Resident Evil Requiem: Confirmed Characters And Rumored Returnees Explained

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Raccoon City isn’t a real place anymore. It was completely destroyed, reduced to ashes and ruins. While authorities tried to wipe it off the map with a massive operation, it didn’t work. The deadly T-virus continued to spread. Now, thirty years later, the city’s destruction is seen as a turning point by those who survived, forever changing the course of their lives.

The emotional impact of Raccoon City’s fate became a recurring theme in every subsequent Resident Evil game. Even for the survivors you battle alongside, the city wasn’t truly destroyed – it just transformed, appearing in terrifying legends, eerie swamps, and the tense, quiet moments between fighting zombies. It haunted the background, a constant presence even as players fought to survive.

When discussing the characters in Resident Evil Requiem, it’s essential to begin with Raccoon City. Though destroyed, its impact continues to resonate throughout the story. The ruins still smolder, and for the game’s new protagonist, FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, this isn’t just a historical site – it’s a source of inherited trauma. Unlike Leon Kennedy, a returning character with a long history in the Resident Evil universe, Grace is inexperienced and navigates the dangers without the benefit of the knowledge and resilience that Leon, Claire, Jill, Chris, and other survivors possess.

As a long-time Resident Evil fan, I’m really excited about this new story! I’m playing as Grace, and I’m diving into a seriously messed-up world fueled by people’s nightmares. The cool part? We finally get to learn a lot more about Grace’s mom, Alyssa, who hasn’t had a big role since the Outbreak days back in 2003. This game, Requiem, finally reveals why someone wanted Alyssa gone. It turns out she was getting too close to something Dr. Victor Gideon was hiding – some shady experiments with a new virus called “Elpis.” He used to work for Umbrella, so you know it’s bad. Now, eight years later, people are dying again, and I, as Grace, am pulled into the mystery. It quickly becomes clear Gideon is trying to unleash this new virus, and I’m right in the middle of it!

Next, we’ll take a detailed look at the characters confirmed to be in Resident Evil Requiem, and also discuss a few others who seem likely to appear. We won’t just be giving you their backgrounds – we’ll explore how each character impacts the story and adds emotional depth to the latest Resident Evil game.

I’m really fascinated by Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem. Unlike a lot of the characters we’ve seen before, she doesn’t come in as this hardened survivor. She’s young and still dealing with a lot of grief and unanswered questions, and she’s also carrying the weight of her mother’s past, even though she didn’t ask for it. It’s like she’s walking through a story already written by others – her own ‘requiem,’ if you will. What I find so interesting as a player is that she’s not super skilled or powerful; she’s actually quite vulnerable. She’s capable, sure, but the world of Resident Evil really affects her, instead of her just being able to handle anything. It’s a total flip from some of the more recent games, and honestly, it brings back that really tense, scary feeling of the early Resident Evil titles, moving away from the over-the-top action of Village.

During gameplay, Grace sometimes gets frightened by even her own shadow. The developers designed her to be easily spooked, hoping players will feel her fear and connect with her on a deeper level than with other characters in the Resident Evil series. While trailers show she’ll find guns during the game, she isn’t a trained marksman despite being an FBI agent. Therefore, her fearful reactions in the Gamescom demo likely represent how she’ll respond to danger throughout the entire game.

Even if Grace becomes comfortable in her role, you’ll also be leading a more experienced and capable character from the start. The long-rumored news is now official: Leon S. Kennedy is the second playable character in Requiem. He’s changed from the hopeful young man he once was; now, Leon is a battle-hardened veteran haunted by the destruction of Raccoon City. Unlike Grace, whose trauma is something she’s inherited, Leon’s trauma is earned and has shaped him, influencing his instincts, confidence, and determination.

Leon’s appearance in Requiem isn’t just a nod to fans or a way to add exciting action – it represents the history of Resident Evil. The game is a tribute to the series’ thirty years, and Leon embodies what it meant to survive the Raccoon City disaster: skill, courage, and a heroic spirit, even if he wasn’t always eager to be a hero.

