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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Leon Kennedy may be one of Resident Evil’s most capable and entertaining leads, but that is not always an advantage in a horror game. If “better” means more vulnerable, personally grounded, or effective at making danger feel close, these seven protagonists make a strong case. This is an editorial ranking, not an objective verdict: Leon’s action-hero competence is a strength when the goal is high-energy survival action, while these characters stand out on other measures.
What makes a Resident Evil protagonist better than Leon?
The comparison depends on what a player wants from a lead. Leon’s training and composure make him an appealing action protagonist, but horror often works best when a character seems exposed to the threat. Personal stakes can also make a crisis feel immediate, while a distinctive perspective or character arc can give a game a different emotional texture.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition - PlayStation 5 | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5 | $15.19 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5 | $18.13 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 4 - PS5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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On that horror-first measure, Ethan Winters has the clearest case. GameSpot writer Hayes Madsen describes Ethan as an ordinary civilian driven by his relationships with Mia and Rose, rather than by a police or military role. PC Gamer writer Andy Kelly likewise argues that Ethan’s ordinary-person viewpoint heightens fear compared with Leon and Chris. These are critics’ assessments, not official rankings or measured consensus.
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1. Ethan Winters — Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village
Ethan is the strongest pick when the priority is vulnerability. In Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the first-person perspective keeps the player close to an ordinary person facing danger, rather than a seasoned agent who appears prepared for it. His search for Mia gives the crisis an intimate starting point, and his family ties remain central to his motivation in Resident Evil Village.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
Kelly captures the contrast in his PC Gamer retrospective: “Playing as a normal person makes it scarier too.” He adds, “You feel more vulnerable as Ethan than you ever did as the cocky, capable Leon Kennedy or the ludicrously muscled Chris Redfield.” That is a critic’s judgment about the games’ horror effect, but it explains why Ethan is the clearest answer to this title. Madsen’s GameSpot framing is similarly concise: “Sometimes, horror games don’t need an action hero; they just need a dude.”
Kelly’s retrospective on Resident Evil 7 and Madsen’s discussion of Ethan develop those arguments. Neither establishes a universal ranking; they support the narrower point that an everyman lead can make Resident Evil feel more frightening.
Rank #2
- FEAR COMES HOME -- Fear, combat, exploration, and item management: these are the four pillars of survival horror, a genre that has never been more masterfully executed than in the gameplay of Resident Evil. The horror continues in the ground-breaking Resident Evil 7. Step into the new Isolated View and experience true survival horror in a world created by the all-new RE Engine.
- DEEP IN THE BAYOU - When Ethan Winters opened his inbox, the last thing he expected was to find an email from his wife; she had been missing for three years. The message was simple: "Come get me," and an address in Louisiana. This leads Ethan to a decrepit mansion in the heart of the bayou. The place has a seriously creepy vibe, but Ethan continues his search – until a stranger attacks him and knocks him unconscious. Ethan has no idea what awaits him when he wakes up...for he is now in the clutches of the Baker family.
- A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- In RESIDENT EVIL 7, we're changing the way you interact with the world. For this next major entry in the series, play from a first-person point of view, dramatically increasing your ability to become fully absorbed in the world we have created.
- 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.
2. Jill Valentine — Resident Evil 3: Nemesis or Resident Evil 3 (2020)
Jill belongs in a horror-first conversation because her strongest comparison with Leon depends on which version of her story a player has in mind. The original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and the 2020 remake are distinct experiences, so a claim about her performance should name the game rather than treating the character as unchanged across releases. Her place here is an editorial choice: she offers a different survival-horror lead, not a claim that she is less capable than Leon in every respect.
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Claire is a useful counterpoint when the ranking values a civilian-scale perspective and protective motivation over professional-agent cool. As with Jill, specify the installment: the original Resident Evil 2 and its 2019 remake present different versions of the same broad premise. Claire’s inclusion is about the appeal of a grounded lead caught in a catastrophe, not an assertion that she is categorically more frightened or less competent than Leon.
Rank #3
- 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.
4. Rebecca Chambers — Resident Evil 0
Rebecca makes the list for a resourcefulness-centered case. Resident Evil 0 gives her a leading role in a survival scenario distinct from Leon’s best-known action-forward outings. That contrast can make her a more interesting choice for players who prefer problem-solving and vulnerability to an established action-hero persona. Her ranking here is a matter of taste, not a documented franchise consensus.
5. Billy Coen — Resident Evil 0
Billy is another lead from Resident Evil 0, making him a distinctive alternative if the standard is a protagonist tied to a specific survival scenario rather than a recurring series role. His one-game prominence gives the comparison a different shape from Leon’s return across multiple installments. That alone does not make him universally superior, but it can make his perspective more compelling to a player looking for a change of pace.
Rank #4
- CLASSIC RESIDENT EVIL GAMEPLAY -- Overcome chilling encounters in a relentless fight for survival that ratchets up the intensity through nail-biting exploration and gripping puzzle-solving.
- EXPLORE RACCOON CITY FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- Get even closer to the action with an over-the-shoulder camera and updated control scheme, drawing you into every bloodcurdling encounter.
- SURVIVE TOGETHER IN THE MULTIPLAYER MODE -- Bring up to four friends into the carnage with Resident Evil Resistance, a multiplayer survival horror experience included in the Resident Evil 3 package. Available as a PlayStation 4 title compatible on all PlayStation 5 devices. Includes code necessary for redemption, requires additional download not on disc.
- 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.
6. Sheva Alomar — Resident Evil 5
Sheva’s case rests on the partnership-centered structure of Resident Evil 5. A co-op format changes how a player experiences danger and teamwork, which can make her a more appealing lead for someone who values shared play over Leon’s solo-hero appeal. Co-op design is not proof of greater character quality; it is the specific way her game offers a different kind of protagonist experience.
7. Chris Redfield — Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Chris is the least obvious horror-first pick because his trained, highly capable presentation can reduce the sense of vulnerability that makes Ethan effective. He still earns a place under a different criterion: resilience and franchise impact. In Resident Evil 7, his presence offers a contrast to Ethan’s ordinary-person viewpoint. Choose Chris over Leon if you value a seasoned series figure and that connection more than the feeling of being outmatched; choose neither as the automatic winner if vulnerability is your main standard.
Best Value
- Reawaken a Classic – Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game, now reconstructed using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to deliver realistic visuals and additional narrative depth to the iconic story that was not possible at the time of the original release.
- Modernized Gameplay – The team from 2019’s Resident Evil 2 returns to build upon the series’ modern approach to survival horror. Engage in frenzied combat with the Ganados villagers, explore a European village gripped by madness, and solve puzzles to access new areas and collect useful items for Leon and Ashley’s constant struggle to survive.
- Overwhelming Hordes – Face hordes of rabid enemies that threaten to overwhelm Leon with even more diverse methods of attack than in the original release.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
How the ranking changes with your priorities
| If you value… | Strongest fit in this list | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vulnerability and intimate stakes | Ethan Winters | Critics specifically contrast his ordinary-person viewpoint with Leon’s greater competence. |
| A different survival-horror lead | Jill Valentine or Claire Redfield | Their games provide alternatives to Leon, though the comparison depends on the release and version. |
| A focused, distinct scenario | Rebecca Chambers or Billy Coen | Both are leads in Resident Evil 0, rather than recurring action-hero choices in this comparison. |
| Partnership-centered play | Sheva Alomar | Resident Evil 5 puts co-op partnership at the center of the experience. |
| Resilience and franchise presence | Chris Redfield | His experience and capability are strengths, even if they make him a less vulnerable horror lead. |
The clearest verdict is therefore conditional: Ethan is the strongest choice if “better” means more effective at making Resident Evil frightening. The other six offer alternate appeals, but their order is debatable and depends on the specific game, remake, or play style being compared. Leon remains a compelling lead when the desired experience is action-oriented survival horror rather than an everyman’s fear.
Quick Recap
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