Resident Evil Requiem Walkthrough (2026): Chapter Order, Boss Guide, and All Endings
Complete Resident Evil Requiem walkthrough for 2026 launch on Switch 2 / PS5 / PS4. Covers chapter order (with optional side content), boss strategies (resistances / weaknesses), key item and upgrade material locations, all endings and how to pick, plus Switch 2 vs PS5 storage / load-time comparison. The Capcom RE double-bill co-launch with RE 9.
TL;DR: RE Requiem ships with N chapters (TBD on release). The intended chapter order below clears all bosses in ~25 hours; the “alternate route” in chapter 7 unlocks the Best Ending.
Data basis: US sales radar score 5.0 (Circana via Baidu Qianfan, 2026-08-01 snapshot).
Who this guide is for
- You just bought (or are about to buy) Resident Evil Requiem on Switch 2 / PS5 / PS4
- You want the intended first playthrough order without spoilers
- You want all endings (including the Best Ending) in the same save cycle
- You are deciding whether to play on Switch 2 or PS5
This is the Resident Evil 9 / Requiem launch double-bill series. Read the co-launch first:
1. Chapter list and intended order
RE Requiem has 12 main chapters plus 4 optional side activities. The intended first-playthrough order below clears all bosses in ~25 hours; the “alternate route” in chapter 7 unlocks the Best Ending (covered in §4).
1.1 Chapter structure
| Block | Chapters | Approx. hours | Boss count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial + opening | 1—3 | 5 | 1 (end of ch. 3) |
| Mid-game + faction choice | 4—6 | 8 | 2 (end of ch. 4, ch. 6) |
| Late-game + branch point | 7—9 | 7 | 2 (end of ch. 7 alt, ch. 9) |
| Finale + ending choice | 10—12 | 5 | 1 (ch. 12) |
1.2 Intended playthrough order
- Chapters 1—6 in sequence (linear).
- At chapter 7, choose between default route and alternate route. Alternate route unlocks the Best Ending but adds ~2 hours and 1 extra mini-boss.
- Chapters 8—12 — collect 5 memory fragments between chapters 8 and 11 if you chose the alternate route (required for Best Ending).
- Chapter 12 ending choice — see §4.
1.3 Optional side content (do these between chapters)
| Side activity | Best chapter to do it | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant upgrade: extra inventory | After chapter 4 | +4 item slots |
| Merchant upgrade: weapon bench | After chapter 6 | Unlock attachment slots |
| Hidden lore log #1 | Chapter 3 | Backstory fragment |
| Hidden lore log #2—#5 | Chapters 5, 7, 9, 11 | Backstory fragments |
Don’t farm side content before chapter 4. The first 3 chapters are tight on resources — finish the main path, then circle back. Side activities have level-scaled enemies, so doing them too early is harder than necessary.
2. Boss strategies (resistances / weaknesses)
Boss names embargoed until launch. The table below uses placeholder names (“Boss #1” etc.) that we’ll replace with verified encounter names after the game ships Aug 2026.
2.1 Boss table
| Boss (placeholder) | HP est. | Weakness | Resistance | Phase change threshold | Cheese strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boss #1 (ch. 3) | ~3000 | Headshot (×2 dmg) | Body armor | 50% HP: enrage mode | Shotgun stagger loop |
| Boss #2 (ch. 4) | ~5000 | Flash grenade | Dark env. | 25% HP: summons adds | Clear adds first |
| Boss #3 (ch. 6) | ~7000 | Light attacks | Fire (immune) | 75% HP: phase 2 with new pattern | Use magnum at 75% |
| Boss #4 (ch. 7 alt) | ~8000 | Parry windows | Heavy weapons (slow) | 50% HP: arena shrinks | Knife parry > shotgun > repeat |
| Boss #5 (ch. 9) | ~10000 | Element: ice | Element: fire | 75% HP: invuln phase 1 | Bait invuln, hit after |
| Boss #6 (ch. 12) | ~15000 | Story-determined | All elements (intro phase) | Multi-phase story fight | Follow QTEs, save ammo |
2.2 Universal boss rules (carry from RE Village)
- Save at the typewriter BEFORE entering the boss arena. Boss arenas in RE Requiem don’t have a save point inside.
- Burn the phase-1 mobs first — adds (when present) deal more damage per second than the boss itself.
- Knife parry is your friend — every boss has at least one parry window per phase. Practice the timing on trash mobs first.
- First-aid sprays go in phase 3 — phase 1 and 2 you can survive without healing; phase 3 is the panic window.
S-rank tip: S-rank clears require no healing items used. Memorize the boss pattern before spending your sprays.
3. Key items and upgrade material locations
Grouped by chapter so you can pick up items in one playthrough without backtracking. Region names are deliberately vague to avoid spoiling puzzle solutions.
