Leon is back in Resident Evil Requiem
Leon S. Kennedy is finally confirmed for Resident Evil Requiem, and for long time fans that is massive news. This will be his first time returning to Raccoon City since the events of Resident Evil 2, and the developers are clearly treating that as a big emotional moment as well as a gameplay one.
Director Akifumi Nakanishi describes this new version of Leon as an older, cooler and more refined take on the character. The team focused on making him an "ikeoji" which is a term used in Japan for a cool or attractive older guy. He is still the same self sacrificing hero, but now with more dry wit, subtle sarcasm and the weight of years of fighting bioterrorism on his shoulders.
For players who grew up with Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 remakes, Requiem is shaping up to be a nostalgic but fresh return to what made those games special.
Two protagonists, two styles of horror
Resident Evil Requiem is built around a dual protagonist system. You switch between Leon and a new character called Grace as the story progresses. Both characters share one unified storyline, but their sections are designed to feel completely different.
Grace is described by Nakanishi as "the biggest scaredy cat in Resident Evil history". Her parts of the game lean into pure horror. The developer describes them as extremely scary, with intense chase sequences and constant vulnerability. Early impressions from demos suggest that Grace’s segments are the ones most likely to have you pausing to catch your breath.
Leon’s sections on the other hand are meant to release the tension. When you jump from a Grace chapter into a Leon chapter, the game intentionally lets you feel stronger and more in control again. The director compares the overall structure to repeatedly jumping from a hot sauna into a cold bath. Grace is the hot, suffocating fear while Leon is the cool rush of relief and power.
This rhythm is a conscious design choice. The team worried at first that players might not be able to keep up with the constant switching, but now they believe the contrast gives Requiem a unique flow that other Resident Evil titles did not have.
Gameplay: RE2 fear meets RE4 style action
Under the hood, each character is built on foundations from earlier Resident Evil games. If you are a PC gamer familiar with the recent remakes, this is where things get very interesting.
- Grace’s gameplay is based on Resident Evil 2. Expect slower movement, tighter resources and more emphasis on survival horror. You will likely have to pick your battles carefully, avoid enemies when you can and feel constantly under threat.
- Leon’s gameplay is based on Resident Evil 4. His sections include martial arts and melee moves, giving you more options to stun, control and destroy enemies up close. This is the side of the game where you will feel like a veteran action hero rather than a victim.
The result is almost like having two games in one. Grace gives you the creeping dread of classic survival horror. Leon brings back that RE4 style momentum where smart use of movement, positioning and melee can turn a bad situation around. For players, this means regular shifts in how you approach encounters and how you manage your nerves.
Nakanishi emphasizes that Leon’s chapters are designed so that you feel safe compared to Grace’s. That does not mean Leon has an easy time. The director suggests that the battle in Requiem will push him to his limits more than ever before. The tension comes less from being helpless and more from seeing how far an older, battle worn Leon can keep going in the city where it all began.
Leon in 2026: a veteran at his limit
One of the main themes for the team was a simple question: what would Leon be like in 2026? In the story, he is older and vastly more experienced than the rookie cop we met in Raccoon City years ago. He has spent decades fighting to save people, but the threat of bioterror never really goes away.
The developers explored:
- What state of mind Leon would be in after so many missions and so much trauma.
- How his seasoned combat skills could evolve into new actions and melee options.
- How he would react emotionally to returning to the ruined city where everything started.
There is also an underlying worry among fans that Requiem might be setting up Leon’s final chapter. The director hints that this new fight will test him harder than ever before. That has led some to speculate about a permanent retirement or even death for the character, though nothing is confirmed.
Still, the devs clearly understand how important Leon is to the Resident Evil universe and to players. They have even said in the past that they would not want to put Leon at the center of a pure horror experience because "no one wants to see Leon scared". In Requiem, they have solved that by pairing him with Grace. She absorbs the worst of the fear, while Leon embodies cool control and experience.
For PC players looking ahead to upcoming releases, Resident Evil Requiem is lining up to be a strong mix of horror and action with a fan favorite lead. Whether you are here for the lore of an older Leon facing Raccoon City again or for the blend of RE2 style fear and RE4 style combat, Requiem sounds like a game to keep on your radar.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/leon-isnt-just-handsome-resident-evil-requiem-devs-gush-about-how-great-our-favourite-resi-character-is-but-do-warn-that-this-game-will-push-him-to-his-limits-more-than-ever-before/
