Resident Evil Requiem vs Cronos: The New Dawn

• Perspective: First-Person and Third-Person (Switchable)
• Setting: Raccoon City, Wrenwood Hotel
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
• Protagonist: Grace Ashcroft
• Unique Feature: Ability to switch between first-person and third-person camera perspectives at any time during gameplay.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Future & 1980s Poland
• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, macOS
• Unique Feature: A unique 'Merging' mechanic where enemies can absorb corpses to evolve mid-combat, combined with a time-travel narrative and environmental puzzles.

• Essences: Extracted from key 'targets' in the 1980s. These are the main story objective and provide gameplay perks, but also contribute to the Traveler's madness.
• Audio Logs and Text Files: Found throughout the environment. They are the primary source of environmental storytelling, piecing together the history of the world and 'The Change'.

• Survival Horror
• Psychological Horror
• Bio-Terrorism
• Conspiracy
• Corporate Malfeasance
• Legacy and Family

• Survival Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Time Travel
• Alternate History
• Psychological Horror
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Polish History (1980s)

• Morphing Handgun: Primary Firearm
  The Traveler's main weapon. It is a handgun that can be upgraded with different modules, such as a shotgun attachment, to alter its function.
• Melee Attack: Emergency Melee
  A slow, clunky punch and stomp finisher. Primarily used in emergencies or on downed enemies due to its high risk and low speed.
• Suit Flamethrower: Utility / Weapon
  A built-in flamethrower with severely limited fuel. Its primary purpose is to burn enemy corpses to prevent the 'Merging' mechanic, but it can also be used as a weapon.

• Traveler's Suit: A heavy, space-suit-like attire that can be upgraded to improve its integrity (health) and increase inventory space. As the Traveler collects Essences, the suit becomes haunted, leading to psychological effects.

• Character Outfits: Details on character customization and alternate costumes have not been announced. Previous games in the series have often included unlockable costumes as rewards for completing the game or as part of deluxe editions.

Specific skill and upgrade systems have not been detailed. Based on series conventions, players can expect to find and upgrade a variety of weapons. The protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, is described as less of a combat expert than previous protagonists, suggesting that evasion, puzzle-solving, and resource management will be heavily emphasized. Crafting of healing items and ammunition is also expected to return.

Progression is based on resource scarcity and crafting. Players use scavenged 'Energy' to upgrade the Traveler's health, suit, and weapons at workstations. A key element is the psychological impact of collecting 'Essences,' which haunts the Traveler's suit and can lead to a descent into madness, but also provides gameplay perks.

Confirmed locations include the Wrenwood Hotel and the devastated Raccoon City, including the iconic Raccoon City Police Department building. The extent and size of these areas are currently unknown, but previews suggest claustrophobic, horror-focused environments rather than a large open world.

The game is not a traditional open world. It features meticulously crafted levels that intricately weave between future wastelands and the historically-based Nowa Huta district of 1980s Poland. The design uses a puzzle-like, non-linear structure with narrative branches and a time-loop mechanic.

• Grace Ashcroft: Playable Protagonist
  An FBI technical analyst investigating a mysterious case tied to her family's past. She is portrayed as more vulnerable and less combat-proficient than other Resident Evil heroes.
• Alyssa Ashcroft (mentioned): Key Story Character
  Grace's mother and a journalist who was a playable character in the Resident Evil Outbreak series. Her past investigations and murder are central to Requiem's plot.
• Hooded Man: Antagonist (Speculative)
  A mysterious hooded figure seen in the reveal trailer who appears to be a central villain.

• The Traveler: Playable Protagonist
  A woman with no clear past, tasked by a mysterious AI to travel back in time to 1980s Poland and 'salvage' the essences of the dead.
• The Collective: Key NPC / Antagonist?
  A creepy AI from a future society that administers cognitive tests and gives the Traveler her missions. Its true motives are unknown.
• The Orphans: Enemies
  The grotesque monstrosities that were once human, transformed by the catastrophic 'Change'. They come in various forms, including runners, rangers, and bruisers.

• Main Story Campaign
  The primary mission will be to guide Grace Ashcroft through the game's story, investigating the Wrenwood Hotel and the ruins of Raccoon City to uncover the truth behind her mother's death and a new bio-organic threat. This will involve puzzle-solving, exploration, resource management, and combat/evasion.

