Reception
Since his appearance in Resident Evil 2, Leon has had a positive reception. Together with Ada, Leon was featured in the The Inquirer's 2007 list of the most memorable video game love teams. In 2010, Nintendo Power listed Leon as their 14th favorite Nintendo gaming hero, stating that he went from a "glorified meter maid with a bad haircut" to a tough guy. In 2009, GameSpot chose him as one of the characters to compete in their poll for the title of "All Time Greatest Game Hero". In a 2010 Famitsu poll, Leon was voted by readers as the 31st most popular video game character. In the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition from 2011, he was voted as the 36th best video game character. In 2012, GamesRadar ranked him as the 11th most "influential and badass" hero in video games, adding: "Leon’s ability to keep calm and shoot carrion is indisputably a reason why he’s one of gaming’s most memorable protagonists."
IGN has featured him on the list of things they would like to see in Resident Evil 6, calling him one of the two main characters of the series along with Chris Redfield, describing him in the article about the best zombie fighters as the "straight-laced hero" of Resident Evil. The IGN character guide makes another comparison between Chris and Leon, calling him the "determined guy clawing his way up the ladder." GameDaily predicted that Leon along with Claire Redfield would be the protagonists of the next main Resident Evil title, citing the pattern of alternating protagonists and because Leon had not been seen since Resident Evil 4. Gameplanet's Aylon Herbet stated that if both Leon and Chris would share protagonism on an upcoming Resident Evil it would be "awesome", also sharing comments that both are the main protagonists of the series.
IGN also repeatedly named him as a character they wished to see in crossover series Super Smash Bros., describing this "intimidating hero" a "unique breed of ass kicker" and one of the best things to happen to the Resident Evil series. GamesRadar labelled Leon's Resident Evil 4 design as "David Bowie piloting the Memphis Belle" stating that while it was appealing, the hairstyle required modifications for encounters in the games. In 2010, Game Informer chose Leon as one of the 20 Capcom characters they would like to see in a rumored crossover fighting game Namco Vs Capcom, his Namco side equivalent being Nightmare, stating: "The only man with enough experience and courage to take out this mutated menace is none other than Leon S. Kennedy. We bet this fight ends with a rocket launcher." In 2012, Complex included him on a list of the 25 "douchiest" video game characters for "his sarcastic and moody attitude in RE4," adding that while Leon "stepped it up in the series by maturing and becoming a true hero we enjoyed the game more when Leon didn’t speak." PlayStation Universe wrote, "we’ve seen Kennedy transition from likeable, wet-behind-the-ears love-sick puppy to a wise-cracking, super smooth government agent who survived a zombie outbreak and managed to rescue the President’s daughter to boot. Not bad for a bloke who hasn’t even turned 30."
Read more about this topic: Leon S. Kennedy
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind of reception it meets in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.”
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)
“Aesthetic emotion puts man in a state favorable to the reception of erotic emotion.... Art is the accomplice of love. Take love away and there is no longer art.”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)