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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter- Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem just got a new short film featuring Maika Monroe
- It shows the story of a mother and child from the Raccoon City outbreak
- The trailer's ending may tease the return of a major character
Resident Evil Requiem is less than a month away, with its launch set for February 27, and Capcom has stepped up its marketing efforts – this time with an unexpected trailer.
Capcom released a new live-action short film named 'Evil Has Always Had A Name' featuring It Follows and Longlegs actor Maika Monroe. Its story that follows a mother and her child before, during, and after the Raccoon City outbreak.
There are multiple easter eggs in the trailer, namely the silhouette of Resident Evil 3's Nemesis hidden in smoke, and the classic 'S.T.A.R.S' voice line in the background. We also have the Gun Shop Kendo store briefly shown during the night of the outbreak, and a licker, which seemingly leads to the heartbreaking demise of the protagonist's daughter.
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Most importantly, we see the same shot of Raccoon City's crater that has been present in almost all of Requiem's trailers. Assuming it's set in the present day (or close enough), Monroe's now zombified character gives a monologue stating, 'tell them I was still me, right up until the end' before being slain at her daughter's burial site.
Zombies may be sentient in Requiem
It may be best to use the term 'zombie' loosely. While the infected we've seen in Resident Evil Requeim are clearly not human, director Koshi Nakanishi highlighted that each maintains elements of their human personalities, even committing to the same daily tasks they would when alive, complete with some speech.
However, this short film may have just hinted at the undead in Requiem being more sentient than we thought, possibly being fully aware of what's happening, maintaining memories and feelings, but without the ability to control themselves over their infection.
It won't be the first time the franchise has attempted something as such: Resident Evil 4 featured enemies controlled by the Las Plagas parasite, but still kept human traits (even if they were wild and violent).
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Requiem appears to be taking a similar route, but one that will tug on players' heartstrings, if this short film is anything to go by.
Was that Ada Wong at the end?
There's still so much we don't know about Resident Evil Requiem, and that's fortunate for many who want to go into the experience blind. One thing we do know is that legacy characters will be making a return, whether from Resident Evil Outbreak or the franchise's mainline entries.
Ada Wong has been present in every Resident Evil game that features Leon S. Kennedy thus far and, if this is indeed Leon's last game for a long while, her appearance is increasingly likely.
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That's further backed up by the end of this short film, where armed forces are moving into Raccoon City, with a voice that sounds very familiar stating 'Copy that. Raccoon City is ours.'
We know that Ada's motivations and allegiances in the Resident Evil games are blurred, often working for shady corporations or figures like Albert Wesker. It's not far-fetched to suggest that this may indeed be Ada Wong talking, which will have us wondering which side she's truly on at launch on February 27.
Either way, Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to be the franchise's most ambitious title, with emotional story beats and a potential end to a saga that has run since 1998.
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Isaiah WilliamsSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, ComputingIsaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He's spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at GameRant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren't a complete mess.
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