Resident Evil 9 Hits 88 Metacritic
Resident Evil 9 (Requiem) is sitting at 88 on Metacritic with 100+ reviews, making it the best-received mainline entry since 2005's RE4. Top outlets awarded high scores including Game Informer (9.75/10), PC Gamer (92/100), and IGN (9/10). However, zero physical copies are available at major retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, continuing the trend toward digital-only releases.
The 88 Metacritic score for *Requiem* marks a continued upward trend for new, mainline entries in the franchise, surpassing the 86 received by *Resident Evil 7: Biohazard* and the 84 for *Resident Evil Village*. While a significant achievement, it sits below the series' all-time critical peaks held by the original *Resident Evil 4*'s 96 in 2005 and the 2023 *Resident Evil 4 Remake*'s score of 93. *Requiem* features the return of fan-favorite protagonist Leon S. Kennedy, whose gameplay is reportedly more action-oriented. He is joined by a new playable character, an FBI agent named Grace Ashcroft, whose sections are said to focus more on traditional survival-horror. The story also brings players back to the ruins of Raccoon City and, for the first time in the series, offers both first-person and third-person camera options from launch. The game's digital-only launch is part of a deliberate and long-standing strategy by publisher Capcom. In the fiscal year ending March 2024, digital sales accounted for 90.2% of the company's total software sales, a figure that was projected to grow. This digital-first model has allowed Capcom to expand its market reach from 167 to over 219 countries and regions, increasing profitability by eliminating physical manufacturing and retail partner margins. The shift away from physical media is an industry-wide phenomenon. In 2023, digital copies accounted for an estimated 83% of all console game sales, with U.S. consumer spending on physical video game software in 2024 falling more than 85% below its 2008 peak.
