Author note: Written by Jachin, a 23-year Resident Evil series fan based in Seoul, South Korea. This guide is based on 6 full RE9 playthroughs on PS5 and Steam (Casual → Insanity → NG+ Insanity completions). All strategies, timings, and locations have been personally tested across the v1.02 patch. AI tools were used only for grammar review and note organization; no AI-generated content appears in strategy analysis.
Verified on: v1.02 + DLC patch · Last reviewed: May 30, 2026 · About the author · Editorial policies
Resident Evil Requiem features two playable protagonists with completely different gameplay styles. This complete comparison covers every ability, weapon access, exclusive feature, and tactical difference between Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy.
Grace's signature mechanic is the Blood Collector, a device that harvests Infected Blood from enemies. Combined with Scrap, this enables crafting:
Recipes unlock by analyzing Blood Specimens at the Blood Lab. Solve Specimen 1 (Denatured) ASAP — it unlocks Hemolytic Injectors which trivialize the Chef and Chunk fights.
Only Grace can interact with the 5 locked safes. If you encounter a safe as Leon, you cannot open it — switch back to Grace's section in the story.
Grace's chapters emphasize avoidance. Many encounters are designed around sneaking past enemies rather than fighting. Use the Hemolytic Injector for silent stealth kills from behind.
Leon visits Supply Boxes across Raccoon City and the ARK to spend Credits on weapon upgrades:
When an enemy is staggered (low HP or post-parry), Leon can perform a Hatchet finisher — an instant-kill execution. Three finishers unlock the "Chop Chop" trophy.
Leon has access to weapons Grace cannot use:
| Stat | Grace | Leon |
|---|---|---|
| Health pool | Standard | Standard |
| Movement speed | Slightly faster | Standard |
| Inventory size | Smaller | Larger |
| Weapon variety | 5 weapons | 13 weapons |
| Weapon upgrades | None | 3 tiers |
| Crafting | Blood + Scrap | Standard ammo only |
| Safe access | ✓ Exclusive | ✗ |
| Hatchet finisher | ✗ | ✓ Exclusive |
| Stealth options | Hemolytic Injector kills | Silencer 9 only |
| Best at | Survival, exploration | Boss fights, combat |
You don't choose which character to play — the story switches automatically based on chapter progression:
Neither — they're complementary halves of the same game. Capcom designed the campaign so Grace's setup work (safe codes, blood crafting, exploration) directly benefits Leon's combat sections. A player who hoards Hemolytic Injectors as Grace will struggle once Leon takes over.
If you must pick a favorite for replay value:
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