Resident Evil Requiem: A Guide to Parrying and Mastering Leon’s Combat Skills

Leon S. Kennedy makes a thrilling return in Resident Evil Requiem, reintroducing the adrenaline-fueled, physical combat reminiscent of the iconic Resident Evil 4. However, several significant adjustments have been made to enhance the gameplay experience. Understanding and mastering combat techniques, particularly at higher difficulty levels like Standard (Classic), is crucial as enemies become increasingly relentless.

Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to effectively parry and boost your chances of survival during intense battles.

Understanding Parrying Mechanics

A character in 'Resident Evil Requiem' uses a knife to fight a zombie in an urban environment.

At the heart of Leon’s combat strategy in Resident Evil Requiem is his hatchet. By pressing and holding L2 / LB / L, players can assume a defensive stance perfect for deflecting incoming attacks.

Each successful parry will reduce the sharpness of your hatchet. If it becomes dull, you will lose this essential defensive tool until it is sharpened again by holding L2 / LB / L and pressing Square / X / Y. Sharpening takes a moment, so it’s advisable to do this when you’re at a safe distance from enemies.
While keeping L2 pressed down minimizes the risk of health damage, it’s not the most efficient technique as it significantly depletes durability without offering any offensive benefits.

Achieving the Perfect Parry

A character in 'Resident Evil Requiem' leans over a defeated enemy, blood visible, with a combat knife in hand.

The key to excelling in combat with Leon is mastering the Perfect Parry. To execute this flawlessly, you must press L2 / LB / L at the precise moment an enemy attack lands.

A Perfect Parry will stun the enemy, creating an opportunity for a powerful follow-up attack or a finishing move if their health permits.

While this maneuver is one of Leon’s most advantageous tactics, it also carries significant risk. Avoid attempting perfect parries against formidable foes you’ve not encountered before, especially on Standard (Classic) difficulty, as the potential for damage is high. Instead, take the time to understand your opponents’ attack patterns, which will increase your success rate with this technique.

Identifying Parrable Attacks

Leon in Resident Evil Requiem battles an enemy zombie with a chainsaw.

The in-game tutorial might imply that you can only parry weapon attacks such as debris, pipes, or chainsaws. This is a misconception!

In reality, Leon is capable of parrying unarmed attacks just as effectively, including ranged threats like thrown objects. Mastering these defensive techniques is essential for overcoming the zombie hordes in locations like Rhodes Hill Care Center and Raccoon City. However, keep in mind that certain attacks are not parryable, emphasizing the importance of familiarizing yourself with enemy attack patterns to effectively utilize Leon’s parry.

This guide sums up the essentials of parrying in Resident Evil Requiem.

Note: This guide is based on a full playthrough of the Steam 1.0 version at Standard (Classic) difficulty. All screenshots are captured from the same version.

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