Summary
Resident EvilPlayers have been able to watch Leon Kennedy grow throughout the years, with his initial debut inResident Evil 2portraying him, at times, as not so confident, in part because he was thrust into a zombie apocalypse as a rookie cop. However, he has since proven himself to be the cool secret agent fans know and love today.
ManyResident Evilplayers fell in love with Leon’s relatability and genuine nature. Since then, he has made several other appearances withinthe entireResident Evilfranchiseand has quickly taken the spot as one of the most central and iconic characters. But how manyResident Evilgames has Leon Kennedy actually featured in for the Capcom franchise.
Updated July 9th 2024, by Mara Cowley:Resident Evil is one of the longest running horror franchises, and Capcom are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. With more remakes likely on the way and the announcement of a brand-new title in the works, fans are in for more in the near future. So many games would not be possible without their fantastic cast of characters, many of whom have been instrumental in keeping the love for the series going strong. One of the most popular male characters in Resident Evil is Leon Kennedy. For those looking to spend more time with the rookie cop/government agent, this article will outline whatResident Evil games Leon Kennedy has appeared in.
Resident Evil Gaidenwas a unique entry into the series, featuringa top-down viewthat would switch to first person when engaged in combat, a far cry from the normal formula ofResident Evil. Leon returns, alongside Barry Burton from the first game and a new character called Lucia, who has some unique abilities, such as being able to sense the presence of the new bio-weapon.
Taking place on an ocean-liner called Starlight, Leon joins an initiative founded to investigate the possible presence of a newly developed bio-weapon, with a few surprising twists and turns being encountered along the way. Given the ending, it is up to debate whether this game can technically count as one that Leon is actually in, but for those wanting more of an explanation, it is best for them to play the game to discover the twist-ending for themselves.
The main plot ofResident Evil: Revelations 2features the duos Barry Burton and Natalia Korda, and Claire Redfield and Moira Burton, following two branching storylines as they explore and attempt to escape the desert island they have been taken to. Leon’s name isn’t even mentioned outside of raid mode, a mini-game in which players fight through short stages to locate an essential coin.
Collecting said coins will allow the player to upgrade andchange their charactersand equipment, allowing them to unlock more characters and better guns to aim for a higher score. Leon becomes unlocked once a player obtains 20 or more completion medallions, allowing players to enjoy this side-game as Leon.
Leon Kennedy, like several other iconicResident Evilcharacters, is a playable character within the third-person multiplayer shooter,Resident Evil: Re:Verse. Rather than having a linear storyline complete with single-player zombie-shooting action and plenty of scares,Capcom delved into the multiplayeraspect of gaming with this title. In this game, two to six players will compete in a deathmatch, with the winner being whoever scores the most RP by the end of the game.
Upon choosing Leon, the player will be equipped with both a handgun and a shotgun. Leon can knock down opponents with his signature roundhouse kick as well as automatically heal himself up when his health is low. He also can dual-wield handguns for a set time, meaning that both his fire rate and magazine size increases, which makes him one of the strongest characters in the game.
Darkside Chronicleswas a slightly different addition to the existingResident Evilfranchise, which is mostly down to it being anon-rails shooter, rather than a third-person over-the shoulder shooter that the series has become known to be, creating a rather divisive entry into the franchise that is treated more like a spin-off than an official title.
Once again, Leon makes his appearance as one of the game’s main protagonists, alongside Jack Krauser, and the title follows the pair on their mission to uncover the truth behind the T-Virus, which is mentioned in one of Leon’s main games,Resident Evil 4. The story essentially re-tells the events of bothResident Evil 2andCODE: Veronica. This time, it’s from Leon’s perspective, and it’s told in much more accurate detail.
Operation Raccoon Cityis athird-person shooterthat takes place during the events ofResident Evil 3; it is, however, a non-canon addition to the franchise. Rather than following Jill’s journey of terror in the streets of the zombie-infested Raccoon City as Nemesis, it instead follows the USS Delta team infiltrating Raccoon City to stop William Birkin from giving the T-Virus to the military and securing the G-virus.
This time, Leon does not appear as a main protagonist but, instead, as a side character that the player can choose to either kill or save, a very bizarre but perhaps easy choice for those that are fans of Leon. Choosing to kill him (or at least attempting to) also results ina frustrating boss fight,with this agent being highly skilled, as most fans would expect. He also features as a playable character in Heroes Mode, a competitive team-based game mode where players choose to play one of several characters from previous games, each equipped with their own unique set of abilities.
Resident Evil 6takes place 10 years after the destruction of Raccoon City. It features 4 interwoven campaigns, each set in different locations around the world and comprising duos toallow for cooperative gameplay. Leon Kennedy features as one of the game’s many protagonists, alongside newcomer to the series Helena Harper.
Leon’s story begins when a bioterrorism attack hits the venue he’s at, infecting many of its guests with the C-Virus, including the President, Leon’s good friend. In his zombie-like state, the President attempts to attack one of his very own Secret Service agents, Helena, and Leon is forced to make the heartbreaking decision to kill him. It is here that the pair must make their escape from the zombie-infested town to a church, saving other civilians on the way.
After the traumatic events ofResident Evil 2, Leon was recruited by the U.S. government and trained as a special agent as a result of both his incredible survival and combat skills. It’s worth noting, however, that it’s speculated Leon was blackmailed into accepting the position, with Sherry’s safety being threatened if he refused.
Resident Evil 4followsthe main protagonistand newly recruited special agent, Leon S. Kennedy, on his mission to rescue the U.S. President’s daughter, Ashley Graham, from a religious cult somewhere in rural Spain. Little does Leon know, however, is that these cultists are infected with the Las Plagas virus, an infection that takes over the human brain and makes an individual almost puppet-like. Saving Ashley is no small feat, as not only must Leon contend with the dangerous villagers, but he must also race against the clock before the Las Plagas virus takes him over.
Starting his career asa rookie cop, Leon S. Kennedyappears as one ofResident Evil 2’s main protagonists, in both the 1998 original andResident Evil 2 Remake. One of the game’s two campaigns revolves around the rookie cop’s first day on the job and his investigation into the strange goings-on in Raccoon City, and the other around Claire Redfield, Chris’s younger sister, who has come in search of him.
Each of these characters has their own stories with unique features; if the player were to pick Leon’s playthrough, they’ll be able to access the shotgun and flamethrower, and the campaign, generally speaking, is slightly easier. Each character also gains access to different rooms that are locked off to the other, and they encounter different characters while exploring the police station, with Claire finding Sherry and Leon encountering Ada.
