Resident Evil Requiem: The rumour that’s bringing the saga and the zombies back to life

Resident Evil Requiem: The ghost project haunting gamers

Have you spotted the Resident Evil Requiem hashtag doing the rounds on social media? For the past few weeks, a rumour has been setting the community alight: Capcom is supposedly working on a new instalment called Resident Evil Requiem. Some are saying it's a remake of the fourth game, others reckon it's a brand-new episode centred on cult characters. One thing's for sure: survival horror fans are already licking their lips. And let's be honest, after the massive success of the Resident Evil 2 and remakes, we'd be mad not to believe it.

Easter eggs too big to be true

The real fuel for the fire is this whole business about easter eggs. Capcom has always loved sneaking little nods into their games, but this time, some folks are seeing it as almost a clumsy love letter. On forums, eagle-eyed snoopers have spotted a document in Resident Evil Village mentioning something called a "Requiem protocol". Coincidence? Probably not. Others would swear they heard a zombie nurse mutter "Requiem" in a corridor of Resident Evil 4 Remake. Okay, maybe your ears get a bit tired after ten hours of gameplay, but the idea is catching on. What if Capcom has been dangling this right under our noses for months?

Zombies never go out of style: Why we keep coming back for more

The undead are a bit like a good cup of tea: the stronger, the better. A recent analysis reminded us: zombies are timeless because they tap into our most primal fears – illness, an out-of-control crowd, the end of the world. From the very first Resident Evil on the PlayStation to today's slick, polished versions, the recipe hasn't changed: creaky doors, scarce ammo, and that feeling of being utterly alone in the face of horror. Resident Evil Requiem could well plunge us right back into that, with a hefty dose of nostalgia.

What we'd love to see in this new instalment

If the rumour turns out to be true, here's my wishlist (and I'm sure you'll agree):

• A return to the roots with fixed camera angles and tank controls, for scares just like 1998.
• Daunting but brilliant puzzles, the kind where you have to place three statues in the right order to open a door.
• A solid nod to Resident Evil 4, but without overdoing it – we don't want another remake in disguise.
• Slow but terrifying zombies, not sprinters that are on top of you in two seconds flat.
• A soundtrack that makes you want to sleep with the light on.

Is Capcom going overboard with its nods and winks?

Look, we love easter eggs. But when every corner of a game becomes a treasure hunt, you end up missing the main point: pure, unadulterated dread. Some fans criticise Capcom for laying it on thick with these hidden messages, to the point where Resident Evil Requiem might become more of a meta-puzzle than a real horror game. My take? As long as the spirit is there, we're in. But the studio shouldn't start thinking it's M. Night Shyamalan with a twist down every corridor.

While we wait for an official announcement – which could well drop at the next showcase – we'll keep dissecting every image, every trailer, every rumour. And if Resident Evil Requiem doesn't exist, we'll just have to invent it. Because that's part of being a fan, isn't it? Hoping that the zombies will never truly die.