Editor's take: Few players can claim to have mastered Resident Evil Requiem without once glancing at a walkthrough. Fewer still can say they did it at 91, armed only with a pen, paper, and patience. Yet that is exactly how Chinese gamer Yang Binglin – better known online as Game Grandpa – tackled Capcom's latest survival-horror installment.
Yang's meticulous, analog approach has captivated gaming communities in China and abroad, where clips of him leafing through notebooks filled with hand-sketched maps and puzzle notes have drawn admiration and nostalgia in equal measure. His accomplishment – finishing Resident Evil Requiem entirely unaided – has been hailed by fans as a rare reminder of gaming's early days, when persistence mattered more than search bars.
He kept a notebook beside him while playing. Every clue, puzzle solution, enemy behavior, and map layout was written down or sketched by hand. This process mirrors his earlier career: Yang is a retired engineer who spent decades in oil and gas research in Sichuan before retiring in 1996. What began as recreation soon became a pursuit of discipline and problem-solving – qualities common to both engineering and complex video games.
Since then, Yang has played hundreds of titles, with a particular affection for the Resident Evil franchise and horror-themed games in general. His slow, thoughtful play style has earned him a loyal following on Bilibili, China's leading video platform, where he is celebrated as a symbol of patience and mastery rather than speed or spectacle.
In 2024, at age 88, Guinness World Records recognized him as the world's oldest male gaming streamer. Now, his unaided completion of Resident Evil Requiem has sparked an even wider conversation online about perseverance, age, and what constitutes "real" gaming in the modern era.
One user on X declared, "No guides, no shortcuts, just pure skill. This is real gaming." Another added, "He's playing survival horror while we are surviving tutorials." Others expressed nostalgia for a time when players relied on memory and handmade maps rather than instant access to Reddit threads or YouTube tips.
– Dexerto (@Dexerto) March 24, 2026
Many cited Yang as proof that gaming is not bound by age, pointing to rising numbers of older gamers discovering both narrative depth and cognitive challenge in modern titles.
Released last month to strong reviews and record-breaking franchise sales, Resident Evil Requiem demands both reflexes and resource management. Its layered puzzles and tense environments have challenged even dedicated fans. Yet for Yang, the game's complexity appeared to be part of its attraction. "You can always get through things, no matter how difficult," he said, reflecting on the series' larger message, "as long as someone is with you."