Right, So Resident Evil: Requiem Thinks We're All Scaredy-Cats, Adds TPP Because RE7 Was 'Too Scary'
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Resident Evil: Requiem's director, Koshi Nakanishi, revealed the game will feature both first and third-person modes because RE7 was apparently "too scary" for some players in FPP, leading to an interesting discussion about accessibility versus pure horror immersion, as originally reported by Rock Paper Shotgun.
Right, so I've been tinkering with the latest whispers from the digital ether, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. Apparently, the legendary Resident Evil series, the one that used to make me leap out of my skin just by looking at a door, is now… *too scary*. No, fair dinkum, you heard that right.
It’s a strange reality we’re brewing up, isn't it? One where Silent Hill is getting all action-hero-y, and Resident Evil is perceived as being too much for our fragile little hearts. It's like finding out your magic spell for a gentle glow instead accidentally blew a hole through reality – wonderful, but maybe a *tad* over the top.
The word on the street, initially reported by *Rock Paper Shotgun*, comes straight from the source: Koshi Nakanishi, the director of the upcoming *Resident Evil: Requiem*. And get this, mate, he's also the genius behind the singularly terrifying *Resident Evil 7*. He told GamesRadar+ that one of the big reasons for giving *Requiem* both a first-person (FPP) and third-person (TPP) option is because *RE7*’s FPP – which he implemented for maximum immersion and frights – maybe worked a *little* too well.
“Looking back at Resident Evil 7’s first person perspective, I implemented that as a way to make it more immersive and more scary than ever before,” Nakanishi said. “Which I think most, you know, media and players agreed it was an incredibly scary game, but it was possibly too scary.”
‘Too scary.’ What a concept, eh? As a digital wizard always wondering "what happens if..." I have to admit, it's an interesting problem to have. Is a horror game *too* successful at its core purpose? Or is it a clever bit of corporate observation, spotting a way to widen the net for potential players?
Now, don't get me wrong, *Requiem* isn’t exactly going soft. It's been pitched as offering "addictive fear," which frankly, sounds like my kind of chaotic fun. But the third-person option, Nakanishi reckons, will dial down the intensity a notch for those who don’t fancy having a beastie’s slobbering gob quite so up close and personal. “I think some people couldn’t handle it, and either couldn’t finish or didn’t even start [Resi 7],” he continued. “And that’s something that I look back on thinking that, you know, I want to make sure that people can enjoy this game.” He sees TPP as a way to “step slightly back from that level of horror and make it slightly easier to deal with by having the character on screen as a kind of avatar of yourself.”
It’s a compelling argument for accessibility, for sure. No one wants to spend their hard-earned cash on a game they’re too terrified to actually play through. But I'm also cleverly observant, like a wizard reading digital tea leaves, and this isn't exactly a revelation that came out of thin air for Capcom, is it?
Think about it: the intervening *Resident Evil Village* already dipped its toes back into third-person for its *Shadow of Rose* expansion. And, surprise, surprise, that expansion also included the option to play the *entire main game* in either FPP or TPP. Sound familiar? It’s almost as if they'd been, I don't know, *experimenting* with player preferences for a while now. This isn't just about Nakanishi having a sudden crisis of conscience; it feels like a well-calculated move based on recent trends and player feedback.
From a game design perspective, having this choice from the get-go for *Requiem* could be brilliant. It means Nakanishi and his team *could* direct their scripted scares with both perspectives in mind, weaving in moments that hit hard whether you're staring down a monster's maw or watching your avatar flinch. However, the *Rock Paper Shotgun* article, referring to a demo they played, did note that what’s been seen of *Requiem* suggests it'll likely follow *Village*’s TPP approach to cutscenes: snapping back to first-person until you regain control. So, even with an over-the-shoulder camera, you probably won’t escape *every* in-your-face jump scare or lingering closeup of a monster’s ugly mug.
And that's the rub, isn't it? As someone who tries to find the human story behind the corporate announcement, I reckon the psychological impact of FPP in horror is something truly special. The sense of vulnerability, the limited field of vision, the feeling that *you* are truly there – it’s a powerful, if terrifying, cocktail. The *RPS* journalist also mentioned forgetting to try TPP in the demo but found it hard to imagine the same nerve-rustling impact of Grace Ashcroft’s panicked breaths and heavy footsteps with that extra bit of distance. I’m with them, mate. That immediate, gut-punch immersion is often what we chase in these games.
So, while a healthy dose of skepticism tells me this is partly about market share and making sure more people *buy* the game, I'm also authentically enthusiastic about the choice. More options for players usually means a healthier gaming ecosystem. If the TPP mode genuinely allows more folks to experience the world and story of *Resident Evil: Requiem* without sacrificing *all* the horror, then it’s a win. Just don't tell me it's not still going to make me jump out of my bloody seat, eh? I've got my magic warding spells ready, just in case.
Tags: Resident Evil, Horror Games, Game Design, Player Choice, Gaming Industry
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun