Hardware FixRecommendedDevice not working? Your driver may be the problemCheck updates for common hardware issues.Fix DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PC×
Skip to content
VGSources
Blog

Should You Play Both Leon and Claire in Resident Evil 2?

Leon and Claire have related, character-focused campaigns in Resident Evil 2. Playing both adds another perspective and unlocks 2nd Run’s alternate events.
WorldResident Evil 2? Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Yes—if you enjoyed your first campaign, playing the other character is worthwhile. Leon and Claire have their own related stories, and finishing one character’s story unlocks an alternate 2nd Run. Think of it as another character’s perspective and a changed sequence of events, not a wholly separate game.

What do you get from the second campaign?

The 2019 remake gives Leon and Claire separate campaigns. Capcom producer Tsuyoshi Kanda explained that, unlike the 1998 game’s action-linked Zapping System, the remake gives them their own campaigns to present a comprehensive story. The campaigns are connected, but each focuses on what happened to its protagonist; Leon and Claire cross paths at points.

That means the other campaign adds character-specific story material rather than simply replaying the first character’s story from a different camera angle. Leon’s story is associated with Ada Wong, while Claire’s is associated with Sherry Birkin, as described in PlayStation’s launch article.

How does 2nd Run fit in?

After completing a character’s story, you unlock 2nd Run, which presents an alternate series of events. It is an additional variation on the campaign, not proof that every location, puzzle, weapon, boss, or ending is different. The official launch coverage describes the alternate events but does not provide a complete checklist of changes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5
  • TERRIFYING ZOMBIES WAITING AROUND EVERY CORNER -- Driven by insatiable hunger, these creatures act on instinct, gnashing their teeth, ripping at flesh, and devouring their victims. The new immersive camera lets you feel their fangs as they sink into your flesh.
  • RACCOON CITY, REBUILT IN INTRICATE DETAIL -- The characters, environments, and story have all been rebuilt from the ground up to create a terrifying world that feels both nostalgic and new.
  • NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.

The remake’s structure also differs from the original. In the 1998 game, the Zapping System let actions in one character’s campaign affect portions of the other’s. Capcom has described the remake instead as separate, related campaigns; Game Informer’s interview with the producers likewise characterizes them as related single-player stories.

Who should play both?

  • Play both if you want the other protagonist’s story and are happy to revisit familiar survival-horror exploration for additional character material.
  • Try the other campaign, then decide about 2nd Run if you are curious about the alternate sequence but do not want to commit to every variation.
  • Stop after one campaign if the first run already felt like enough. The second is an optional replay, not a requirement to understand that character’s completed story.

For a spoiler-light recommendation, start the other campaign before reading detailed route or ending comparisons. The available official descriptions establish the broad campaign structure, not a reliable room-by-room account of what changes.

Rank #2
Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4
  • Based on the release of 1998 but completely rebuilt for a deeper narrative experience
  • new over the shoulder camera mode and modernized control scheme
  • a more modern take on the survival horror experience
  • RE engine, Resident Evil 2 delivers breathtakingly photorealistic visuals in 4K
  • zombies are brought to life with a horrifyingly realistic wet gore Effect.zombies react in real time taking instant visible damage, making every bullet count.engage in frenzied combat with enemies, explore dark menacing corridors & solve puzzles.a terrifying constant fight for survival.enjoy separately playable campaigns for both Leon and Claire
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Bottom line

If the first run worked for you, play the other character: it brings a distinct protagonist-focused perspective, and completion opens 2nd Run’s alternate events. Just do not expect the remake to reproduce the original’s action-linked Zapping System or to make every part of a second playthrough entirely new.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4
Resident Evil 2 Remake PS4
Based on the release of 1998 but completely rebuilt for a deeper narrative experience; new over the shoulder camera mode and modernized control scheme
$23.49
SaleBestseller No. 3
Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - Nintendo Switch 2
Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - Nintendo Switch 2
Amazon Exclusive - 2 sided poster included in every game!
$49.99
Bestseller No. 5
Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL
Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL
UK PSN account may be required for any online features
$24.75
Best Value
Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS5 - UK PAL
  • UK PSN account may be required for any online features
Rank #4
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition
  • Survival horror returns - A brand new tale in the Resident Evil Revelations saga comes to current and next generation gaming consoles
  • Clare Redfield and Moira Burton star - Fan favorite Claire returns to the horrors that haunted her in the past alongside Moira Burton, daughter of Resident Evil legend Barry Burton.
  • Evil is watching - Set in what appears to be an abandoned detention facility on a remote island, the horror awaits players around every dark corner. Will there be a way to escape?
  • A brand new type of enemy - Not as mindless as zombies, the scary design of the 'Afflicted' means they are able to move quickly and attack the player with basic weapons, making them a genuine threat to players' survival.
  • Assistive co-op play - Players will need to switch between the two characters to overcome the nightmares in either single player mode with an AI partner or offline co-op. Utilize Moira's torch to temporarily blind the enemy before Claire takes them out!
Rank #3
Sale
Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - Nintendo Switch 2
  • Amazon Exclusive - 2 sided poster included in every game!
  • Grace Ashcroft, an FBI intelligence analyst who is introverted and easily scared, representing a new type of character for the Resident Evil series. Grace will experience horror from the same perspective as the player as she learns to overcome her fears throughout the course of the story.
  • For the first time ever in Resident Evil history, players will be able to freely switch between both first- and third-person perspectives throughout the game.
  • An Anniversary to Remember: With March 2026 marking the Resident Evil series’ 30-year anniversary, Resident Evil Requiem marks its own milestone in the franchise.
  • Pre-orders for Resident Evil Requiem are now open, with the bonus of Grace’s costume: Apocalypse. Please note that the picture weapon does not come with the costume, but it can be obtained in-game.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More quests from Patch Notes

  1. How to Turn On Vibrant Visuals in MinecraftMinecraftBlog3min
  2. Best Multiplayer Games for Low-End PCsBlog4min
  3. Minecraft: How To Use And Install OptiFineBlog5min
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.