Given the plethora of voice actors over the years playing the role of Leon S. Kennedy, it has led to different interpretations and personality changes for each installment, including TV series and movies. With 2005's Resident Evil 4, Paul Mercier delivered a serious yet cocky and B-movie-like attitude which was synonymous with the game's overall tone.
In the case of the Resident Evil 4 remake, Capcom, and Nick Apostolides, who voiced Leon in Resident Evil 2, worked together to produce a fresh and unique take on Leon S. Kennedy. While this interpretation of the character still maintains the traits of Leon in the original, there are some interesting aspects on this occasion that help flesh him to an even greater extent.
This list contains spoilers for the Resident Evil 4 remake
5 Adamant On Rescuing Ashley
Through numerous moments of dialogue between Leon and Luis, and some of the inner dialogue, the Resident Evil 4 remake makes it clear that he is still reconstructing the events of Raccoon City. Taking this into consideration, the determination and relentless nature of rescuing Ashley comes directly from Leon's trauma and finally succeeding in his mission with flying colors.
Players will be aware of how far Leon goes on this occasion to ensure Ashley survives, which is presented within the game's latter stages as he removes the Las Plagas from Ashley first, unlike the original. While both the original and remake present a Leon who is on an incredibly dangerous mission of rescue, this representation of the character appears to be far more stubborn and resolute, especially when the pair are separated.
4 Greater Combat Capabilities
While this primarily comes down to Capcom's idea of modernizing gameplay and pushing the gameplay to a greater level, Leon's combat capabilities in the remake are much more prominent. With the addition of a new parry mechanic, players can now counter enemies with ferocious attacks with Leon's powerful kicks, and some of the charms earned from the Merchant's shooting range can increase the damage dealt from this.
Capcom has managed to make Leon feel a lot more formidable in the remake, especially in sequences such as his bout with Salazar's Verdugo, accompanied by a few one-liners and quips that evoke a cocky Leon, even taking away the fear factor from the moment. This is also present in the impressive knife fight with Krauser, with the former ally even acknowledging Leon's skills.
3 More Cautious
Upon meeting Luis Serra in the original, Leon was far more open and calm in his approach, especially after hearing the hint about Ashley's whereabouts. This time around, a more realistic approach is clear to see with Leon as he refuses to engage in any form of conversation with Luis until he mentions Ashley, which leads to Leon pressing him for information aggressively.
It is clear that Capcom did its best to showcase a smarter and more methodical character who needs to build another's trust before opening up to them. During the mining stage, he constantly questions Luis' motives and why he is trying to help him despite their previous team-up in the cabin fight. The original did not address much information regarding Luis' past, which was even further unsuitable considering Leon's quick jump to trusting him, but the remake fleshes this out realistically.
2 No Longer Naive With Ada
The original Resident Evil 4 and the 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake presented a naive and gullible Leon S. Kennedy when it came down to encountering Ada. Despite the pair's romantic tension, Ada often uses Leon for the betterment of her own mission regardless of whether she cares deeply about him.
In the Resident Evil 4 remake, aside from speaking on Raccoon City and finding out Ashley's whereabouts, Leon appears to be very disinterested in Ada because he is now more aware that she has been using him. This is a huge jump compared to the original, showcasing a level of character development for Leon that it failed to address coming off the back of the original Resident Evil 2 and strengthens the idea of continuity within the series for both the storylines and characters.
1 Serious/Mature Attitude
This take on Leon S. Kennedy is aligned with a more determined, serious, and relentless personality, and while these traits are present in the original game, it is far more concentrated this time around. The goal of finding and rescuing the president's daughter, Ashley Graham, is the one and only priority, and players feel that during every moment spent between the two.
In each of Leon's interactions with both enemies and allies in the remake, Capcom manages to showcase that he is not afraid of displaying a great level of confidence, especially before the Salazar boss fight, and he is always sure to command and encourage Ashley. Despite the original containing elements of Leon having realistic and grounded interactions with characters, the remake takes it to another level by humanizing a lot of this, especially between Luis, Ashley, Ada, and Krauser.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is now available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.