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Watering neat rows of crops, collecting fresh eggs from the coop, heading into town to greet neighbors before spending the afternoon fishing —these are only some of the quiet, predictable tasks that define the average Stardew Valley playthrough.
Now imagine the farmer behind that peaceful existence isn’t just a newcomer looking for a fresh start but instead a retired Leon S. Kennedy, who sees himself swapping bioweapon outbreaks and life-threatening missions for a well-earned life of peace on a humble farm, forging vegetables and inviting friends over for some BBQ.
As ridiculous as it sounds, that’s exactly the kind of game Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya (perhaps jokingly) pitched and has since become a concept fans are falling in love with.
Replying to a post Kamiya made congratulating the series on its 30th anniversary, a fan expressed their hopes for the director to return to the franchise saying, “I know you’re not good with scary things, but someday, I hope you’ll weave the story of Leon and Claire again…”
In a response translated from Japanese, Kamiya shared a detailed vision for what that kind of sequel could look like. While Claire isn’t mentioned in the pitch, Kamiya imagined a cozy, slice-of-life adventure starring Leon, describing the DSO agent’s daily routine as one where he “goes fishing in the countryside, forages for wild veggies, bakes bread, walks the dog, tends a home garden, drives 50 km to the general store for supplies, invites old buddies over for a barbecue, fixes the neighbor grandma’s oven at her request, sells homemade lemonade at the local festival.”
The idea of stripping the horror out of a Resident Evil game sounds absurd at first, considering it’s one of—if not the—most iconic horror franchises in gaming. However, it becomes less surprising when one remembers Kamiya’s well-documented dislike of the genre.
In a clip shared by CLOVERS Inc. on X, he even suggested Capcom add a “non-scary mode” to Resident Evil Requiem, saying, “I’ve been saying for forever they should make a ‘non-scary’ mode.” When told it would “completely defeat the concept of the game,” he doubled down: “Look, I just want to enjoy the puzzles. The puzzles and the combat. I don’t need the scary stuff.
What would be surprising, and arguably more amusing than Kamiya’s ironic horror-phobia, would be seeing fan-favorite character Leon Kennedy in such a calm, peaceful environment.
Since his debut in 1998’s Resident Evil 2, Leon has endured enough to make one wonder how he isn’t completely bald from stress (though his perfectly blond balayage side part is pretty suspicious).
By the franchise’s latest installment, Requiem, the former Raccoon City cop-turned-bioweapon slayer is roughly 51 years old and has somehow survived decades of gunfire, stabbings, infections, explosions, car crashes, and more than a few moments of being tossed around like a rag doll.
With that kind of resume, it’s no surprise that the idea of Leon finally living an easy, quiet life feels both completely implausible and oddly compelling. Fans seem to agree with the latter thought, expressing their enthusiasm for the concept in replies to Kamiya’s pitch post.
Alongside a tearfully happy emoji, one user wrote, “I’m crying. This looks so peaceful for Leon, it’s the perfect life. The one he’s dreamed of for the rest of his life.” Another even imagined a potential gameplay moment, saying they “really want to see Uncle Leon grumbling ‘it’s so heartbreaking’ while staring at his charred meat after failing the BBQ QTE [Quick Time Event] and not grilling it right.”
Kamiya even teased Capcom about the idea directly, suggesting that the level of fan interest might be a sign the studio should seriously consider bringing it to life, saying, Capcom, there are a lot of voices out there saying they want something like a Biohazard that’s not scary, so if you have some free time, please consider making it… I want to play it too…”
Whether or not the spinoff ever moves beyond wishful thinking is highly unlikely, considering Capcom’s current plans, but it’s hard to deny the appeal of the concept. After so much chaos, grief, and near-death experiences, the idea of Leon Kennedy finally getting to enjoy an untroubled countryside life feels almost as satisfying as any boss fight victory, if not more so.
It’s the kind of simple, lighthearted take on Resident Evil that would find an audience not only among long-time Leon fans but also among those who are interested in seeing series with a little less horror, potentially giving Capcom an even broader audience if truly considered.
The post Hideki Kamiya Pitches Every Resident Evil Fan’s Dream Spinoff appeared first on Den of Geek.
