“It’s Like You’re Playing Completely Different Games”: Capcom Breaks Down Grace vs. Leon Gameplay in Resident Evil Requiem
Capcom used its latest Resident Evil Showcase to finally put real structure behind what Resident Evil Requiem is aiming for, and the core pitch is now crystal clear: this is a dual identity entry where the player experience deliberately shifts depending on whether you are controlling Grace or Leon. In the presentation, director Koshi Nakanishi walked viewers through why the game is built this way, why Leon was always part of the plan, and how the design team is using two playable perspectives to engineer a tighter rhythm of tension and release than a single character campaign could realistically sustain.
Nakanishi opened by addressing the months of speculation around Leon with a very direct tone, essentially making it clear that the community read into the silence more than they should have. Leon Kennedy is confirmed as the second playable character alongside Grace, and the most important detail is not simply that he is present, but why his presence reshapes the game’s pacing. Capcom’s stance is that a horror game anchored entirely around Leon is a difficult value proposition because players do not associate him with fear, at least not in the way the series uses vulnerability to generate dread. Grace becomes the horror forward counterweight, giving Requiem a character whose moment to moment play can lean into fragility, limited power, and oppressive atmosphere without fighting player expectation.
That split is the design thesis. Grace’s sections are positioned closer to the survival horror roots, with Nakanishi explicitly pointing to the kind of fear driven structure players associate with Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 7. Leon’s sections are framed as the cathartic release valve, closer to the thrilling tension and action forward identity of Resident Evil 4. Capcom is not pretending these are small flavor differences. The director flat out describes it as feeling like you are playing completely different games, with the project’s emotional range coming from the contrast rather than from trying to blend everything into a single, consistent baseline.
Capcom also highlighted how this philosophy impacts tools and player expression. Leon is positioned as the combat solver who can push through encounters with weapons, physicality, and aggressive momentum. Grace, by contrast, is the character who survives by making better decisions than the enemy expects, leaning into stealth and alternative solutions that do not rely on raw firepower. That is where the updated crafting system starts to matter more than it might in a typical showcase bullet point list. Grace can extract a blood sample after taking down a zombie and turn it into Specialized Injectors, with one example shown causing a zombie to explode. The point is not just a new craftable, it is a new way to let a lower power character still create decisive outcomes without turning her into Leon.
On the creature design side, Capcom teased a subtle but potentially high impact change in how zombies behave. Requiem’s undead retain traces of who they were, and the showcase example was a custodian continuing to clean even while undead. This is a smart kind of horror, because it adds an uncanny layer that is not only grotesque but also strangely human, which can deepen the atmosphere without needing louder jump scares. It also hints at why Capcom emphasized Elpis during the presentation, even if it stayed careful about story reveals.
The showcase also leaned into the broader ecosystem play around Requiem, confirming collaborations and launch day tie ins. Capcom announced a Porsche collaboration for a Leon themed in game vehicle that also exists as a real world build, and a Hamilton watch collaboration featuring 2 character inspired models. Capcom stated these watches will be limited to 1,000 units each and will be available the same day as the game’s release on February 27, 2026. The official announcement post is here: Resident Evil Requiem announcement.
Survival is in the details.
— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) January 15, 2026
Hamilton enters Resident Evil with two limited-edition timepieces worn by Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft — in-game and IRL on Feb 27, 2026.
Limited to 2000 pieces each.#ResidentEvilRequiem #HamiltonWatch pic.twitter.com/wKPrTwifh8
Capcom closed out with practical purchase incentives, including preorder bonuses, deluxe edition extras, and cosmetic items such as additional costumes for Grace and Leon, including one that references Lady Dimitrescu. It also teased additional merchandise like figures planned for Fall 2026, plus themed peripherals for Nintendo Switch 2, and even a Resident Evil concert series titled Symphony of Legacy spanning Japan, North America, and Europe. In parallel, Capcom confirmed Resident Evil Requiem will be available on GeForce NOW at launch and will support NVIDIA DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, positioning it as a strong showcase title for high end PC fidelity and cloud flexibility.
Do you like Capcom’s two style approach, or would you rather see Requiem commit fully to horror by forcing Leon into a more vulnerable survival horror role?
