RE9 Raccoon City Returns: Every New Location and Area Breakdown

Raccoon City is back — and it’s bigger and more detailed than ever. Resident Evil Requiem brings players back to the series’ most iconic setting, blending classic locations fans know by heart with entirely new areas that expand the city’s lore. Whether you’re here for the nostalgia or the new content, there’s a lot to explore.

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The City at a Glance

Background

Raccoon City is the beating heart of the Resident Evil universe:

• History: Destroyed in 1998 by the T-Virus outbreak
• RE9 Context: The city exists in a new state — rebuilt, reimagined, or in a different timeline
• Atmosphere: Familiar enough to feel like home, different enough to feel dangerous

Design Philosophy

The development team balanced nostalgia with fresh content:

1. Classic callbacks: Iconic locations are back and recognizable
2. New areas: Entirely new districts and facilities expand the map
3. Bigger scale: The most expansive Raccoon City in series history
4. Dense detail: Every corner has something to find

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Major Areas Breakdown

1. Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center

What it is: Grace’s home base and the game’s opening location — a medical facility hiding dark secrets.

Key features:

• The prologue takes place here
• Multiple floors plus underground sections
• Documents and clues about “The Girl” are scattered throughout
• Tight corridors designed for maximum tension

Key rooms:

• Reception area
• Patient wards
• Underground laboratory
• Isolation ward

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2. Raccoon City Police Department (RPD)

What it is: The most iconic building in RE history, back and better than ever.

Key features:

• Classic main hall and corridors are faithfully recreated
• S.T.A.R.S. office returns with new secrets
• Multiple explorable floors
• Packed with Easter eggs for series veterans

Key rooms:

• Main hall
• S.T.A.R.S. office
• Armory
• Records room
• Library

Easter eggs to look for:

• Rebecca’s medical kit
• Jill’s beret
• Chris’s jacket
• S.T.A.R.S. team photo

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3. The ARK

What it is: A brand-new high-tech facility that’s central to the main story.

Key features:

• Multi-level complex with distinct zones
• Contains the game’s most complex puzzles
• Heavy story significance
• Multiple safes and collectibles

Key rooms:

• Main control room
• Sterilization chamber
• Security room
• Underground facility

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4. Raccoon City Streets

What it is: Leon’s primary playground — open urban exploration with plenty of danger.

Key features:

• Semi-open street layout with multiple routes
• Several enterable buildings
• Diverse enemy encounters
• Rich with collectibles and documents

Key locations:

• Main boulevard
• Side streets
• Gas station
• Construction site
• Underground passages

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5. Central Camp

What it is: A temporary BSAA staging area on the outskirts of the city.

Key features:

• Location of the BSAA container keys quest
• Important supply point
• Connects several major areas

Key locations:

• Tent area
• Container yard
• Generator

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6. Underground Network

What it is: A web of tunnels connecting the major areas.

Key features:

• Dark, claustrophobic environments
• Hidden items and shortcuts
• Connects areas that seem unrelated on the surface
• Some of the game’s best hidden secrets

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How the Areas Connect

Flow Map

Game Progression:
├── Prologue: Rhodes Hill Care Center
│   └── Grace's nightmare begins
├── Chapter 1: Raccoon City Streets
│   └── Leon's investigation starts
├── Chapter 2: Raccoon City Police Department
│   └── Classic location, new secrets
├── Chapter 3: The ARK
│   └── Core facility exploration
├── Chapter 4: Underground Network
│   └── Hidden passages and shortcuts
└── Final Chapter: Endgame location
    └── The truth revealed

Area Connections

1. Care Center → Streets: Grace escapes into the city and discovers how bad things really are
2. Streets → RPD: Leon follows clues to the police department and its buried history
3. RPD → ARK: Evidence points to the ARK facility and a much larger conspiracy
4. ARK → Underground: The tunnels beneath the ARK connect back to earlier areas

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Collectibles and Exploration

Mr. Raccoon Memorial Statues

Hidden throughout every major area:

• Total count: Multiple statues across all locations
• Reward: Collect them all for a special unlock
• Finding them: Check high shelves, dark corners, and out-of-the-way spots — they’re sneaky

Documents and Files

Every area is loaded with lore:

• Care facility: Patient records, staff memos, research notes
• RPD: Case files, S.T.A.R.S. reports, personal letters
• ARK: Research data, security protocols, experiment logs
• Streets: Personal diaries, news clippings, survivor notes

Weapons and Key Items

Scattered throughout every area:

• Weapon upgrade parts: Improve your firearms
• Rare ammo: For your most powerful weapons
• Key items: Story-critical objects
• Easter egg items: Series callbacks and hidden references

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Area-Specific Mechanics

Care Center

• Medical equipment: Interact with it for healing or story beats
• Patient records: Read them for puzzle hints and lore
• Isolation protocols: Certain rooms require special access

RPD

• Badge system: Use badges to unlock restricted areas
• Archive system: Cross-reference files for puzzle solutions
• Armory: Access powerful weapons with the right credentials

ARK

• Security systems: Bypass or hack them to progress
• Lab interactions: Unique puzzle mechanics tied to the facility’s purpose
• Multi-floor navigation: Elevators and stairs connect the complex

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Exploration Tips

First Visit

1. Search everything: Hidden items are everywhere — don’t rush
2. Read every document: Lore and puzzle hints are baked into the files
3. Memorize the layout: You’ll be backtracking, so know your routes
4. Hit every save point: Typewriters are your best friends

Return Visits

1. Hunt missed collectibles: Use a checklist if needed
2. Try alternate routes: Some paths only open after story events
3. Find the Easter eggs: Series veterans will love what’s hidden here
4. Optimize for speed: Once you know the layout, plan efficient routes

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Wrapping Up

Resident Evil Requiem’s version of Raccoon City is the most ambitious the series has ever attempted. From the familiar halls of the RPD to the brand-new ARK facility, every area is packed with things to find, puzzles to solve, and atmosphere to soak in. Whether you’re a longtime fan revisiting a beloved setting or a newcomer experiencing it for the first time, there’s something here for everyone.

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