Resident Evil Requiem offers a compelling survival horror experience that challenges players with intricate puzzles, combat encounters, and environmental exploration. The game’s duration is not fixed, varying significantly based on individual play styles, previous experience with the franchise, and the chosen difficulty level. Understanding these factors can help players optimize their time and enhance their gaming experience, whether they aim for a thorough completionist run or a swift speedrun.

Subsequent playthroughs of Resident Evil Requiem become notably faster, primarily due to the player’s acquired knowledge of the game’s layout and narrative. The availability of resources, such as weapons purchased from supply boxes and bonus items unlocked through earned credits, significantly streamlines progression. This design encourages multiple playthroughs, allowing players to refine their strategies, discover hidden content, and achieve new personal bests in completion time.

Optimizing Your Initial Requiem Playthrough

The initial journey through Resident Evil Requiem typically demands a more substantial time commitment, as players navigate unfamiliar environments, solve puzzles, and uncover essential items to advance the storyline. Our comprehensive first playthrough on Standard difficulty, which included meticulous exploration of every room, unlocking all safes, and collecting every antique coin and upgrade, extended to over 14 hours. This detailed approach ensures that no stone is left unturned, providing a rich and immersive experience for those who wish to absorb every detail of the game's world and lore.

For players aiming to complete the main narrative without delving into every optional side quest, the completion time can be considerably shorter. Other Polygon contributors, adopting a less exhaustive strategy, managed to finish the game in approximately 10 hours. This difference underscores the impact of exploration on game length. While focusing solely on the main objectives can reduce playtime, it also means potentially bypassing valuable items and insights that could aid in future challenges. The game’s design often encourages a balance between progression and exploration, rewarding those who invest time in uncovering its secrets.

Strategic Replayability and Speedrun Techniques

Subsequent playthroughs of Resident Evil Requiem offer a dramatically reduced completion time, particularly when played on easier settings or with a focus on speedrunning. During a second playthrough on Casual mode, we successfully reached the credits in just under four and a half hours, even without significant bonuses like infinite ammunition. This demonstrates how familiarity with the game's mechanics, map layout, and puzzle solutions can drastically cut down the time required to finish. While we aimed for the "Speed Demon" challenge (under four hours), minor missteps in navigation illustrate the precision required for ultra-fast runs.

This efficiency is further enhanced by the game’s progression system. As Leon, players can purchase weapons discovered in previous runs from supply boxes right from the start, providing an immediate tactical advantage. Additionally, bonus weapons and items become available in the "Special Content" section of the menu, purchasable with credits earned from earlier playthroughs. These advantages not only expedite subsequent runs but also allow for experimentation with different combat strategies and loadouts. Mastering the movement between key areas, such as the Chronic Care Center's West and East Wings, and efficiently managing inventory space by utilizing safe rooms, are critical skills that evolve with each replay, making every subsequent journey faster and more refined.