The notification hit my phone a beat before midnight. I rolled off the couch, booted the PS5 Pro, and felt that small rush of discovery that only a surprise drop brings. Ten minutes later I knew I had something fun — and something missing.
The PS5 Pro hummed as the free DLC landed
I jumped straight into Resident Evil Requiem and found Leon Must Die Forever waiting behind a completion gate. It opens after you finish the main game once, and then it funnels Leon into a time-pressured, arcade-style run through familiar corridors. The pace is relentless; the mode is a pinball machine of gunfire that keeps the blood moving and the reload button punished.
The map looks the same, but my goals changed
You move through nodes, choosing glowing doors to push forward into specific fights. Killing enemies levels Leon up, and those levels buy you abilities: faster reloads, steadier aim, and wearable trinkets — yes, there are cat ears with built-in perks. The mode hands you choices and forces trade-offs, which keeps runs tense and short.
How do I access Leon Must Die Forever?
Finish the main campaign once on any platform — PlayStation 5, Xbox, or PC/Steam — and the mode appears in the post-game menu. No extra purchase required; it’s a surprise free drop from Capcom.
The rewards are small, but replayability is real
There are several difficulty tiers to unlock and a handful of wearable items and weapons to chase. If you like repeating tight loops and polishing your route, the mode will hold you for sessions. It’s a compact, focused experience: a challenge arena and a short-term progression loop that performs like a little machine built to keep your hands busy.
Is the Requiem DLC actually free?
Yes. Capcom released this add-on at no cost across platforms. That generosity matters — but it doesn’t erase the desire most players had for a different kind of free mode.
The Mercenaries itch has been scratching my skull since announcement season
I grew up with the time-attack thrill of Resident Evil 3, and the franchise’s Mercenaries mode has been a ritual since 1999. Playing RE9 with Leon, Grace, HUNK, even Zeno on a map like Raccoon City or Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center — sprinting for time bonuses and stacking power-ups — would be a proper celebration of the game’s combat. Mercenaries would be a Swiss Army knife of replay value for this combat system.
Will Mercenaries mode come to RE9?
Capcom has confirmed single-player story DLCs are in development for RE9, but no official word yet on a Mercenaries release. My gut — and the chorus on Twitter, Reddit, and outlets like Moyens I/O — says many players expect it, and many would pay for a polished Mercenaries package. If Capcom added a paid Mercenaries expansion for, say, $10 (€9), I’d be in line.
I can’t complain about free content; Leon Must Die Forever is a compact experiment that shows Capcom is willing to try new spins on its formula. If you want something intense and immediate right now, this DLC delivers. If you want the classic Mercenaries sprint with character choices, time pickups, and multi-character leaderboards, we’re still waiting — and I know I’m not the only one who would support it financially.
So tell me: will you satisfy the arcade itch with Leon’s new runs, or will you keep pushing Capcom for the Mercenaries mode that would set RE9 on fire?