Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield were finally taken off of Resident Evil’s cobwebbed character shelf and given renewed life with the remake of Resident Evil 2. In a monumental departure from the original’s tank controls, static camera, and polygonal models, the Resident Evil 2 remake offered third-person survival-horror with modern gameplay. Jill Valentine was then given the same treatment in a remake of Resident Evil 3, and the fourth installment is slated next with a remake of Resident Evil 4.
Each of the original mainline entries has a massive fanbase with players who had expectations for the remakes, and Resident Evil 4 is no different. In fact, a lot is riding on the Resident Evil 4 remake due to how beloved the original is and how impactful it was as a turning point for the franchise. Gameplay will likely be similar to that of the Resident Evil remakes that came before it, but one of the more intriguing parts of the Resident Evil 4 remake will be how it finally creates a cohesive narrative connecting Resident Evil 2 with Resident Evil 4 and illustrating Leon’s character development.
Leon’s Solemnity in Resident Evil 4 Remake Is in Response to Resident Evil 2 Remake
Players can imagine how Leon’s experiences in the original Resident Evil 2 affected him thereafter, but there is not a succinct through line between the franchise’s original second and fourth installments. The remake reimagined certain sequences and changed aspects of each playable character’s A and B sides, but it is undeniable how much it modernized gameplay and visuals while nostalgically respecting certain iconography from the original.
Leon and Claire had personalities and emotional qualities in the original, but with modern performances they are given an entirely new presentation used to depict them as developed characters. Unfortunately, unless Resident Evil Code: Veronica is ever remade, fans will not get to see how the events in Raccoon City affected Claire.
But because Leon’s character model and actor are supposedly returning for the remake of Resident Evil 4, it can be referred to as a coherent sequel. Further, the upcoming Resident Evil 4 is being called a reawakening rather than a remake, implying that it will maintain and upkeep the same modern horror that Capcom embraced in its remake of Resident Evil 2.
This means that Leon’s experiences and ideologies will effectively carry over from the Resident Evil 2 remake and his despondency, as portrayed in the Resident Evil 4 remake’s reveal trailer, will be palpable and understandable. In the original Resident Evil 4, Leon is still committed to rescuing Ashley, but he is also sarcastic and witty, which results in many of the game’s iconic and corny one-liners. The remake will likely not feature any such dialogue or wittiness, particularly if Leon is still mourning Ada and perceiving the post-apocalyptic world bleakly.
Future Resident Evil Remakes Still Need to Tell a Cohesive Narrative
The Resident Evil 3 remake demonstrates that it too is a sequel of the Resident Evil 2 remake, with Kendo being its clearest connective tissue between them. But character development between far-flung installments in Resident Evil is uncommonly illustrated because of how frequently the franchise undergoes metamorphosis in terms of character turnover or gameplay transformation.
That is why the Resident Evil 4 remake has a lot of potential, because it can show that what Leon went through in Raccoon City has had an effect on his decision-making or reactions to events in rural Spain, such as his reaction to Ada being alive. Though the number of potential installments that Resident Evil might remake are dwindling, it is difficult to imagine that Capcom would end its string of remakes with Resident Evil 4 when remakes have become so lucrative for the franchise.
If more remakes are indeed in development, whichever games Capcom is remaking need to tell a cohesive narrative that can illustrate or demonstrate relationships and events in a way that is more salient than they were previously portrayed. Either way, Leon will now have a more coherent development between his first two appearances thanks to these remakes.
Resident Evil 4 Remake launches March 24, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
