Resident Evil 9 Requiem's interactive gameplay is 'almost equally split' between Grace and Leon

Leon Kennedy is not only in Capcom's new Resident Evil game, but he's one of the main playable protagonists, and he brings thrilling action to offset the terrifying horror of Grace's segments.

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At The Game Awards 2025, Capcom confirmed the rumors are true: Leon plays a major part in Resident Evil 9 Requiem. The news comes months after the developer had said Leon wouldn't be in the game, but now Capcom says that a dual-character structure was decided when full production started.

In a recent interview with Japanese games publication Automaton, Resident Evil 9 Requiem game director Koshi Nakanishi says that the interactive gameplay sequences are basically evenly divided between Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy, with each perspective offering a very different experience for players.

• Read more: Capcom explains why Leon isn't Resident Evil 9's protagonist: They wanted a victim, not a hero

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

He then goes on to say that Leon will bring the action and machismo, with high-kicks, chainsaw fatalities, and axe slicing, whereas Grace will unfortunately be subjected to the more skin-crawling moments--as we've seen in the game's debut trailer.

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"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."

Nakanishi says that RE9 is almost like two games in one thanks to this design:

"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.

"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."

Finally, we have a description from Capcom's latest press release:

Dual protagonists in Resident Evil Requiem will provide a blend of gameplay that will shake the very core of players' souls with Leon handling business via exhilarating, death-defying action, while Grace steels herself through spine-tingling survival horror.

Resident Evil 9 released on February 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.