• Main Story Quests
  A non-linear, puzzle-like campaign that follows the Traveler's mission to salvage the 'Essences' of key individuals from 1980s Poland before they perish in 'The Change'. Player choices can lead to branching paths and multiple endings.
• Environmental Puzzles
  A recurring objective involving the use of the time rift mechanic to manipulate the environment, alongside classic survival horror puzzles like finding fuses or keycodes to progress.

The game is available in a Standard Edition ($59.99) and a Deluxe Edition ($69.99). The Deluxe Edition includes 48-hour early access, a starter pack of in-game resources and ammo, unique armor skins, a digital artbook, and the original soundtrack.

• Q: What is Resident Evil Requiem?
  A: Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series, featuring a new protagonist named Grace Ashcroft and a return to Raccoon City.
• Q: When will Resident Evil Requiem be released?
  A: The game is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026.
• Q: What platforms will Resident Evil Requiem be on?
  A: It will be available on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
• Q: Can I play in third-person?
  A: Yes, for the first time in a new mainline Resident Evil game at launch, you can switch between first-person and third-person perspectives freely.
• Q: Is Resident Evil Requiem a sequel to Resident Evil Village?
  A: Yes, it is the next main entry in the series after Resident Evil Village.
• Q: Is this a multiplayer game?
  A: No, Resident Evil Requiem has been announced as a single-player experience.

• Q: What is Cronos: The New Dawn?
  A: It is a third-person survival horror game from Bloober Team, the creators of The Medium and Layers of Fear. It blends tactical, resource-scarce combat with a time-travel narrative set between a post-apocalyptic future and 1980s Poland.
• Q: What is the 'Merging' mechanic?
  A: It's a unique system where if you don't burn the corpses of defeated enemies, other living enemies can absorb them to evolve into stronger, faster, and deadlier versions mid-combat.
• Q: Is it a 'walking simulator' like other Bloober Team games?
  A: No. This game marks a significant shift for the developer into a more action-driven, tactical survival horror experience with deep combat and resource management, inspired by games like Dead Space and Resident Evil.
• Q: How does time travel work in the game?
  A: Players can shoot 'time rifts' in the environment to rewind or reconstruct parts of a level. This is used to solve environmental puzzles, clear obstacles, and open new pathways.

• The official detailed system requirements for Resident Evil Requiem have not yet been released. The following are preliminary minimum and recommended requirements based on news reports and are subject to change. The detailed breakdown is an estimation based on recent RE Engine titles.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop equivalents of the desktop GPUs listed below will be required for similar performance. Performance will vary based on the laptop's power delivery (TGP) and cooling system. Newer gaming laptops should handle the game well, but specifications will become clearer closer to launch.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A higher Total Graphics Power (TGP) will be crucial for achieving stable framerates, especially at higher resolutions and settings.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Efficient cooling will be necessary to prevent thermal throttling during intense gameplay sessions.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A modern multi-core CPU will be important for handling both the graphical and gameplay demands of the RE Engine.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for optimal performance by bypassing the integrated GPU.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Support for upscaling technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS is highly anticipated to achieve better performance at higher resolutions, though not officially confirmed.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Shadow Quality, Volumetric Lighting, and Anti-Aliasing will likely be the most performance-intensive settings.
• Game Name: Resident Evil Requiem

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These specifications reflect the demands of the Unreal Engine 5 build.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the specific model's cooling and TGP. The game's detailed environments and intense combat can be demanding, so a modern gaming laptop is advised.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and potential for sudden, intense combat encounters require a robust cooling system to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A strong mobile CPU is important for handling the complex AI and physics calculations without bottlenecks.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is beneficial for reducing input latency, which is helpful for the game's deliberate combat.
• Game Name: Cronos: The New Dawn

• Upscaling Tech: Support for upscaling technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS is highly anticipated to achieve better performance at higher resolutions, though not officially confirmed.
• Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Shadow Quality, Volumetric Lighting, and Anti-Aliasing will likely be the most performance-intensive settings.

• G P U T G P: A higher Total Graphics Power (TGP) will be crucial for achieving stable framerates, especially at higher resolutions and settings.
• Cooling Thermals: Efficient cooling will be necessary to prevent thermal throttling during intense gameplay sessions.
• C P U Power Limits: A modern multi-core CPU will be important for handling both the graphical and gameplay demands of the RE Engine.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended for optimal performance by bypassing the integrated GPU.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and potential for sudden, intense combat encounters require a robust cooling system to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A strong mobile CPU is important for handling the complex AI and physics calculations without bottlenecks.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is beneficial for reducing input latency, which is helpful for the game's deliberate combat.