjiya. Leon S. Kennedy is reprised by Nick Apostolides in English (consistent with his performances in the RE2 and RE4 remakes) and by Toshiyuki Morikawa in Japanese.
✅ Lore Note: Angela Sant’Albano revealed in a post-release interview with Variety that she was deliberately kept in the dark about key story revelations during filming — specifically the truth about whether Grace was the “key” to Elpis. Capcom used this to ensure her performance conveyed genuine uncertainty.
4. The Ashcroft Family Connection: Alyssa & the Raccoon City Outbreak
Grace’s surname is not a coincidence. Alyssa Ashcroft — Grace’s adoptive mother — is a character with a long history in the Resident Evil universe. She was one of eight playable survivors in Resident Evil Outbreak (2003/2004), Capcom’s cooperative-focused spinoff set during the night Raccoon City was destroyed. Alyssa was an investigative reporter for The Raccoon Press who survived the catastrophe and spent the years afterward tracking down the truth about Umbrella.
In Requiem, Alyssa’s murder at the Wrenwood Hotel eight years before the game begins is the emotional engine of Grace’s entire story. Recovering Alyssa’s hidden satchel — containing a journalist’s journal and an MO Disc recording of her final interview with Spencer — becomes a pivotal story moment. That disc reveals to Grace both her own origins and the truth behind Elpis, the mysterious entity that antagonist Victor Gideon is hunting her for.
| Character | Role | Connection to Grace |
|---|---|---|
| Alyssa Ashcroft | Investigative journalist, Raccoon City survivor | Grace’s adoptive mother; murdered at Wrenwood Hotel |
| Oswell E. Spencer | Umbrella Corporation founder | Grace’s original adoptive guardian; entrusted her to Alyssa |
| Victor Gideon | Main antagonist, scientist | Believes Grace’s blood is the key to unlocking Elpis |
| Zeno | Secondary antagonist, financier | Gideon’s employer; used government connections to assign Grace to the case |
| Leon S. Kennedy | DSO agent, series veteran | Dispatched to Wrenwood; saves Grace at Rhodes Hill |
| Emily | Blind girl, experimental subject | Found by Grace at the care center; Grace ultimately adopts her |
| Sherry Birkin | Fellow DSO agent | Supports Leon; connects story to RE2 events |
5. How Does Grace Play? Gameplay Mechanics Fully Explained
Grace’s sections represent the survival horror half of Resident Evil Requiem — tighter, slower, and far more resource-restricted than Leon’s action-heavy chapters. Capcom designed her gameplay to sit in the tradition of Resident Evil 7 and Village, where tension comes from scarcity rather than spectacle.
Core Gameplay Characteristics
- Limited weaponry — Grace carries only a single handgun throughout the majority of the game, with scarce ammunition
- Stealth emphasis — players are strongly encouraged to avoid combat rather than engage, conserving both health and bullets
- Tight inventory management — Grace’s inventory feels noticeably more restricted than Leon’s, requiring careful decisions about what to carry
- Puzzle-solving focus — Grace’s chapters are heavier on environmental puzzles and document-finding than Leon’s combat-driven sequences
- The Adrenaline System — a gameplay mechanic that mirrors classic Resident Evil Outbreak’s risk/reward approach: under pressure, Grace’s reload speed increases
- Stalker enemy — Grace is periodically hunted by “The Girl,” a relentless monster that tracks her through walls and ceilings, similar to Mr. X in RE2 or Lady Dimitrescu in Village
Perspective Choice
Both Grace and Leon can be played in first-person or third-person perspective at any time, toggled freely. This is a first for the franchise at launch. For Grace’s sections specifically, first-person is the more immersive horror experience, while third-person provides better spatial awareness when navigating around The Girl.
⚠️ Important to Know: Grace has only a single boss fight in the entire game where she actively participates — and even then she does not fight directly. All other major combat confrontations belong to Leon’s chapters. Grace’s role is fundamentally about survival, not victory through force.
