The Resident Evil 2 Claire or Leon decision hits you as soon as you boot up the game. Before you experience even a drop of gameplay, you must first answer the question: “Which character should I play first?” If you’re unfamiliar with the original, this choice may seem tricky, as you get very little information about the characters, with only their name and a short description to go off. Hell, you can’t even see their faces in the initial Scenario Select screen! So, you searching for a guide on the best character to choose is understandable, and we’re here to give you the knowledge you need to choose correctly. Here’s what you need to know about the two initial Resident Evil 2 remake protagonists.
Which character should you choose in Resident Evil 2 remake? Claire or Leon?
Let’s jump right into the big Resident Evil 2 Claire or Leon choice. You can only be one, and you’ll be stuck with them for a good chunk of hours, so you want to be sure. Fortunately, if you’ve already made this choice or you’re hoping to be a particular character without burdening yourself with a poorer experience, both Claire and Leon experience very similar story beats and encounters. The enemies you come up against, and the puzzles you attempt to solve, will largely be the same.
In our eyes, both characters offer a top-tier survival horror experience, which means that a big part of the decision comes down to personal preference. If you’ve played other games in the series, you may already be familiar with the Redfield name and/or Leon. Perhaps you played as Leon in Resident Evil 4 and have a soft spot for him? Or maybe you know Chris Redfield and want to play as his sister?
If you’re coming to the franchise completely fresh, then the choice ultimately becomes “male or female,” or basing your choice on the provided descriptions.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter all that much, as you’ll play as both Claire and Leon during the campaign’s 1st and 2nd runs, eventually catching up on the majority of what you missed.
What differences are there between Claire and Leon in Resident Evil 2 remake?
The biggest differences between Claire and Leon in Resident Evil 2 are the weapons available to them, and the other characters that they meet. Again, you’ll ultimately experience all of this while playing through the 1st and 2nd runs of the game, so don’t fret if you feel that you’re going to miss out.
Claire gets a grenade launcher and some additional exclusive weapons and attachments, while Leon grabs a shotgun and some of his own gun enhancements. Both of these main weapons have their own strengths and weaknesses. Needless to say, the grenade launcher and shotgun can be devastating against the common zombie enemy, while also doing significant damage against the tougher enemies.
As for the additional characters, Claire meets up with a young girl called Sherry, and Leon encounters Ada Wong. Both of these supporting characters have their own playable sections, so you’ll get to play as either Sherry or Ada.
Other differences include how and when certain boss characters make their appearances, the type of keys that can be acquired, and several rooms and paths that are exclusive to either character.
Top 10 Most Gruesome Resident Evil Villains
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Top 10 Most Gruesome Resident Evil Villains
Whether you're playing as Jill Valentine or the esteemed Leon S. Kennedy, the Resident Evil series always has unique foes to throw your way. Here is a quick summary of what you can expect as you work your way through the many mansions and labs of Umbrella Corps. (Some spoilers ahead!) -
Alexia Ashford
A clone of a British noblewoman, Alexia injects herself with a strain of T-Virus while in cryosleep. The resulting monster is a blue-skinned boss that takes gunfire like a champ and spews fire. Only something as powerful as the Linear Launcher is able to take her down after a few mutations. -
Dr. Salvador
Commonly referred to as the Chainsaw Man, the good doctor relentlessly chases Leon Kennedy through the streets of Spain in Resident Evil 4. Leon has to be quick on his feet and fast on the trigger to avoid decapitation. Just don't use a pistol, he can absorb those shots with ease. -
Jack Krauser
Jack Krauser is an experienced military man who takes mercenary work on the side. This puts him into a partnership with Leon Kennedy as they take on the bioweapons in Resident Evil 4's Spain. Eventually, Jack succumbs to the virus, growing a nasty arm blade, and a violent temper. -
Lisa Trevor
A mutated hunchback from the original Resident Evil, Lisa spent years undergoing Umbrella experiments. She drapes herself in the flesh of her victims, namely anyone unfortunate enough to be wandering the halls of the mansion. Distinctive features include uncanny eyeballs and a propensity for lunging at anything that moves. -
Mimicry Marcus
A walking, grunting bomb of leeches, you don't want to get in close quarters with a Mimicry Marcus. Taking the form of James Marcus, it can stretch out its limbs for a whip attack or wrap them around you and start strangling. As it dies, it explodes into smaller enemies for you to take on. -
Nemesis
There's a reason that Resident Evil 3 is subtitled Nemesis. This trenchcoat wearing creature hunts players all throughout the third entry in the series. Its unique visage and signature style made it popular. Nemesis eventually appeared with its rocket launcher as a playable character in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. -
Neptune
Neptune may not be the biggest or the baddest Umbrella creation you'll face in RE, but he is a zombified shark. Any mad scientist creating abominations would at least consider creating shark monsters. So, of course, we have a whole breed of Neptunes swimming around. Watch out for the teeth. -
Ramon Salazar
Ramon's distinctive look may cause some confusion. Despite his small stature and grey hair, he's just 20 years old at the time of Resident Evil 4. Setting off the events of the game by kidnapping the President's daughter, he's flanked at all times by a pair of imposing bodyguards. -
Tyrant
The mass produced versions of the species of monster that also brought us Nemesis, these Tyrants served under Alfred Ashford during Code Veronica. While they're a little easier to take down, you'd probably rather be fighting run of the mill monsters. Thankfully, they haven't spread to the rest of the series. Yet. -
William Birkin
A child prodigy and head researcher at Umbrella, William turns against his employer when he's looked over for a promotion. One game of plot later, he's a hulking monster with an eyeball shoulder pad and several forms to fight. Thus is the cycle of Resident Evil big bads.
