Resident Evil Requiem responds to one of the most common criticisms of previous games: “Why couldn’t they do that?”

With each new preview of Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom makes us even more eager than the zombies in the game itself. However, in the most recent previews, where we’ve been able to see Leon in action, many fans agree that one of the most significant new features is a direct response to a recurring criticism of previous titles, both classics and remakes: the need to search for a multitude of keys instead of picking locks and breaking down doors and cabinets directly.

Leon can smash doors with his axe in Resident Evil Requiem, something he couldn’t do in previous titles

Recent previews of Resident Evil Requiem have revealed more details about the highly anticipated title, which will be released on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27. One of the most notable is the use of the combat axe carried by a seasoned and exhausted Leon after decades of fighting against various bio-organic weapons. While in the reveal trailer the axe was presented as his favorite melee weapon, we now know that he will not only use it to take down his enemies at close range, but also as a tool to force open doors and cabinets.

In previous titles such as Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 4 Remake, Leon was forced to use key items such as keys with French playing card symbols or small keys. However, thanks to his “new friend,” he will no longer have to wander through gloomy corridors and expose himself to the dangerous bite of a zombie—or something worse—in search of the item needed to open dressers and cabinets. Instead, he will opt for a more direct approach, using his trusty axe to break down doors and get his hands on all kinds of loot.

On a narrative level, it serves to capture not only his veteran status, but also his more expeditious and methodical approach. His new combat moves also underscore that, unlike in Resident Evil 4 Remake or Resident Evil 6, Leon now relies not on elegance and surgical precision as he once did, but on brute force and excess to crush his enemies with great force. On the other side of the coin is Grace, who barely survives the horrors caused by the new viral infection.

Resident Evil Requiem: two different play styles and two different ways to survive the horror

The classic mechanic of collecting key items such as keys and similar objects has not been completely removed. Instead, this task has been transferred to Grace, the other protagonist, whose sections will be more traditional horror. This FBI analyst, kidnapped by the villain and tested against countless horrors, plays “by the rules” and uses lock picks to open drawers, which is not only a deliberate contrast to Leon, but also perfectly represents her fragile mental state due to the situation. In other words, she focuses on her next step to stay alive, rather than more obvious solutions such as picking locks with knives or other weapons.

Ultimately, and although it may seem like a minor detail, the fact that Leon can now go around smashing doors down has several implications. The first is, as we mentioned earlier, that it fits better with the current portrayal of the character. He is no longer a rookie or a scared cop, but a veteran agent who has saved the day on several occasions. Secondly, Leon’s sections are pure, unadulterated action, so making him search for key items as in the past would seriously affect the pace and the intended narrative. Thirdly and finally, it is Capcom’s tacit way of saying to fans, “Yes, you were right.”

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