8 Leon Kennedy Scenes From Resident Evil Requiem That Turned Newbies Into Fans

Leon Kennedy has been a part of the Resident Evil franchise for over 20 years, but he hasn’t actually appeared in the biggest title in a decade. He also came back in the Resident Evil 2 and 4 remakes, but as far as the story goes, he’s been MIA for a long time.

All that changed Bad Need for Residentswhere he splits the act with the new Grace. In this show, he was reinstated as the face of the franchise in an electric way that reminded old fans why he was so great, and showed new fans to the series what all the fuss was about.

We’ll take a look at some of the moments that made everyone realize that he really is footballer Leon Kennedy.

8

Hitting the Streets

Have a Zombie, Will Leon

Resident Evil: Requiem makes sure you immediately know what Leon means in this series. During the opening moments, after Grace is taken, Leon shows up. After Victor destroys the streets with freshly injected zombies, it’s time to go to work. You’re immediately given a permanent melee weapon which is an axe, and several guns, including the boss one in Requiem, which can blow zombies to pieces with just one shot.

On top of that, he has kickhouses to kick out, he can blast zombies off the side of cars, and it’s just a tour of what Resident Evil’s Superhero can do. Even at 51 years old, Leon is still an incredible fighter, and if you weren’t used to it until this game, you’ll soon know that the man has come to town.

7

I Hope You Know I’m Packing a Chainsaw

Spinning and Winning

If a jaunt through the streets didn’t get you on the Leon bandwagon, well, this segment will. Just entering the Care Center, Leon is greeted by a saw-wielding doctor who brutally murdered a nurse in front of him. But Leon is no ordinary man.

Shortly after dropping the “I’m going to need a second opinion” one-liner, he gets to counter attack the doctor with chainsaws. But it gets better: shoot down the doc, and it drops that chainsaw. And if you wait for it to stop spinning, you get to pick it up. And since then? It’s a bloody party for years.

You get to cut through the waves of zombies that come flooding into the room with a chainsaw that fans of this series have probably been dying for since the evil-headed man who first appeared in Resident Evil 4. For newcomers, it’s another example of Leon who just destroyed everything in a creative way. It got people on board with a pre-release demo, and the actual experience didn’t disappoint.

6

Meeting a Madman

Leon has no Expression Time

There comes a point that seems to be important in the game early on, where Victor takes Leon and has him all tied up and tied up in an attempt to get information from him. Victor seems in a sharing mood here, ready to explain his brilliant plan. What does Leon do when Victor leans in to start a big dump? He says, “You need to brush your teeth.” I mean… come on. If that doesn’t make you smile, nothing will.

Leon is not interested in a good plan or informing the players about one modicum of thought about what could happen. He cut this terrifying figure to Victor and he just scared him, knowing full well that he could be killed in an instant. Leon quickly breaks the chains and tears through the terrifying Chunk clone, and it made us wonder what the limit of his coolness really could be.

5

Cleaning Team

Bringing Down the House

The Care Center is just as incredible as Grace, and it holds true to the old-school horror gameplay that the series made popular. But you feel pretty helpless most of the time, especially when it comes to the big enemies that will tirelessly follow you through the halls after meeting them. Shortly after the segment, you get the chance to return to the main area of ​​the Care Center as Leon, this time, armed to the teeth and ready to take the pain away.

And that’s exactly what you have to do. All these enemies that seemed so threatening a few hours ago suddenly dropped like flies. Even the big ones, like Chef and Chunk, don’t stand a chance against Leon’s ridiculous weapons, and it’s a power trip you don’t usually hear in the survival horror genre. It’s a great moment, and one that makes you fall in love with most of his gameplay. Luckily, you get just that.

4

Motorcycle Madness

Hittin’ the Road in Style

Part of Leon’s charm is how silly some of the things he does with us are. But I’m not sure if anything beats the ridiculousness of a motorcycle chase. This feature is featured throughout Raccoon City, but actually driving a motorcycle is close to the joy of playing. Yes, you’ve got plenty of obstacles here, from Victor shooting rockets at you to hot dogs in your lane, but in true Leon style, you’ve got unlimited ammo to spare, so it’s not a problem.

The absolute highlight however, comes during the motorcycle race between Leon and Victor. It’s gloriously dumb in a B-action way, but when you lean into it, it’s very easy to say, “God, this is great.” And of course, Leon wins, and, of course, drops the line “I should have worn a helmet” as Victor tumbles down the side of the highway exploding.

3

I miss you

Old Friends

Resident Evil Requiem leans heavily on imagination and throwbacks to previous games, and perhaps the most obvious is Mr. X’s appearance, cloak and all, towards the end of the Raccoon City segment. Of course, in typical Leon fashion, he sees this nightmare walk into the room with him, and all he says is “I miss you.” It’s a cool thing that, as a casual fan, I didn’t really know Leon was capable of.

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He rides that momentum throughout the episode, and the evolution of his skills so far put on full display during his boss fight is a great thing to see. It made me a big fan, as this is quieter, more collected, but still cool as Leon shows that he can back up a tough talk with physical ability in a way we haven’t seen in the series. I mean, we can afford the Dang Tyrant now. That wasn’t on the table back in 1998.

2

Argument with the Commander

Mano and Mano

If Leon blowing up everything in sight doesn’t get you joining a fanboy cult, maybe meeting iconic side character Hunk will put you over the edge. This boss fight begins with a very cool duel between the two using nothing but melee maneuvers before the two crash into a room covered in red light. From then on, this boss battle tests both Leon and your skills so far. It’s a sharply animated battle as well, featuring some great-looking ax clashes and confrontations.

Seeing this special commando do nothing but take Leon’s head out of his mind and fail to take him down is one of the game’s biggest twists. If you weren’t familiar before, seeing Leon can’t get the best is another point earned with Leon’s cool counter.

1

Pushing Through Pain

The Man Against Time

Leon’s final stand is a great moment for long-time fans of the character, and without a doubt, one that will make new fans enjoy his solo adventure. Violently sick with the IT Virus, on his last legs, coughing up blood, and with blurred vision, Leon presses forward to try to prevent Elpis from being released.

You don’t just see Leon struggle badly in the cutscenes leading up to this, you experience it. Fighting Lickers while coughing up blood and seeing clearly is brutal. But Leon keeps it together, all to make it to that final moment. It’s an epic moment of perseverance, and the fact that she survives it all (with a happy ending) is a testament to how strong this character is. He’s the Superman of the series, and by the time the credits rolled here, I’d say everyone was on the Leon train.

NEXT

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Released

February 27, 2026

The ESRB

Mature 17+ / Strong Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases