Resident Evil players have been able to watch Leon S. 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 Has Earned Another Break from Leon Kennedy
Leon Kennedy's popularity with modern audiences has exploded thanks to Resident Evil's recent releases, but Capcom can give him some space for now.
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?
We are only counting console releases, so no mobile games like Survival Unit.
Updated March 12, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Well, Resident Evil Requiem has been out for a couple of weeks now, and that means Leon's resume needs to be updated with another major appearance. It might be a while before everybody's favorite agent appears in another one of these main entries, so let's celebrate him while we can.
Resident Evil 2
Witness Leon's First Day On The Job As Raccoon City Plunges Into Unmitigated Disaster
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Resident Evil 2
Systems
9/10-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92/100 Critics Rec: 97%
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONDIGITALPHYSICAL- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
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Resident Evil 2
Systems
- Released
- January 25, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONDIGITALPHYSICALThe genre-defining masterpiece Resident Evil 2 returns, completely rebuilt from the ground up for a deeper narrative experience. Using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine, Resident Evil 2 offers a fresh take on the classic survival horror saga with breathtakingly realistic visuals, heart-pounding immersive audio, a new over-the-shoulder camera, and modernized controls on top of gameplay modes from the original game.
In Resident Evil 2, the classic action, tense exploration, and puzzle solving gameplay that defined the Resident Evil series returns. Players join rookie police officer Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who are thrust together by a disastrous outbreak in Raccoon City that transformed its population into deadly zombies. Both Leon and Claire have their own separate playable campaigns, allowing players to see the story from both characters’ perspectives. The fate of these two fan favorite characters is in players hands as they work together to survive and get to the bottom of what is behind the terrifying attack on the city. Will they make it out alive?- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- 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.
Resident Evil 4
Leon Stars As The Agent Burdened By The Onerous Task Of Rescuing Ashley Graham
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Resident Evil 4
Systems
7/10-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 80%
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONDIGITALPHYSICAL -
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Resident Evil 4
Systems
9/10-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92/100 Critics Rec: 98%
WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALPHYSICAL- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
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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.
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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.
Resident Evil 6
Leon Relives The Nightmare Of The Second Game As He Fights Through A Zombie-Infested City
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 the 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.
Resident Evil Requiem
One Of The Two Playable Protagonists
Resident Evil Requiem marked the start of a new era in many ways. The 2026 game introduced a new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, who is relatively different than superstars like Jill, Chris, and Leon. Like Ethan, she is not remotely equipped to handle the horror hell she stumbles upon, which not only pushes her out of her comfort zone but also forces her to confront her PTSD. Grace is Requiem's main character, with the story very much being hers. However, we cannot possibly have a Resident Evil game without the appearance of at least one veteran, and Leon is that person in Requiem.
Decades after the events of Resident Evil 3, Leon returns to the shell of Raccoon City, going on a journey that takes him to nostalgic places and allows him to cross paths with familiar faces. At this point, Leon has seen everything there is to see, and he is the definition of a grizzled vet who cannot be shaken by anything thrown at him. He serves as a nice contrast to Grace, and they even develop a fun dynamic throughout the story. At the beginning of Requiem, Leon is suffering from an illness associated with the 1998 outbreak, and he heads to Wrenwood, as there are reports of similar cases. Eventually, he ends up back in that god-forsaken city.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Features As One Of The Stars In This On-Rails Shooter
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
- Released
- November 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- 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.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
An NPC That Players Are Free to Save, or an Optional Boss Fight
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
- Released
- March 20, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- 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.
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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.
Resident Evil Gaiden
Leon Investigates An Ocean Liner Rumored To House A New BOW
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.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Leon Doesn't Show Up In The Main Game, But He Does Appear In The Raid Mini-Game
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
- Released
- February 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
Resident Evil Re:Verse
Leon Is A Playable Character, Equipped With Guns, Healing Abilities, And A Roundhouse Kick
Leon Kennedy, like several other iconic Resident Evil characters, was 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 compete in a deathmatch, with the winner being whoever scores the most RP by the end of the game.
Capcom shut down the servers in 2025, so Re:Verse is no longer playable.
Upon choosing Leon, the player could equip a handgun and a shotgun. Leon could knock down opponents with his signature roundhouse kick as well as automatically heal himself when his health was low. He could also dual-wield handguns for a set time, meaning that both his fire rate and magazine size increase, which made him one of the strongest characters in the game.
Resident Evil: Every Game That Features HUNK
Mr. Death himself, commonly known as HUNK, is one of the most mysterious characters in all of Resident Evil. Here are all the times he's appeared.