Resident Evil Requiem Director Says The Game Will Almost Be Broken Evenly Between Grace & Leon

Resident Evil Requiem is on a lot of players’ minds right now. The new major installment to the long-running and cherished survival horror franchise should be with us in February of next year. We don’t have long to go before we’ll get to step into this next chapter. One of the big reasons so many fans are ready for this next game is the fact that we are going back to Raccoon City. This is a huge moment, as we’ll get to see what’s left standing decades after the tactical strike was sent down in hopes of ending this biothreat.

Things didn’t slow down, and years later, the world is still fighting bioterrorism. Still, it’s great to finally step back into the roots of this franchise. Likewise, we learned officially last week that the game would see a familiar face. Leon Kennedy is stepping back into the action, even if he’s quite a bit older than when he last left Raccoon City. However, just know that if you’re stepping into this game, you’re essentially getting two games in one. At least, that’s how the director behind this upcoming installment sees things.

Resident Evil Requiem Is Like Having Two Games

Resident Evil Requiem’s game director, Akifumi Nakanishi, spoke with Automaton after the grand reveal of Leon Kennedy’s return to the Resident Evil franchise. During the conversation, it was asked about how the game would be structured now that there are two protagonists featured in the title. According to the game director, the game will have a rather similar structure, with the playable sections split between them.

In terms of gameplay, Grace and Leon’s playable sections are almost equally split. The structure is similar to Resident Evil Revelations. 

I’ve said before that Leon isn’t well suited to horror. Since quiet sections where you cower before monsters don’t fit him, his chapters focus on intense, adrenaline-pumping action. Grace’s sections, on the other hand, are the scarier ones. We’re really emphasizing the difference in their experiences this time. 

It’s almost like having two games with completely different types of tension mixed together. Early on, we worried players might not be able to keep up, but now we feel that the contrast gives the game a unique rhythm, like jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna (laughs). It was important to combine the slow and fast segments well, and Grace and Leon turned out to be the best combination for that. Leon also has lots of new actions, giving you a strong sense of release compared to Grace’s sequences. 

As noted, there was a big reason for the split for this game. If you’ve been following the marketing materials for Resident Evil Requiem, you know that Grace is not a seasoned veteran. She’s timid and easily frightened by the horrors that will appear during her journey. So it’s a very terrifying experience going through the game as her. However, that’s where Leon’s section should truly shine for players.

Leon is much older and is very action-oriented. While we can be terrified while playing through the game with Grace, it’s a bit of fresh air to step into the role of Leon and fight off some of these monsters. That should really open things up for players and ease some of the tension caused by fear. Of course, we’ll still be waiting to see just how long a game this title will be compared to some of the previous installments.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more Resident Evil, then you’re in luck. While we are set to receive Resident Evil Requiem on February 27, 2026, there’s more coming beyond that. An industry insider recently revealed what remakes are set to arrive next for the franchise, and you can read about that right here.