Hꦫaving multiple playable characters was something of a selling point for the original Resident Evil even if the diffꩵerences between the two aren’t too, too much at the end of the day. That said, it was enough to encourage plenty of replay value. Natꦓurally, Resident Evil 2 doubled down on this ಞby featuring even more differences between iꦕts two leads.
Unlike Jill and Chris who primarily differed when it came to the👍ir stats, Leon and Claire differ in just about every area. From gameplay to story, Leon and Claire are wildly different characters. While the remake does unify the overarching narrative for better or worse, there’s still plenty𒆙 to distinguish between Leon & Claire between the original and the remake.
10 Leon: Better Story Presence
Although Leon and Claireꦓ are co-protagonists (with Claire even arguably the “real” main character of the original game), the latter lacks story presence. As a complete stranger to Raccoon City, she feels far too disconnected. Granted, Leon is disconnected too, but he has a more meaningful connection to what’s going on, being an eager rookie cop and all.
In general, Leon’s role in the story is meatier than Claire’s is. She ends up interacting with the main ant🔥agonists more (of which Leon only meets three of four), but Leon’s role in the plot makes more sense and is just more natural from ꦗan audience perspective. Leon is the clear point of view character in the remake.
9 Claire: Faster
While Leon and Claire don’t have stat differences in the same way Chris and Jill did in the first game, there are some subtle speed differences in the remake. Specifically, when Claire’s health is in the “Caution” status, she’ll actually run faster than her default speed. On top of this, Cla💜ire is already naturally faster than Leon.
Not just that, she controls a bit more fluidly, turning with more ease than Leon. In general, she’s a “smoother” character to play as. That said, it’s not like Leon is stiff. Claire just happens to be a bit faster and a bit more flexible. She’s better in that capacity, but it truly does n📖ot matter by the time💧 the credits roll.
8 Leon: The Shotgun
Getting to the end of the credits is a different story entirely and while the original game💟 is a bit on the easy side, the remake is much, much harder. To the point where the two games cannot be pl൲ayed similarly at all. Even attempting to kill every zombie in the remake will result in players running out of ammo. Fast🍷.
Thankfully, Leon has a very reliable solution: the shotgun. By firing the shotgun at a zombie’s head at point-blank range, players can essentially guarantee decapitation in a sin𒁃gle shot. Claire doesn’t have a shotgun, however, so this very convenient method of downing enemies is only available for Leon (and Hunk).
7 Claire: Claire’s Relationship With Marvin
The remake does good by just about every cha𒐪racter in Resident Evil 2, but Marvin sees a considerable upgrade. He becomes a proper three-dimensional character ꦡin the remake, having distinctly different relationships with both Leon and Claire. With the latter, Marvin is patient, kinder, and sweeter. He acts like a cop who cares, gen🅘uinely looking out for Claire.
There’s something truly sad about Claire needing to leave Marvin behind. Even without knowing her, Marvin doe🌄s everything he can to keep Claire alive and get her to safety. It hits hard coming back into the R.P.D. only to see Marvin turned. He deserved better than he got.
6 Leon: Leon’s Relationship With Marvin
Interestingly, while the main events play out the same– with Leon needing to leave Marvin behind for dead– Marvin is 🐻a bit brasher with Leon. To be fair, Leon is far more naive than Claire is, but it’s noticeable. It likely has to do with Marvin pulling authority on Leon considering the latter is technically a rookie cop (on his “first day” at that).
Marꦯvin is much sterner, basically yelling at Leon to get to safety instead of being patient with him like he was with Claire. Their dynamic is different, though. Marvin isn’t just a cop helping a civilian with Leon. They’re two cops working together so one can survive. Leon’s stubborn, though, so Marvin has to yell some sense into him.
5 Claire: The Grenade Launcher
Leon might get the ever-practical Shotgun, but Claire gets the insanely cool Grenade Launcher. Capable of firing both Fire and Acid Rounds, the G🍸renade Launcher can decimate almost anything in its path with little to no effort. Of course, this requires having the ammo to do so (and it’s scarce) but it’s not unreasonable to make extensive use of the Grenade Launcher.
Worth noting, the Grenade Launcher allows Claire to have a much easier time with both the Ivies and G3. Fire Rounds burn the Ivies to a nice, burnt crisp while Acid Rounds actually stunlock G3. With around 30 or so, players can throttle the boss wit𝄹hout taking any damage. The Grenade Launcher is also a great weapon aga🔴inst Lickers (though there’s rarely ever a reason to kill one).
4 Leon: Better Character Arc
Both Leon and Claire are very likable characters, but it’s hard to igno🎃re how in the background Claire’s arc is. She certainly changes over the course of the outbreak, but she doesn’t develop like Leon does. Rather, Claire’s character arc is more about showing off her ideal through her devotion to Sherry. It’s good character writing, but Leon still has the better arc.
The outbreak fundamentally changes him. Through gameplay, he very gradually develops a sense of humor, chipping away at his fear. At the same time, Leon feels very real fear and has his ideals questioned in a way Claire doesn’t. At the end of the game, he has to choose between Ada and what he believes is right. It’s minor cha👍racter work, but it pays off.
3 Claire: The Orphanage
Although Leon and Claire are Resident Evil 2’s resident two leads, Ada Wong and 🧔Sherry Birkin are both playable at certain points during each character’s respective playthrough– in both the original and the remake. Where Ada goes through the Sewers in the remake, Sherry’s section is instead changed to an incredible orphanage s🔯et piece.
Stealth horror at its core, this orphanage section is exclusive to Claire’s playthrough and is genuinely one of the 🥀scariest sequences in the entire franchise. Not just that, it’s pure quality game design from start to finish. The orphanage is proof of a very, very competent Capcom at the moment.
2 Leon: Deeper Connection To Mr. X
Resident Evil 2’s personal tormentor, Mr. X, chases after the G-Virus sample Sherry has in the B scenario for the original game and is a constant preꩲsence throughout the entire remake. Worth noting, however, is that Claire stops dealin🔜g with Mr. X around the halfway point regardless of which scenario players are on.
Leon has to deal with Mr. X from start to finish. Quite literally considering Mr. X serves as Leon’s final boss in his A sc🔯enario. Mr. X’s presence in Leon’s plot just makes having to deal with him all the more meaningful. Claire, unfortunately, doesn’t have that❀ same connection.
1 Claire: Deeper Connection To The Birkins
Although Leon may have 𒆙a deeper connection to Mr. X, the Tyrant isn’t the game’s main villain. That honor instead belongs to Willia🐭m Birkin himself. Claire’s story features ꧑the Birkins at the front and center of her plot, with Claire’s partner being Sherry Birkin and Claire just interacting with Annette more often (and more meaningfully.)
This makes the final boss and subsequ𝓀ent end of the game much more meaningful when playing as Claire. While Leon has his exclusiveಞ Mr. X fight (which serves as a great send off for his first scenario,) William will always be the final boss and will always have a better connection to Claire by default.