Leon in Resident Evil Requiem Raises the Bar for Future Parry Mechanics in All Games

Resident Evil Requiem brings the best of both worlds to series fans. Horror lovers get to experience plenty of tense scares as Grace, and fans who are more into Resident Evil‘s action-focused moments get tons of this with Leon. Resident Evil Requiem is a top-tier franchise entry in many ways, and it sets a high bar for the series’ future. It also sets a new standard for the action genre in general, though.

Between Grace and Leon, Resident Evil Requiem‘s characters showcase that horror and action can truly work in harmony together. The action-heavy moments really need to be the blueprint for future action games. Leon is a powerhouse, and his physical prowess goes far beyond his roundhouse kicks and his affinity for chainsaws. In Requiem, Leon uses a hatchet that is practically blessed by the gods. No object is too ridiculous to parry, and it needs to be the new standard for future action heroes.

Spoilers ahead for Resident Evil Requiem.

If I Can’t Parry a Rocket Like Leon Does in Resident Evil Requiem, Then I Don’t Want Any Part of It

Yes, Leon can parry rockets. He can parry oncoming crowds of zombies. Cars, bullets, and Mr. X’s giant mutated arms are not off limits, either, if perhaps a little to the imagination in some scenarios. It truly seems like nothing really is. Leon’s hatchet is a baseball bat, and everything else is simply a ball just waiting to get whacked. It’s not only hilarious, it’s awesome. Leon’s parry skills make him feel practically unstoppable when you fully get the mechanic down. It’s essentially Requiem‘s very own version of Chris Redfield punching a boulder in Resident Evil 5.

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Look, I know that not every action game can embrace something as overpowered as Leon’s parries, but it’s pretty fun trying to imagine other games that allow for the same power fantasy. What makes it so amusing is that Leon is just an ordinary guy. Yeah, he’s a super well-trained agent, but he’s still a mere human. It’s like if Ellie from The Last of Us could drop-kick Bloaters or take down The Last of Us Part 2‘s Rat King with her little pocket knife. What Leon is able to accomplish with a simple hatchet is ludicrous. Frankly, I really want to know which company in the Resident Evil universe makes that hatchet because I would buy one in a heartbeat. The thing acts like it’s made out of adamantium or something.

Examples of Leon’s Superhuman Parrying Abilities

Beating Dr. Victor Gideon in Resident Evil Requiem isn’t a walk in the park, but it’s a lot simpler if you just parry a rocket flying at Leon’s face. Resident Evil Requiem‘s boss fights feel less intimidating when you realize that not even high-powered projectiles are impervious to Leon and his trusted hatchet. Dr. Victor Gideon has clearly been juiced up with T-Virus over the years, but he probably never accounted for the power of Leon wielding a small melee weapon.

Not even bullets are a match for Leon’s hatchet. When Leon is down in the ARK facility, he has to take on a lot of Connections soldiers. It’s a pretty tough section of the game, but there have already been plenty of hilarious clips showing Leon parrying bullets like it’s no problem. Doing a suplex in Resident Evil 4 seemed like the most over-the-top Capcom could go with Leon’s combat skills, but that clearly isn’t the case.

This and being able to parry Dr. Victor Gideon’s missile are probably tied for the most insane objects Leon can deflect. A normal car coming towards Leon would be wild enough, but a car being thrown by Mr. X just brings the ridiculousness to even crazier levels. Mr. X returning in Resident Evil Requiem is one of the coolest reveals in the game, and Leon has almost three decades of experience under his belt now to help take down the Tyrant. All those years of experience apparently included intensive hatchet training, and it shows. At one time, Mr. X was one of the most terrifying foes that Leon had ever faced. Now, his throws and attacks are merely batting practice.

On a Serious Note, Resident Evil Requiem Knows How to Show Players a Really Fun Time

One moment you’re cowering down the hallways as Grace who is really struggling with her sky-high stress levels, and the next, Leon is using his hatchet to casually sidestep an explosive. Leon Kennedy’s life has brought him a long way since his humble days as the Raccoon City Police Department’s bright-eyed and optimistic rookie. The overpowered nature of the parry mechanic may be goofy, but it’s a really fun way to break the tension. Resident Evil Requiem is downright horrifying at times, and these outlandish action-movie-inspired moments offer a much-needed break. Of course, these breaks only happen for players who have really nailed down the parry mechanics, but that’s just even more reason to practice these controls.

Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi just recently confirmed that DLC is already being developed. A release window hasn’t been revealed yet, though.

The Resident Evil franchise is a really strange series. It can have some really emotional moments and offer compelling commentary on unchecked corporations and paramilitary groups, but there are also Chris Redfield’s boulder punching and Leon’s hatchet skills and suplex-inflicting scenes just a few minutes later. It’s truly one of the main reasons why I grew to love Resident Evil so much in the first place. Yes, there are plenty of fun zombie games out there. Resident Evil‘s really weird blend of goofy action sequences and incredibly well-done horror and slight social commentary is something that hasn’t been replicated by another franchise, though.

Leon’s hatchet is definitely overpowered when it’s used correctly, and I hope it stays that way. Every Resident Evil game has its own special quirks, and the hatchet parrying is clearly going to be Requiem‘s. Plenty of fans have already beat Resident Evil Requiem, but trying to perfect Leon’s hatchet parries is a great excuse to dive back in for another playthrough.