Whilst the upcoming release of the animated movie Resident Evil Death Island will feature both of Resident Evil's fan-favorite characters joining hands in battle, the time for Leon and Chris to finally be a duo in Resident Evil 9 is what many fans would love to see.
Despite there currently being no confirmation of Resident Evil 9's existence, it is only a matter of time before Capcom releases its next mainline installment for the beloved franchise. Although there are many calls for the entire cast to make a return, it would be best if Capcom kept this to a smaller number, with arguably two of the franchise's most popular characters being front and center of it all.
5 First-Time Duo In-Game
Aside from a few sequences in Resident Evil 6 (which was not positively received by a large majority of fans), Leon and Chris are yet to share any extended number of scenes together in the Resident Evil games. Considering their high popularity among the fanbase, it has left many shocked and wondering whether the two characters will ever be featured as a duo in any future titles.
With Capcom still yet to officially confirm the existence of Resident Evil 9, this would be the perfect opportunity to finally have Leon and Chris be at the forefront of Resident Evil as two of the main playable characters. In the series' next title, the pair could finally share multiple moments together in the aspect of them bonding as partners.
4 More Engaging Combat
Considering that both of these characters have been shown performing the most outrageous and skillful attacks and maneuvers (more notably Chris' boulder punching), their presence in a ninth installment of the franchise could open up the door to unique combat encounters. Similar to what was presented in Resident Evil 5 with the duo of Chris and Sheva Alomar, combos of attacks between Leon and Chris could offer some of the most appealing fights that the franchise has ever seen.
It is important for Capcom to avoid the pitfalls of Resident Evil 6, which delivered an overload of combat and complete lack of horror elements. But witnessing Leon and Chris combining and stringing attacks in coordination, with roundhouse kicks and brute force punches, would be interesting to see, to say the least.
3 Chance For A Greater Foe
Leon and Chris have come across several foes separately throughout the franchise, including Krauser, Wesker, Saddler, and more. But aside from Wesker and Krauser, some of these characters have not posed as much of a threat, considering how skillful the heroes have proven themselves to be.
With the need of introducing higher stakes and more tense sequences, Capcom would be doing fans a great service by giving arguably the franchise's strongest main characters a much tougher task on this occasion. Introducing a menacing foe similar to Albert Wesker's formidability and enemies that match this level of threat, would also allow for a balance in action and horror.
2 First Look At Older Leon
When Resident Evil Village introduced an older and much more mature Chris Redfield, aiding Ethan Winters in saving his daughter Mia, it is clear that the jump in the Resident Evil timeline has been significant. This left fans wondering what this meant for the franchise's other classic characters, including Jill, Claire, and Leon.
Since Resident Evil 6 is the first and only time players have had an opportunity to see an older version of Leon in comparison to his well-known Resident Evil 2 and 4 major appearances, Resident Evil 9 is the perfect opportunity to do so especially in the current RE Engine. The newer portrayal should maintain the continuity of the face model from Resident Evil 4 Remake, and the fantastic voice actor Nick Apostiledas.
1 Balanced Horror & Action
In all aspects regarding Leon and Chris working together in combat, joining these two main characters together as main characters, and containing a more powerful foe, will operate all together as a guide towards a balance between action and horror. This is one of the most pivotal aspects of all Resident Evil entries, and is often a dealbreaker in the region of their potential success. Leaning too far into one of these two tones has often led to many fans being less than pleased, so a balance is key.
With Resident Evil 9, if Capcom can include Leon and Chris as the two playable characters in this next installment, it will certainly cover the region of action in its entirety. The rest of the work is to achieve a terrifying experience simultaneously. Although elements of horror will always remain subjective, there should be a certain degree of scary moments within Resident Evil 9. Even if these horror elements may not necessarily frighten Leon and Chris, they should still frighten players, leaving them on the edge of their seats. This is a staple of the franchise, and the ninth installment including those that will come after, should follow in the same vein.