Capcom is bringing Leon S. Kennedy back to the center of the Resident Evil universe with Resident Evil Requiem, a new mainline entry that reframes the longtime hero for a different era of survival horror. Rather than leaning fully into high-octane action or retreating to pure slow-burn terror, the game appears to sit in the uneasy space between the two, using Leon’s experience to explore a more reflective kind of horror.
Launching February 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Requiem marks Leon’s first fully playable outing since the Resident Evil 4 Remake. This time, he’s not the agile rookie or the quip-ready government agent at his peak. He’s older, more measured, and shaped by years of bioterror incidents. That shift in tone carries directly into how the game plays.
Two Protagonists, Two Styles of Survival
Resident Evil Requiem uses a dual-protagonist structure, with players alternating between Leon and a newcomer, Grace Ashcroft. The contrast between them is central to the game’s design.
Leon’s sections focus on controlled, skill-driven combat. Gunplay is precise, movement is fluid, and encounters reward tactical decision-making over reckless aggression. He feels like someone who has survived long enough to know when to push forward and when to conserve resources.
Grace’s gameplay, on the other hand, leans into vulnerability. Her segments emphasize limited resources, slower pacing, and tension-heavy exploration. While Capcom has revealed little about her backstory, her role seems designed to reintroduce a sense of fragility that longtime fans associate with the series’ earlier entries. Switching between the two creates a rhythm that constantly shifts the player’s sense of control.
Mechanics That Reflect the Tone
New tools reinforce that balance. Leon gains access to weapons like the Requiem Revolver, a high-impact handgun built around precision, along with a combat hatchet that replaces his traditional knife. These changes subtly adjust close-quarters encounters, encouraging deliberate use of space and timing rather than button-heavy melee chains.
The iconic RE4-style inventory system returns in Resident Evil Requiem
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 26, 2026
New Leon gameplay details revealed: https://t.co/Uxfr3yRWcj pic.twitter.com/V3jJFfnRfC
Inventory management and crafting return in streamlined form, keeping resource decisions meaningful without overwhelming the flow of play. Leon’s loadout tends to support prepared, decisive encounters, while Grace’s limited options make avoidance and careful planning just as important as combat.
Together, these systems support a broader design goal: letting players feel capable without ever feeling completely safe.
A Character Study Through Gameplay
Leon’s evolution isn't just narrative. It’s mechanical. He moves and fights like someone who has seen every kind of outbreak and still carries the weight of those experiences. The confidence is there, but so is restraint.
Grace serves as a counterbalance. Where Leon embodies experience and control, she represents uncertainty and risk. That contrast keeps the horror from settling into predictability. Just as players grow comfortable in Leon’s boots, the perspective shifts, and the rules feel less forgiving again.
This structure suggests Capcom is less interested in choosing between action and horror and more focused on exploring the tension between the two.
Looking Ahead for the Series
If Resident Evil Requiem delivers on this approach, it could point to where the franchise is heading next. Recent entries have swung between intense action and deeply atmospheric horror. Requiem’s dual-protagonist design hints at a middle path, one where empowerment and vulnerability exist side by side rather than replacing each other.
For longtime fans, Leon’s return offers a familiar anchor. For the series itself, the bigger story may be how it continues redefining survival horror for players who now expect both cinematic spectacle and genuine tension.
Either way, Resident Evil Requiem looks positioned to test how far the franchise can stretch without losing the uneasy feeling that made it iconic in the first place.
Emmanuel Umahi
