Resident Evil Requiem mixes RE2 and RE4 gameplay, co-starring Grace as the “biggest scaredy-cat”

Resident Evil Requiem finally unveiled Leon at The Game Awards, putting an end to one of gaming’s worst-kept secrets after a leak from PlayStation. Following this reveal, Japanese games publication Automaton published an interview with Requiem’s director, Akifumi Nakanishi, and producer Masato Kumazawa. In this interview, the pair discuss how Resident Evil Requiem’s co-protagonists create an experience that is basically a Resident Evil 2 and 4 cocktail, with Grace serving as the series’ “biggest scaredy-cat”.

Resident Evil 2 was originally released in 1998, debuting Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, whereas Resident Evil 4 was released in 2005, starring Leon on his own. RE2 and its 2019 remake are Survival horror experiences where resources are extremely limited, meanwhile, RE4 and its 2023 remake are action-oriented blockbusters with Leon portrayed as a savvy badass rather than a young rookie.

For Resident Evil Requiem, there is “one, unified story,” and “As the plot advances, you switch between Leon’s sections and Grace’s sections,” says Nakanishi. The director adds that the Grace and Leon “playable sections are almost equally split,” and that “Grace’s gameplay is based on Resident Evil 2, whereas Leon’s gameplay includes martial arts and melee moves, based on Resident Evil 4”.

According to Nakanishi, Grace’s sections are “extremely scary,” whereas “Leon’s sections work to release the tension” because “You feel safe during Leon’s chapters and then scared again during Grace’s”. Nakanishi compares the change in gameplay styles to a “unique rhythm, like jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna”.

While Nakanishi describes Leon as “cool” and the “type who doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to save others,” Grace is dubbed the Resident Evil series’ “biggest scaredy-cat”. This is because she’s an entirely new hero, whereas Leon is a veteran.

Resident Evil Requiem releases February 2026

Resident Evil Requiem is set to release on February 27, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It is the series’ ninth mainline installment, taking place after the events of RE Village. Capcom has stated that you do not need knowledge of all the prior Resident Evil games to enjoy Requiem, so newcomers are welcome.

Since its debut in 1996 on the PS1, Resident Evil was traditionally third-person, up until Resident Evil 7 in 2017, which changed to first-person horror. First-person was continued for Village, but Requiem allows players to switch between both third and first-person modes at any time. This allows Capcom to accommodate both old-school fans as well as newer zombie slayers.

Leon Kennedy is a fan-favorite who debuted in 1998 for RE2 as a rookie cop and became a hardened action hero tasked with saving the President’s daughter in RE4. Requiem is the first time we’re seeing Leon again since his disappearance after RE6 in 2012, barring remakes of RE2 and RE4.

As for Grace Ashcroft, she is an FBI analyst. Although she’s an entirely new playable character, series veterans may recognize her as the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, a playable character in Resident Evil Outbreak from 2003.

While Nakanishi describes Requiem as a combination of RE2 and RE4, leaks claim that Requiem is more dynamic than any other past Resident Evil installment. There is a yet-to-be-named monster in the game that Capcom has confirmed is not Lisa Trevor from the Resident Evil 2002 remake, and this monster is reportedly truly dynamic, similar to the Xenomorph from Alien Isolation.

Thankfully, we only have to wait a few more months until Requiem releases. As for what is planned after, leaks claim Capcom is developing remakes for RE0 and Code Veronica.