Capcom has finally decided to spill the beans on Resident Evil Requiem and has officially unveiled their worst-kept secret. After months of speculation that Leon Kennedy would return to the franchise with Requiem, we now have official confirmation from The Game Awards.
According to more info from Capcom by way of Automaton, it seems like Leon’s role will be a bit more meaty than expected. Fans, both old and new, will likely appreciate the time Leon and Grace are spending together.
RE9 Devs Say Leon Playtime Is Split Evenly
It’ll Be Interesting To See Both Sides
According to the game’s director, Akifumi Nakanishi, and producer, Masato Kumazawa, Resident Evil 9 will be “one unified story.” This is a relief for folks who thought the game might be structured like Resident Evil 6, with entirely separate narratives that feel like different games. Grace is apparently the “biggest scaredy-cat in Resident Evil history,” and part of the joy of the game will be seeing her and the stoic Leon interact.
Kumazawa stresses, however, that new fans won’t be left in the dust. You apparently don’t need to know the greater over-arching story (or even Leon’s past) to enjoy the new entry, and that “all you need to know is that [Leon] was involved in the Raccoon City incident.” He also explains that Leon is still “handsome and cool,” and will bring his signature dry wit and sarcasm to the series once again.
The kicker here is that Capcom is aiming for “almost equal” time between Leon and Grace. As revealed at The Game Awards, Grace’s sections will be more akin to survival horror, and Leon will be action-focused. Capcom tried something like this with Resident Evil 6 and didn’t execute it well, so this is their chance to try again. So far, it seems way more on point, especially given that the story is unified.
It’s Great That Leon & Grace Get Equal Time
New And Old School Fans Unite
Fascinatingly, Capcom wants you to oscillate between feeling tension with Grace and enacting a power fantasy with Leon in Resident Evil Requiem. That push and pull should make for a fresh experience, and given that Capcom is coming off the universally beloved Resident Evil 4 Remake, fans are ready once again for the return of Leon. Since Capcom confirmed that Leon will have his classic “martial arts and melee moves” from Resident Evil 4, his sections should be a ton of fun.
Every single time Capcom shows off Resident Evil Requiem, I get more interested. Having played a demo of the Grace portion of the game at PAX West, I feel like they’re going to nail that part of the game. Now we wait to see what Leon brings to the table.