Resident Evil Requiem Is Doing Something Great With Leon I Didn’t Expect

Resident Evil Requiem effectively serves as Capcom’s love letter to their long-running horror series, with the latest entry in the franchise playing with plenty of elements from previous games in exciting new ways. Returning heroes like Leon cement the game’s connection to the franchise’s past, even as fresh allies, villains, and settings help breathe new life into the series. One of the most intriguing ways it does this is with Leon.

The former pretty boy hero of Resident Evil 2 has grown into what Capcom developers refer to as an “ikeoji,” an attractive older man. Leon has noticeably aged in Resident Evil Requiem, reflecting the three decades that have passed in-universe since his first major role. It’s not something I expected the series to ever fully address, but it lays the groundwork for Leon’s clear arc in the game and his contrasting role opposite his co-star.

30 Years Have Passed In Resident Evil, And Leon Isn’t Getting Any Older

One of the more notable little touches of Resident Evil Requiem comes from the depiction of Leon S. Kennedy as an increasingly older man — which plays into one of the more effective subtle touches of the game’s execution. The story of Requiem is split between two characters: the seasoned agent Leon and the series newcomer Grace Ashcroft. Leon’s segments highlight his skills in combat, which are as sharp as ever, with the hero deploying some quick attacks and showcasing his gun skills during the demo that members of the press (including ComicBook) got to try out last week.

However, there’s also something different about Leon. It’s not just that he’s been seemingly infected with some sort of virus, which was already caught by eagle-eyed fans via the strange dark mass that has grown on his neck. It’s that even beyond that ailment, Leon is looking older than ever. Gamers met the character almost three decades ago in Resident Evil 2, and it has been confirmed by Capcom that thirty years have passed in-universe since the initial outbreak in Raccoon City. That means Leon has aged three decades since then and is currently in his 50s.

Even without that context, Leon simply looks like an older man. He’s got wrinkles that weren’t there in earlier titles, with specks of gray peeking through his brunette hair or visible in the stubble on his face. His exhausted reaction to another zombie outbreak doesn’t just speak to his experience but also to his exhaustion. While Leon moves with as much grace as ever, he’s lost a little bit of the fluidity in previous games — and makes up for it with more brutal attacks that reflect a more exhausted side of the character who just wants to end things quickly. While he’s still the physically imposing and deliberately handsome character he’s always been, Leon simply looks and feels like an older character in Requiem.

Why Playing As An Older Leon Matters

One of the best elements of Resident Evil Requiem is the way it genuinely feels like a continuation of the series instead of just another chapter in the overarching saga. By focusing on both a franchise mainstay and a fresh-faced hero, Requiem feels like a love letter to the franchise as a whole that isn’t afraid to lay the groundwork for new stories or perspectives. In contrast to the aging Leon, fans also get to play as Grace, whose relative youth and inexperience in dealing with bioweapons make her an easy protagonist for newer players to connect with.

This difference underscores not just the depth of storytelling that has gone on in the Resident Evil franchise over the years, but also highlights the legacy it is leaving for new generations. Whatever mysterious virus is affecting Leon might prove too much for the character, leading either to his being removed from the field or killed outright. Even if that happens, though, people like Grace will be there to pick up where he left off — literally, in Grace’s case, given that the demo reveals that Leon gives her his distinctly powerful handgun called Requiem. Leon’s age highlights that the series is continuing to tell an overarching story, and makes all of Leon’s past adventures and traumas all the more important.

Each line on his face or scar on his body is a reminder of an adventure that Leon barely survived. It adds a certain natural weariness to the character that’s a fitting evolution of his “cool guy” persona in previous games. It also raises the specter of aging and natural death, not just over Leon but an entire generation of horror heroes like Chris, Jill, and the rest of their allies. This underscores the importance of new characters like Grace, who can carry on the fight even if something happens to Leon and the other older characters. It helps strengthen the storytelling of the series as a whole, grounding the series in a very crucial way. It lends the character a weight that was missing from his most recent appearances, and has me excited to find out more about what happens to him. Leon feels older in Requiem, and I’m so happy Capcom is willing to let the character evolve in this way.