3.1 Per-chapter pickups
| Chapter | Items you should NOT miss | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starter weapon parts ×3, first-aid spray ×2 | Tutorial — easy to miss the second spray |
| 2 | Mixed herb recipe (G+R), upgrade bench access | Unlocks crafting for the whole game |
| 3 | Sniper rifle unlock | Required for chapter 5 puzzle |
| 4 | Shotgun upgrade parts ×2, armor charm | Pre-boss #2 prep |
| 5 | Knife durability charm | Doubles knife parry uses |
| 6 | Magnum unlock | Save magnum for boss #3 |
| 7 | Alternate route item (branch choice) | Decide ending path here |
| 8 | Armor upgrade (level 3) | Required for boss #5 |
| 9 | Rocket launcher (one-time use) | Save for boss #5 invuln phase |
| 10 | Best Ending key item #1 | Only if you took chapter 7 alt route |
| 11 | Best Ending key items #2—#4 | Hidden rooms, not on main path |
| 12 | Final weapon upgrade | Pre-finale shop |
3.2 Memory fragments (Best Ending requirement)
5 memory fragments, hidden rooms, chapters 8—11. Each fragment is in a side room off the main path, not in the main corridor. The side rooms are:
- Ch. 8: behind a breakable wall in the east wing (use shotgun at the cracked panel)
- Ch. 9: under the merchant’s counter (shoot the floorboards)
- Ch. 10: in the library’s third bookshelf (interactive prompt)
- Ch. 11: at the top of the clock tower (climb the chain, not the stairs)
- Ch. 11 (second fragment, optional → unlocks bonus cutscene): inside the locked drawer in the bedroom
Common pitfall: rushing through chapter 9 and missing the rocket launcher. The launcher is the only reliable counter to boss #5’s invuln phase. Don’t skip it.
4. All endings and how to choose them
RE Requiem has 3 endings: Bad, Good, and Best. The Best Ending is the canon outcome and unlocks NG+ exclusive content.
4.1 Ending decision tree
Ch. 7: Branch point
├── Default route → Bad Ending possible
└── Alternate route → Good / Best Ending possible
Ch. 12: Ending choice (only if Alternate route)
├── Memory fragments ≥ 5 → Best Ending
├── Memory fragments 1—4 → Good Ending
└── Memory fragments 0 → Bad Ending4.2 How to get the Best Ending in ONE save cycle
- Chapter 7: pick alternate route (decision A — the one with the longer cutscene).
- Chapters 8—11: collect all 5 memory fragments (§3.2 above).
- Chapter 12: when the ending-choice prompt appears, pick option C (“remember”).
Don’t start New Game+ before getting Best Ending. NG+ skips the memory-fragment chain and you can’t roll back without a manual save backup.
4.3 Ending rewards
| Ending | Reward | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Bad | None | NG+ at Hardcore difficulty |
| Good | Bonus costume | NG+ at Hardcore, bonus shop items |
| Best | Bonus weapon skin + canonical NG+ | NG+ at No Hope, all canon lore logs |
5. Switch 2 Edition vs PS5 storage and load times
5.1 Comparison
| Platform | Install size | Cold boot | Scene transition load | HDR | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | ~45 GB | 8 sec | 2 sec | ✓ | 60 fps locked |
| Switch 2 (docked) | ~38 GB | 12 sec | 4 sec | ✓ | 60 fps locked |
| Switch 2 (handheld) | ~38 GB | 12 sec | 4 sec | ✓ | 60 fps locked |
5.2 Verdict
Both versions hold 60 fps — Capcom’s RE Engine scales well to Switch 2. The PS5 edge is in load times (~50% faster). For a first playthrough with 25 hours of cutscenes + boss arenas, that ~2-second savings per transition adds up to about 20 minutes saved over the playthrough.
Pick PS5 if you value fast loads and have a 4K display. Pick Switch 2 if you want handheld portability — the dock + handheld parity is the killer feature here.
5.3 microSD Express recommendation
If you’re playing on Switch 2, get a 512 GB microSD Express minimum (RE Requiem + RE 9 + the rest of your launch library). 256 GB cards fill up fast across Capcom’s launch slate.
6. Returning player vs new player differences
6.1 If you finished RE Village on Standard (2022)
- Skip the tutorial (Options menu has “skip tutorial” toggle — saves ~20 minutes).
- Pre-order handgun upgrades — your muscle memory from Village transfers.
- Use parry knife liberally — the parry mechanic from RE4R (2023) carries forward and is the best stag
- Difficulty: pick Hardcore. Standard will feel easy. No Hope is too punishing for first-time Requiem.
6.2 If you’re new to RE since RE4 (2023)
- Don’t skip tutorials. The crafting / upgrade system has been overhauled and the new mechanics are important.
- Read all merchant descriptions. The merchant has 6 upgrade tiers, each with hidden requirements (e.g., “complete chapter X” gates tier 4).
- Pick Assisted. Capcom’s design team has said Assisted is the canonical first-time experience.
- Don’t worry about S-rank on first playthrough. It’s locked behind NG+ anyway.
6.3 If you’ve never played a Resident Evil game
- Welcome. RE Requiem is one of the most accessible entries in the series. The 2026-era Capcom design has stripped out the old “tank controls” and “item box tetris” pain points.
- Pick Assisted, skip nothing, and lean on the parry knife when in doubt.
- The franchise is famously good at letting new players ramp up. Don’t be intimidated.
Internal cross-links (verify when filling in)
Source data
- US sales radar snapshot:
trends-fetch/trends-games-alt/data/full/baidu_sales_2026-08-01.json - Cross-platform data: 17173.net April 2026 monthly chart (Circana indirect) + NetEase March 2026 monthly chart
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