The iconic survival horror franchise Resident Evil boasts a great number of popular and memorable characters. Arguably, Leon S. Kennedy is the most popular and recognizable character aside from Jill Valentine. In this article, we’ll be counting down every Resident Evil game Leon is featured in, ranked.
Please note that we will not discuss anything that will spoil the experience of these games. They are only ranked based on their popularity and gameplay. We’re ranking them from worst to best.
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Also, as I said in another article about Resident Evil, you don’t strictly have to play these games in order. While they are connected to each other, it’s not in a direct way (mostly). So, playing these games starting from the point you like best is a great way to experience the games.
Another note before we proceed: I only included mainline games in which you can play as Leon. It does not include any of the spinoffs like Operation Raccoon City.
Resident Evil 6
Despite receiving poor reviews and being criticized for being an action-focused game, Resident Evil 6 had its enjoyable traits. It featured six playable characters who had their own campaigns. Leon also has his own story. While his campaign is not as good as that of Chris Redfield, it was still enjoyable.
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In this game, Leon is older and more experienced. Unlike the rookie who was naïve and inexperienced in Resident Evil 2, he’s a tough and battle-hardened combatant in this game. However, his personality traits haven’t gone away, and that makes him as loveable as he was in the previous titles of the franchise.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 was the first game to introduce Leon as a playable character alongside Claire Redfield, Chris’s sister. In his debut, he was a rookie police officer who had trained well but remained less effective and talented on the field than he was in later games he was featured in.
Claire and Leon search for answers to questions like what caused the outbreak and what happened to Chris Redfield in this game. After his appearance in this game, he only got more and more iconic as the franchise progressed.
Resident Evil 2 Remake from 2019 features a third-person perspective. Leon in that game is far more likable than he was back in 1998, thanks to the believable facial animations, masterful voice acting, and jaw-dropping visuals.
Resident Evil 4
The greatest Resident Evil game of all time according to many critics and players, this widely popular and critically-acclaimed game revolutionized the survival-horror genre in a way that no game had done in its time.
The over-the-shoulder camera perspective was first introduced in this game back in 2005. After that, many games implemented that camera perspective. Tank controls from the early Resident Evil games were also replaced with less cumbersome controls.
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Leon is the primary playable protagonist in this game, and he’s on a very important mission: to save the president’s daughter, Ashley, aka Baby Eagle. Despite her cool nickname, she’s craven through and through, and constantly depends on Leon to protect her.
Resident Evil 4 Remake has improved and overhauled both of the characters in an extraordinary way. They’re animated realistically and have lifelike appearances. Currently, Resident Evil 4 Remake is the best in the series and it features Leon S. Kennedy at his best.
