Capcom seems to be pushing Resident Evil in a direction that few fans expected. The next mainline entry, Resident Evil: Requiem, is rumoured to take heavy cues from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us while also introducing something completely new to the series: drivable vehicles. If that combination sounds unusual for a franchise built on claustrophobic corridors and resource-starved survival, that’s because it is but it might be exactly what the series needs to evolve.

Combat That Feels Heavier and More Brutal

The Resident Evil games have always had a distinct rhythm. Whether it’s the tank controls of the PlayStation era or the over-the-shoulder gunplay introduced in Resident Evil 4, combat was usually about spacing, aim, and conservation of ammo. According to people close to the project, Requiem is experimenting with a much more grounded system one that borrows the brutality and tension of The Last of Us.

That means melee won’t just be a last-ditch option. It’s expected to be part of the core loop, with finishers, contextual animations, and improvised weapons that can break mid-fight. A knife in Resident Evil is usually your emergency backup, but here, something as simple as a pipe or a wooden plank could become just as important as your pistol. That approach opens up encounters where stealth is just as viable as open combat, and that’s a notable shift for the series.

Vehicles in Survival Horror

The bigger surprise is the reported addition of vehicles. This isn’t the first time a Resident Evil game has featured cars, boats, or helicopters, but they’ve usually been cutscenes or quick-time escape sequences. In Requiem, they’ll apparently be drivable, giving players new ways to move through larger environments.

Don’t expect arcade-style joyrides. Vehicles are said to be tied to the survival mechanics fuel scarcity, possible breakdowns, and even repair work could turn them into double-edged tools. The idea of crawling through a ruined town in an old truck, only to run out of gas while a horde closes in, sounds like the kind of nerve-shredding tension that fits right at home in Resident Evil.

A Series at a Crossroads

What’s interesting about these changes is how they signal Capcom’s willingness to evolve. The modern RE games 7, Village, and the recent remakes have struck a balance between action and horror, but they’ve still followed familiar patterns. By borrowing elements from The Last of Us, Capcom is moving toward a style of storytelling and gameplay that feels more cinematic and grounded, without necessarily abandoning the series’ identity.

The big question is how far the team will lean into these ideas. Resident Evil thrives on its atmosphere of desperation; too much freedom, and the sense of horror risks slipping away. But if Capcom can balance the new mechanics with the series’ trademark tension, Requiem could end up as one of the most ambitious titles the franchise has ever seen.

We won’t have to wait long to find out more. Capcom is expected to pull back the curtain during Gamescom Opening Night Live, where gameplay footage will likely confirm just how big of a departure this is. For long-time fans, that reveal might be the moment where the series’ future becomes clear.