Resident Evil Requiem Favors Third Person Perspective August 27, 2026

You can toggle between both perspectives during your gameplay, but you might be using one more than the other. Things get really tricky in first-person because players are set up for failure. Resident Evil Requiem’s third-person view transforms combat from a clunky, frustrating experience into something that actually feels… well, good.

When you have your first encounter with a group of zombies in first person, it will be a disaster. Flailing around, trying to aim while getting grabbed from all sides, completely disoriented. Switch to third person? Suddenly, I can see the entire battlefield, plan my shots, and actually use the environment to my advantage.

The dodge mechanics alone, third-person the obvious choice. You can see incoming attacks, time your dodges perfectly, and maintain spatial awareness that’s absolutely impossible in first person. It’s like the developers looked at first person and said, “Yeah, we’ll include it, but we’re not going to make it actually playable.”

Environmental Storytelling That Actually Works

One thing that genuinely impressed me about Resident Evil Requiem is how much detail they packed into every room, every corner, every creepy little nook and cranny. But here’s the misstep you will find: you’ll miss most of it if you’re stuck in first-person tunnel vision.

Third-person view lets you appreciate the masterful level design, spot important items you might otherwise walk past, and actually understand the layout of these twisted environments. I’ve watched friends play in first person, walking in circles for twenty minutes because they couldn’t get their bearings. Meanwhile, third-person players are already three rooms ahead, having actually absorbed the visual cues the developers carefully placed.

The Psychological Horror Element We Forget

There is also the neglected element that we fail to take into consideration: the psychological impact of camera perspective in horror games. The third-person point of view creates this perfect sense of vulnerability as you watch your character react to the horrors around them. You spend your time making sure your character is well enough to continue while feeling that creeping dread as something approaches from just outside your field of vision.

Resident Evil Requiem in first-person might seem more immersive on paper; however, physically forcing the perspective of the player with our own point of view can be dampening for a complete immersive experience. We want to see what is in front of us as well as behind us because that makes us feel safe. When we think with have absolute control for protecting our character, it can be easily upsetting to be attacked by something we should have seen coming.

As humans, we also read body language more on a subconscious level, like an instinct. You lose those subtle animations of your character tenses up when danger is near. It’s like watching a horror movie with your eyes partly closed and expecting to get the full-blown experience.

Performance and Technical Considerations

Here’s something that might surprise you – Resident Evil Requiem actually runs better in third-person view. It notably has fewer frame drops, smoother animations, and generally more stable performance. It’s almost like the entire game was optimized around the third-person experience (because, let’s be honest, it probably was). The lighting effects, particle systems, and environmental details all seem more polished and refined when viewed from the third-person perspective.

Final Requiem (Final Thoughts)

First-person feels like an afterthought, which, knowing Capcom’s development priorities, it very likely was. Fingers crossed that the first-person gamers’ backlash reaches Capcom’s ears. Even though third person is better for gameplay performance, it was advertised as both perspectives; therefore, they should make it WORK for both perspectives. Heck, if they want to make up for this blunder, they can redesign the game for VR…Mother of Nemesis, that would be a terrifying first-person experience that will add another year to my therapy.