Okay, so I’m seeing a lot of chatter about Leon returning to Raccoon City, and honestly, he looks beat. People are starting to think he’s infected with something – some are even pointing to a wound on his neck. I’m not trying to spoil the story or anything, but the big theory going around is that Grace’s blood is the key to controlling those super-strong zombies. That explains why Gideon’s after her, and now it seems Leon’s involved too, maybe because he is infected. Apparently, her blood might even be a cure, which makes everything even more complicated!

Gideon, though aiming for control like other Resident Evil villains, feels different. He’s not your typical evil mastermind. His approach is cold, scientific, and he sees everything as a trade. He exploits Grace’s past pain and views her body simply as something to be used.

What’s truly disturbing about him isn’t any dramatic flair; it’s his complete lack of emotion. He doesn’t seem affected by the destruction of Raccoon City, almost as if the initial outbreak was simply a test to him. He’s been improving his methods ever since, and casually cleaning up after Alyssa is just another example of how cold and calculating he is.

I’m really curious about Alyssa’s role in the new game! It seems like we’ll see her through flashbacks, probably at the Wrenwood Hotel, showing what happened before Dr. Victor… well, you know. (I’m still trying to figure out if that hooded figure was Gideon!) We already know from an article she wrote in Resident Evil 7 that she was still investigating things back in 2017. She’s been trying to understand how these monsters even exist since way back in RE Outbreak, and honestly, I think she’s going to be a really important part of the story in Requiem. She feels like she’ll really drive the narrative forward.

Nathan Dempsey is a confirmed character – he’s the FBI’s Special Agent in Charge and the one who recruits Grace to investigate a series of deaths, following in her mother’s footsteps. There’s a suspicion that Nathan may be involved in something sinister. When Grace meets Gideon, he hints that he arranged for her to be there, and suggests Nathan helped him do it.

Fans are anticipating the return of Sherry Birkin, a character who first appeared as a child in the original Resident Evil 2 and was last seen in Resident Evil 6. While not officially confirmed, glimpses of someone resembling her have appeared in trailers for the upcoming Requiem. Given that she now works for the same organization as Leon, many believe the voice offering support over the radio is likely Sherry, and it would logically fit with her now overseeing and helping Leon with his mission.

With Sherry Birkin potentially returning, fans are naturally wondering about Claire Redfield. Claire played a key role in saving Sherry in Resident Evil 2, and the two, along with Leon Kennedy, developed a close relationship in later games. However, there doesn’t seem to be a compelling story reason to bring Claire back, beyond simply appealing to fans’ memories. The developers appear hesitant to rely on nostalgia, and are instead focusing on honoring the series’ history in a more substantial way, rather than just bringing back familiar faces for the sake of it.

Because of this, it’s probably not going to feature characters like Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield. However, the developers have said we can expect to see more survivors from Raccoon City appear in Requiem. With Alyssa playing a central role, this suggests we might see characters return from Resident Evil Outbreak. Yoko Suzuki fits this possibility well, as she canonically escaped Raccoon City with Alyssa and later provided testimony that helped bring down Umbrella.

Fans are also wondering about Ada Wong, the mysterious spy who often crosses paths with Leon. Her story ended somewhat unresolved in Resident Evil 6, leaving the possibility for her return. While the developers hint at surprise appearances, they advise against expecting too much.

I often wonder about the characters featured in the official 30th anniversary celebration – Leon, Grace, Ada, Jill, Claire, and Chris Redfield. It makes me think about possibilities for future games, but it’s probably unrealistic to expect such a large cast again, like we saw in Resident Evil 6.

The characters confirmed for Resident Evil Requiem, and even those potentially returning, aren’t simply cameos for fans. While they honor the series’ history, the story seems to be emphasizing that the Raccoon City Incident was a disaster caused by people. The fear didn’t stay contained to the city; it spread, and now its consequences are coming full circle.

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2026-01-14 16:14