Summary
Protagonists have always been some ofResident Evil’s strongest assets. While ferocious monsters and zombies are obviously very important for any horror story, having a strong cast of human survivors is arguably just as important. Fans need a central group of heroes that they can root for and inevitably feel sad about when they meet their untimely end.Resident Evilhas always done a decent job of getting players to connect with its protagonists, often building that connection through both story and gameplay.
In thesurvival horror genre, the player is given only a limited set of resources and is tasked with surviving whatever the game throws at them. In this high-pressure scenario, the player often ends up forming a close, almost symbiotic bond with their player-character, with their own survival instincts mirroring the character’s. This is why so manyResident Evilfans have such strong connections with the franchise’s legacy characters, and there’s one familiar face who’s likely to keep coming back even more frequently than the rest.
Leon Kennedy’s Resident Evil Return Seems Imminent
Leon Kennedy Has Become The Face of the Resident Evil Franchise
There have been some trulyiconicResident Evilprotagonistsover the years, with Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine making a huge impact with the franchise’s debut game, and characters like Claire Redfield and Ada Wong making strong impressions whenever they’re on-screen. But in recent years, noResident Evilprotagonist has been quite as prolific as Leon S. Kennedy.
Originally making his debut in1998’sResident Evil 2, Leon Kennedy has appeared in various entries throughout the franchise’s long history, but one of Leon’s most important roles came in 2019 with the launch ofResident Evil 2 Remake. While 2017’sResident Evil 7was a great return to form for the franchise after the poor reception toResident Evil 6, it was 2019’sResident Evil 2 Remakethat really restored the franchise to its former glory, and Leon Kennedy was right at the heart of it.
Earlier this year it was confirmed thatResident Evil 2 Remakeis now the best-selling gamein franchise history, selling over 13.9 million copies. It seems safe to assume that this remake was many new fans' first foray into theResident Evilfranchise, and as such, Leon Kennedy was probably the first protagonist many formed a connection with. This connection will have only grown deeper with the release ofResident Evil 4 Remakelast year, with Leon Kennedy getting the spotlight all to himself.
In the last few years, Leon Kennedy has also appeared in a few games outside theResident Evilfranchise, featuring as acrossover character in games likeDead by DaylightandFortnite. Though he isn’t the onlyREprotagonist to appear in recent years, he’s probably the most prolific when all is said and done, essentially becoming the new face of the franchise.
If Resident Evil Is Bringing Back Mascots, Leon Kennedy Should Be First on the List
One of thebiggest rumors surrounding the upcomingResident Evil 9is that it will feature a handful of legacy character returns. If that turns out to be true, then it would make complete sense for Leon Kennedy to play a major role in the series' next entry, if not as the main playable character, then at least as a core part of the NPC cast. Leon Kennedy is the connective tissue that ties together veteran fans and newcomers, with the former group having loved the character for decades and the latter crowd enjoying his more recent depictions. It would make sense for Capcom to keep Leon at the heart of theResident Evilfranchise moving forward.
Resident Evil 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Survival is just the beginning.Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City.Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals.And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect.Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut.Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.
