Leon S. Kennedy
A former Raccoon City police officer investigating the outbreak aboard the Starlight.
Documented for this version
D-pad | Move the character or navigate menus |
|---|---|
A | Confirm selections and interact with objects |
B | Cancel selections or return to the previous menu |
Combat uses a moving aiming marker and timed button presses.
Button functions can vary slightly between exploration and menu screens.
How it plays
The game alternates between top-down exploration and first-person battles. Players move through the Starlight, search rooms, collect items, solve progression obstacles, and speak with other survivors.
During combat, an aiming marker moves across an enemy. The player must press the attack button at the right moment to hit, while ammunition and healing items must be managed carefully. The story advances through connected areas, key items, scripted events, and boss encounters.
Plan your run
Search every accessible room before moving on, since key items and ammunition are easy to overlook.
Use the combat timing system patiently rather than firing immediately. Conserve healing items for boss encounters, and keep track of locked doors and story clues so backtracking is purposeful.
Meet the cast
A former Raccoon City police officer investigating the outbreak aboard the Starlight.
A veteran S.T.A.R.S. member who assists with the investigation and survival effort.
A young survivor found aboard the Starlight whose mysterious condition becomes central to the story.
A senior Umbrella executive connected to the ship and the events surrounding the outbreak.
Before you begin
Explore side rooms and examine objects repeatedly when the story appears to stop.
Save ammunition when enemies can be avoided or bypassed.
Learn the timing of the aiming marker before difficult encounters.
Resident Evil: Gaiden is a survival-horror action-adventure game developed by Capcom Production Studio 3 and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Color. It follows Leon S. Kennedy and Barry Burton as they investigate a zombie outbreak aboard the cruise ship Starlight. Exploration uses a top-down perspective, while encounters switch to a first-person timing system. The game combines item management, environmental investigation, light role-playing progression, and combat rather than reproducing the console series’ control style. Reception was mixed: critics recognized its ambition and atmosphere on handheld hardware, but its unusual combat, limited presentation, and story continuity drew criticism. It remains notable as a portable, largely self-contained Resident Evil side story.
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