6. Grace vs Leon: The Difference Between Both Protagonists
Resident Evil Requiem alternates between Grace and Leon throughout its campaign. The two characters represent entirely different approaches to the same crisis — and their contrasting gameplay styles are intentional design.
🔵 Grace Ashcroft
- FBI intelligence analyst
- No formal field training
- Survival horror gameplay
- Stealth, puzzles, resource management
- Single handgun with limited ammo
- Hunted by The Girl
- Emotionally driven by grief and identity
- Best played in first-person for full horror
🟠 Leon S. Kennedy
- DSO veteran agent since RE2 (1998)
- Decades of combat experience
- Action-adventure gameplay
- Combat, weapons, high-octane sequences
- Multiple weapon types available
- Fights enemies directly
- Emotionally defined by survivor’s duty
- Best played in third-person for positioning
| Category | Grace Ashcroft | Leon S. Kennedy |
|---|---|---|
| Gameplay Tone | Tense, slow, survival horror | Fast, intense, action-adventure |
| Combat Frequency | Low — avoidance preferred | High — combat is central |
| Weapons Available | Handgun only (limited ammo) | Multiple firearms |
| Unique Mechanic | Adrenaline System (stress reload boost) | Standard RE4-style combat flow |
| Stalker Enemy | Yes — “The Girl” | No persistent stalker |
| Story Focus | Personal — identity, family, grief | Professional — duty, justice, legacy |
| Voice Actor (EN) | Angela Sant’Albano | Nick Apostolides |
7. Where Does the Story Take Grace? Locations Breakdown
The story of Resident Evil Requiem unfolds across a series of interconnected locations, all set in October 2026, 28 years after Raccoon City’s destruction. Grace’s journey moves from investigation to captivity to survival:
- Wrenwood Hotel (Midwest) — the abandoned, partially burned hotel where Grace’s mother was murdered and where a new string of deaths has been reported. The opening chapter.
- Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center — a medical facility where Grace is taken captive by Gideon, has her blood drained, and must escape while evading The Girl. Leon rescues her here.
- The Raccoon City Orphanage area (ARK facility) — adjacent to the ruins of Raccoon City, where the final confrontations with Gideon and Zeno take place and the truth about Elpis is revealed.
- Raccoon City ruins — the iconic bombed-out city, 28 years on, explored during the game’s later chapters and returning as a powerful emotional landmark for franchise veterans.
8. Who Are the Main Villains? Victor Gideon & Zeno Explained
Victor Gideon is the primary antagonist. A former scientist, Gideon has spent years researching Spencer’s notes on memory inheritance through the T-Virus. He became obsessed with a mysterious entity called Elpis — which he believes can be unlocked using Grace’s blood. The name “Elpis” is the Greek word for hope, which adds a layer of cruel irony: Grace, the girl Spencer called his “blind hope,” carries what Gideon believes is the literal key to a weapon disguised as salvation.
Zeno is Gideon’s employer and financier, with connections inside the U.S. government. It was Zeno who used those connections to ensure the Wrenwood investigation was assigned specifically to Grace — drawing her out of her reclusive life and into Gideon’s trap.
The game’s twist, however, recontextualizes everything: Grace is not special in any biological sense. She carries no cure. She is exactly what Spencer said she was — an ordinary child he adopted to atone for the extraordinary harm he caused. Elpis, as it turns out, is not derived from Grace at all.
9. The Two Endings: What Happens to Grace
⚠️ SPOILER — hover or tap to read:
The Truth About Elpis: When Grace and Leon reach the depths of the ARK facility and Zeno forces Grace to unlock Elpis using the password “hope” (discovered from Alyssa’s files), the revelation lands: Grace is not the key. Elpis is a cure to the T-Virus, but it was never dependent on Grace’s biology. She was an orphan Spencer took in as an act of penance — nothing more, nothing less.
