Resident Evil Requiem Gets Roguelike 'Leon Must Die Forever' Mode Instead of Expected Mercenaries

Capcom has surprised Resident Evil Requiem players with a new roguelike minigame starring Leon S. Kennedy, ditching the fan-anticipated Mercenaries mode for a fresh challenge. The mode, titled 'Leon Must Die Forever,' quietly launched overnight, with players noticing an update for Requiem first hitting PC and PlayStation.

Leon Must Die Forever is a roguelike experience featuring familiar enemies and environments, along with randomized weapons and special abilities. Your goal is to reach Victor, the game's final boss. Levels follow a rough chronological order, starting in Wrenwood's main street, then moving to the Care Center and Raccoon City. Enemies get tougher as you progress, but you can complete challenges to earn credits for better gear. Death is permanent, though multiple difficulty levels are available.

"Grace made it home safely, but Leon still has work to do," Capcom's description reads. "Use his enhanced abilities to complete this minigame as fast as possible."

As Capcom previously stated, the mode is only accessible after completing Requiem's main campaign (which most fans have likely done by now). Once you've finished the campaign and updated the game, Leon Must Die Forever will appear on the main menu.

Capcom kept the mode under wraps, leading many to expect a new version of the popular Mercenaries mode, where players control different characters to take on waves of enemies. Unfortunately, that's not the case, and there's no indication Requiem will get a Mercenaries mode anytime soon.

But Capcom isn't done with Requiem. A major story add-on is in development, though still a ways off. Fans hope this new chapter will feature more characters from the Resident Evil universe, like Ada Wong and Chris Redfield, and answer the mystery of Leon's new piece of jewelry. Details are scarce for now.

Capcom recently announced that Resident Evil Requiem has sold a staggering 7 million copies, boosting its profit forecast for the year. IGN gave the game a 9/10 in its review, calling it "a highly infectious new mutation that successfully splices two separate strains of survival horror together."