Leon S. Kennedy, one of the most iconic characters in the "Resident Evil" game series, seems to be not included in the newest game, much to the fans' chagrin.
According to Game Spot, Matt Mercer, the voice actor of Leon, said that he received no word about reprising his role as the character for "Resident Evil 7," and this is due to the fact that Capcom seems to be cutting corners in terms of making character appearances. He even went so far as to say that he currently has no direct involvement with the upcoming game, and he said that this is for the better.
After all, he added that "Resident Evil" should be re-established as its own beast, especially due to the fact that the game's sixth installment has received a mixed reception at best. As such, with the game's roots being re-imagined, it will be possible for them to start a new story and move on instead. He still waits for Capcom's call though, should they get him again to reprise his role as Leon at a later game.
Mercer has some sentimental ties with the character, saying that he has strong appreciation for him. He says he loves the character when he played the series and that being able to give him voice was a big honor for him. As such, if he is able to once again become Leon Kennedy, he will surely jump on that chance without second thought.
The exclusion of Leon does not seem to be surprising, as noted by Game Rant. The sequel certainly has a different atmosphere compared to the last games, with a gameplay never seen before: a first person viewpoint as well as the lack of quicktime events. With that being said, the game has received a lot of interest and hopefully players will receive a more concrete idea of what they could expect soon.
