I played Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village on Steam Deck for a single, laughable reason: a smaller screen meant more manageable horror. It’s logical, right? If horrible beasties are big and frightening, why not make them physically smaller, and therefore more palatable?
It made sense in my head, at least, and it did help me get past the dread, even when I had to squint my eyes to get through some of the grislier, gorier parts of exploration.
Playing Resident Evil Requiem in handheld mode on Nintendo Switch 2 had the same effect. Suddenly, the big creepy monster didn’t seem so creepy. But of course, if you want the full effect, the console can also be docked to unleash the bigger, more impressive horrors.
In either mode, you’re getting a great version of Requiem, with neat optimisation allowing the game to function smoothly (and horrifyingly) on the Switch 2.
Resident Evil Requiem on Nintendo Switch 2 – quick links
Resident Evil Requiem’s Nintendo Switch 2 demo
During a recent Nintendo preview event, I was able to get hands-on with Requiem for a second time, with the same demo. The first time I played it, I was on a PlayStation console.
As I said at the time: ‘The sense of dread that builds is spectacular, and so unlike the dread that accompanies other Resident Evil games, because protagonist Grace Ashcroft is scared and weak – at least, for now. She isn’t a police officer or a combat veteran. She doesn’t have access to guns (yet). She’s just a scared young woman.’
‘Your journey is about overcoming that helplessness, to forge a path forward, in any way you can. You begin by making your way slowly down a nearby corridor, stumbling across an array of items that may or may not be useful in your journey – bullets, but no gun, a container that holds nothing, a key, and eventually, a lighter.’
Both demos were the same, just on different consoles – so I’ll say the same thing here. Playing Resident Evil Requiem as Grace Ashcroft is a frightening experience thanks to how the game plays with powerlessness and fear. At first, you’re wandering a hospital corridor with very little idea about how to progress, and what awaits.
Eventually, you gain a lighter which allows you to explore a shadowy corridor, where the demo’s true terror is unleashed: a towering, rotting woman with long, spindly arms and a gaping mouth. What follows is a complex chase sequence that requires trial and error as you loop back and around to escape her clutches.
It’s heart-pounding and horrific, particularly given each wrong move ends up with you crushed to death in the giant woman’s jaws.
Resident Evil Requiem does have some differences on Switch 2
Playing through the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the Resident Evil Requiem demo, with the experience of the PlayStation version in mind, it was clear there are some differences overall.
The most obvious is also the least consequential: Grace Ashcroft’s hair is slightly less detailed on Nintendo Switch 2. This is a lower-powered console overall, so the biggest difference you’ll notice is to textures and graphical details – elements that matter lesser than smooth, fuss-free gameplay.
When looking at Grace’s hair, you’ll notice it appears stringier than on other consoles. It appears slightly more pixelated and moves in more static fashion. Grace’s eyebrows are also slightly stringier, and they stand out a bit more on Switch 2.
That said, I was impressed by the delivery of other model elements. Sweat is replicated well here, with realistic droplets and trails running across Grace’s skin. Her facial features and emotions are also well-developed, despite her model being slightly more polygonal on Switch 2.
If you’re looking closely, you may also notice that elements of the game world are slightly less textured and fuzzy-looking, in a way that gives the game world a more ethereal tone.
These are only differences you’ll notice if you look for them.
In this particular slice of action, I never had a particular issue with gameplay, or any indication the Nintendo Switch 2 was struggling to play this game. However it’s been optimised, based on this demo, developer Capcom has done a fantastic job.
Even when textures are slightly less detailed than on a higher-powered console, gameplay is very smooth, with dynamic animation and movement. Directional movement is sharp, and you’ll never feel limited by controls.
Nintendo Switch 2 continues to impress
Resident Evil Requiem is just the latest AAA game to demonstrate the efficiency of the Nintendo Switch 2. Time and again, I’ve been impressed by the power of the console, as it runs titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake with ease.
While it’s certainly not the most powerful handheld console on the market – you can look to the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally for examples – it pretty consistently delivers smooth gameplay even with a slimline, lightweight form factor.
It’s proving to be a very nifty console, growing niftier with each well-optimised new game release. I can imagine for those only using a Nintendo Switch 2 – not everyone has access to multiple consoles – its capacity to run games like Requiem, and run them well, will prove to be a very handy feature.
Those looking forward to playing Resident Evil Requiem on the console certainly have enough to look forward to, with this early demo revealing much promise.
Nintendo provided flights for ScreenHub to attend a hands-on preview of Resident Evil Requiem and other upcoming games.
