Summary

  • Leon Kennedy debuted in Resident Evil 2 as a rookie cop and has since become an iconic character in the franchise.
  • Leon has appeared in various Resident Evil games, including Gaiden, Revelations 2, Re:Verse, Darkside Chronicles, Operation Raccoon City, Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil 2.
  • Leon's missions have involved rescuing the U.S. President's daughter, investigating a bio-weapon on an ocean liner, and navigating a zombie-infested city.

Resident Evil Players have been able to watch Leon Kennedy grow throughout the years, with his initial debut in Resident Evil 2 portraying 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.

Resident Evil Featured Split Image Jill Chris Barry
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Many Resident Evil players fell in love with Leon's relatability and genuine nature. Since then, he has made several other appearances within the entire Resident Evil franchise and has quickly taken the spot as one of the most central and iconic characters. But how many Resident Evil games 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 what Resident Evil games Leon Kennedy has appeared in.

8 Resident Evil Gaiden

Leon Investigates An Ocean Liner Rumored To House A New BOW

Fighting off zombies in Resident Evil Gaiden
Resident Evil Gaiden
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Action-Adventure
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Released
June 4, 2002
Developer(s)
Capcom, M4
Platform(s)
Nintendo Game Boy Color
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure

Resident Evil Gaiden was a unique entry into the series, featuring a top-down view that would switch to first person when engaged in combat, a far cry from the normal formula of Resident 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.

7 Resident Evil: Revelations 2

Leon Doesn't Show Up In The Main Game, But He Does Appear In The Raid Mini-Game

leon in resident evil revelations 2
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
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Survival Horror
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Released
February 24, 2015
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

The main plot of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 features 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.

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Collecting said coins will allow the player to upgrade and change their characters and 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.

6 Resident Evil Re:Verse

Leon Is A Playable Character, Equipped With Guns, Healing Abilities, And A Roundhouse Kick

Leon is RE:Verse, wearing the Leon's default outfit from RE6.
Resident Evil Re:Verse
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Third-Person Shooter
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Released
October 28, 2022
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter

Leon Kennedy, like several other iconic Resident Evil characters, 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 multiplayer aspect 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.

5 Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

Features As One Of The Stars In This On-Rails Shooter

Resident Evil The Darkside Chronicles Ada and Leon
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
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Shooter
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Released
November 17, 2009
Developer(s)
Capcom, Cavia
Platform(s)
PlayStation 3, Wii
Genre(s)
Shooter

Darkside Chronicles was a slightly different addition to the existing Resident Evil franchise, which is mostly down to it being an on-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 both Resident Evil 2 and CODE: Veronica. This time, it's from Leon's perspective, and it's told in much more accurate detail.

4 Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

An NPC Players are Free to Save, or an Optional Boss Fight

resident evil operation raccoon city leon kennedy
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
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Third-Person Shooter
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Released
March 20, 2012
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter

Operation Raccoon City is a third-person shooter that takes place during the events of Resident 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.

A split image featuring series protagonists Leon S Kennedy, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine
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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 in a 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.

3 Resident Evil 6

Leon Relives The Nightmare Of The Second Game As He Fights Through A Zombie-Infested City

Leon glares out from his curtain of hair, his face covered in sweat and dirt in Reisdent Evil 6
Resident Evil 6
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Third-Person Shooter
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Released
October 2, 2012
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter

Resident Evil 6 takes 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 to allow 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.

2 Resident Evil 4

Leon Stars As The Agent Burdened By The Onerous Task Of Rescuing Ashley Graham

Resident Evil 4 Leon and Ashley
Resident Evil 4
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Survival Horror
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Released
January 11, 2005
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
PS4, PS3, PS2, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, Wii, Nintendo GameCube, PC, Android, iOS
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

After the traumatic events of Resident 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 4 follows the main protagonist and 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.

1 Resident Evil 2

Witness Leon's First Day On The Job As Raccoon City Plunges Into Unmitigated Disaster

Leon and Calire standing back to back, Leon holding his gun up and Claire's downward, some of Raccoon City's shops in the backdrop in Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
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Survival Horror
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Released
January 21, 1998
Developer(s)
Capcom
Platform(s)
Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

Starting his career as a rookie cop, Leon S. Kennedy appears as one of Resident Evil 2's main protagonists, in both the 1998 original and Resident 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.

Leon S Kennedy from different games
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