While Capcom revealed quite a few new details about upcoming survival horror title Resident Evil Requiem during the showcase, it also featured game director Koshi Nakanishi discussing the differences in gameplay between the two protagonists—Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft.
He described Grace’s gameplay as being closer in gameplay mechanics and tone to Resident Evil 7 and the Resident Evil 2 remake, stressing that it will be “really entrenched in the horror aspects of gameplay.” Leon, on the other hand, will play more like an action hero with a focus on the “thrilling tension” offered by the Resident Evil 4 remake.
The differences in gameplay styles between Grace’s and Leon’s parts of the game have been designed, according to Nakanishi, to offer a build-up of tension and release. “Each part is ordered to offer the ultimate balance of tension and release,” he said. However, he also noted that Resident Evil Requiem wasn’t always going to be like this. The developers had also experimented with focusing a lot more on horror with Leon. This decision was changed, however, since the studio realised that people wouldn’t want to see a timid version of the character after all of the ordeals he has been through since his introduction in Resident Evil 2.
“We actually tried to make a genuine horror game with Leon,” Nakanishi explained, “but sure enough we thought that people wouldn’t want to see a timid Leon. That was the overwhelming opinion, at least.”
During the showcase, Capcom had also confirmed that the version of Leon we will play in Resident Evil Requiem has already been through several harrowing events, including those from Resident Evil 6. At the start of Requiem, Leon is still working for the DSO. Along with this, he will also have access to a new tomahawk as his melee weapon of choice, along with a variety of fancy combat moves.
Grace, on the other hand, will focus more on quick decisions about whether she should engage in combat or simply run and hide. To help her deal with the upcoming title’s zombies, a new crafting system will be available that allows her to mix different things with infected blood to craft deadly new weapons, like the Specialized Injector that can stop corpses from mutating.
At the showcase, Capcom also unveiled a new Resident Evil Requiem-themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which will be released alongside the game’s February 27 launch. The controller will be priced at $99.99, and has a special graphic depicting a newspaper with stories about various events from the Resident Evil series. The company also announced that it is working with Nintendo to create a new amiibo based on Grace Ashcroft, which is slated to launch in Summer 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The same day will also see the release of Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition for the Nintendo Switch 2, which will include all of the respective games’ DLC.
