- Resident Evil Requiem’s director Koshi Nakanishi states that Leon and Grace’s sections are equally split
- Grace’s sections will be more like Resident Evil 2, while Leon’s will improve upon Resident Evil 4’s foundation
- Leon’s segments will feature ‘intense adrenaline-pumping action’
After the initial PlayStation Store leak revealing Leon S. Kennedy as the mystery character in Resident Evil Requiem, The Game Awards 2025 gave us our first look at the beloved legacy character – and there will be plenty for fans of the classics to enjoy.
Interviewed by Automaton at a media event, Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi confirmed that Leon S. Kennedy’s return will bring ‘intense adrenaline-pumping action’. At the same time, Grace Ashcroft will be the ‘biggest scaredy-cat in Resident Evil history’ in the franchise’s ninth instalment.
It’s also worth noting that Leon and Grace’s time in Requiem will be split ‘almost equally’, as confirmed by Nakanishi, which comes after several months of speculation over Leon’s potential presence in the title.
It’s a very different move from Chris Redfield’s appearances in Resident Evil 7 (also directed by Nakanishi) and Resident Evil Village, where he was featured in much smaller playable segments, but Leon will share the spotlight with Grace in Requiem.
That’s not all, either. Nakanishi also highlighted that Grace Ashcroft’s gameplay sections will be based on Resident Evil 2, taking on a much slower survival horror pace, which should highlight Grace’s ‘scaredy-cat’ nature.
Meanwhile, Leon S. Kennedy’s gameplay will build upon the foundation of Resident Evil 4, which featured plenty of intense action via gunplay and melee combat.
Based on what we’ve seen in the trailer, it looks as though Leon’s combat will be turned up a notch, with what looks like a mechanic that will allow players to borrow enemy weapons for execution, doubling down on the intense action that made RE4 so popular.
Analysis: Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to the best of the franchise
With a mix of elements from arguably two of the most beloved games in the franchise, Resident Evil Requiem has the potential to easily be the best entry in the franchise.
I’ll go in depth on this later, but Resident Evil 2 features the best survival horror elements the franchise has offered, with enough action to keep the experience feeling fun.
Featuring both Claire Redfield and a young Leon S. Kennedy as a rookie cop, it keeps the stakes and tensions high as both characters face unfamiliar and life-threatening circumstances, with a constant threat from Mr X, the stalker enemy, keeping players on their toes, almost throughout the game’s duration.
Resident Evil 4, which is a game many (including me) believe is the best game in the series, provides the best balance between horror and action, leaning more in the direction of the latter.
While the original provides more of a B-movie horror tone alongside the intense action, the remake takes matters far more seriously, shifting Leon’s vulnerable state from RE2, into a more confident and skilled one, while facing some of the most terrifying enemies ever in the franchise.
If Requiem can execute the pacing between both Grace and Leon’s sections, it will quite literally open up the door to this being the most complete Resident Evil game, especially if a Mercenaries DLC includes the legacy characters for fans to enjoy.
Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X | S, Nintendo Switch 2, Epic Games, and Steam – and you better believe I’ll be there day one.
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