A new Resident Evil strategy game has just arrived, but there are some big caveats

In a year that's already set to bring us GTA 6, 007 First Light, Subnautica 2, and so many more highly anticipated games, I keep forgetting that a new Resident Evil is on the way. For many of you, though, it may well be the only new game you can think about. Resident Evil Requiem, Resi 9, whatever you're calling it; it's going to be a major moment for horror fans. There's equal parts nervousness and excitement to see how the scares, the characters, and the first-and-third-person action delivers, but to ease that agonizing wait, there's a surprising new Resident Evil game that can keep you occupied. Resident Evil Survival Unit, the franchise's latest spinoff that puts a strategic twist on survival, is out now.

Resident Evil Survival Unit does plenty to get Resi fans salivating. While it goes down the cliched 'parallel universe' route to avoid any narrative retconning and clashes, it does at least tell a new storyl and throws together iconic characters like Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Ada Wong. While not quite as deep and intricate as some of the best RTS games, there's real-time action in its single-player and multiplayer content where you have to assemble a powerful team with the characters you unlock. There are plenty of "puzzle-based survival challenges" to navigate, too.

However, it's the exploration and upgrading of a Spencer Mansion-style home base that may be most interesting to Resident Evil fans. As well as the mansion itself, there are various outbuildings like the Research Lab, the Helipad, and the Barracks that you can improve over time to give you and your characters extra buffs and benefits.

It sounds like there's a lot to sink your teeth into, even if it isn't the kind of horror action the series has become renowned for. However, there's one big caveat that might turn folks away - this is a free-to-play mobile game for iOS and Android users. That means the usual elements of time-gated progression (and purchases that can speed things up) are present. While a lot of the fan-favorite characters in Survival Unit can be unlocked for free and solely through gameplay means, there are also some paid characters too. While they are at least direct purchases, and not buried behind some terrible gacha mechanics or something, it may still be a pain point.

Resident Evil Survival Unit is out right now on mobile platforms. Sure, you probably have thoughts on the microtransactions, and that's understandable. But at the end of the day, you can play this game without spending a dime. If you want some free, experimental Resi action to tide you over until Requiem, this is probably worth checking out.