The Good Ending: Grace survives the encounter with Gideon and Zeno. Having found Emily — the blind girl who was experimented on at the care center — Grace ultimately adopts her. The two form a found family, with Grace giving Emily the stable, safe childhood that neither of them truly had. This ending is widely considered the canonical resolution of Grace’s arc.
The Second Ending: Involves a different outcome based on player choices throughout the campaign. Specific conditions trigger an alternate conclusion to the Elpis confrontation. Players are advised to keep multiple save files across chapters to explore both outcomes without a full replay.
10. Key Survival Tips for Grace’s Sections
- Never waste ammo on The Girl — she cannot be killed in Grace’s chapters. Any bullets fired at her are wasted. Run, hide, and use the environment instead.
- First-person is more immersive; third-person is more practical — switch to third-person when navigating tight corridors while evading The Girl for better spatial awareness.
- Prioritize inventory space carefully — Grace’s inventory is tight. Healing items, key items, and ammo all compete for the same slots. Learn what to drop and what to keep.
- Puzzles unlock better resources — don’t skip environmental puzzles. They often yield extra ammunition, herbs, or documents that unlock upgrade paths.
- Save with ink ribbons strategically — saving with an ink ribbon is required for a specific trophy. Keep at least one ink ribbon save per major area in a separate save slot.
- Use the Adrenaline System deliberately — in moments when The Girl is closing in, trust the increased reload speed rather than panicking and missing shots.
- Read every document you find — Resident Evil Requiem is deeply lore-rich. Grace’s story only fully makes sense when you’ve read Alyssa’s journal and related notes.
✅ Pro Tip for Speedruns: On a second or third playthrough, the infinite ammo unlock (available after earning enough Challenge Points on your first run) makes Grace’s chapters significantly less stressful and enables the Speed Demon trophy (complete in under 4 hours).
Frequently Asked Questions: Grace Ashcroft & Resident Evil Requiem
Q: Who is Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem?
Grace Ashcroft is one of the two playable protagonists in Resident Evil Requiem (RE9). She is an FBI intelligence analyst, the adopted daughter of Raccoon City survivor and journalist Alyssa Ashcroft, and the first brand-new protagonist introduced in the mainline Resident Evil series in years. She is voiced by Angela Sant’Albano.
Q: Is Grace Ashcroft related to Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak?
Yes. Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak (2003/2004) is Grace’s adoptive mother. Alyssa was an investigative reporter who survived the Raccoon City incident and later adopted Grace after being entrusted with her by Oswell E. Spencer. Alyssa was murdered at the Wrenwood Hotel eight years before the events of Requiem.
Q: Is Grace the main character or is Leon the main character?
Both are main characters with equal billing, but the game’s emotional core and new narrative belongs to Grace. The story is primarily told through her eyes. Leon’s sections provide action and connect to franchise history, but Grace drives the story forward.
Q: What is “The Girl” in Resident Evil Requiem?
The Girl is the persistent stalker enemy that hunts Grace through several chapters of the game. She is a clone created by The Connections as part of experiments into unlocking Elpis. She cannot be killed during Grace’s sections and is designed to force stealth and evasion rather than confrontation.
Q: Can you play RE9 without having played previous Resident Evil games?
Yes. Capcom designed Requiem to be accessible to newcomers through Grace’s perspective. However, longtime fans will recognise deeper connections: the return to Raccoon City, Leon’s history, Sherry Birkin’s backstory, and the Outbreak connection all carry additional emotional weight for series veterans.
Q: What is Elpis in Resident Evil Requiem?
Elpis is a mysterious entity at the centre of the game’s plot. Antagonist Victor Gideon believes it can be unlocked using Grace’s blood. The name is the Greek word for “hope.” Without revealing full spoilers: the truth about Elpis and its relationship to Grace forms the emotional climax of the game.
Q: How many endings does Resident Evil Requiem have?
Resident Evil Requiem has two endings, determined by player choices made during the campaign. Keeping multiple manual saves across different chapters allows players to experience both without completing a full second playthrough.
