Video gaming had a good year in 1998. The world had Nintendo mining absolute gold with Ocarina of Time and Pokémon Yellow. Hideo Kojima was dropping Metal Gear Solid onto an unsuspecting public, while both Crash & Spyro had places on every Christmas list. It was around this time that something dark began brewing over at Capcom. They were looking to build on the runaway success of their global 1996 hit Resident Evil, and they were about to unleash a monster with Resident Evil 2. The Playstation One release was an instant classic, improving on the groundwork laid by its predecessor in almost every way. The characters were more authentic, the setting was more dynamic and just as claustrophobic – and the monsters were much, much meaner. So when Capcom announced that they’d be opening the vault for a ground up modern remake, fears for the quality of its transition after 20 years were understandable. Yet it only takes the game’s opening minutes for these fears to be erased, replaced only by the fear of just about everything else in this revisit to Racoon City.
To begin, you’ll be offered the choice between which of the two protagonists you’ll play as – Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield. Leon is the newest recruit to the Racoon City Police Department (RPD), and is en route to the fictional American city on the night before his first day. Claire is a college student on her way to a surprise visit for her brother, Chris Redfield – a lead in the original Resident Evil and himself a member of the RPD. Regardless of your choice, both Claire and Leon share a very similar run through the long night, with the exception of a few key plot beats, areas and enemies. Don’t be fooled though, outside of a few chance meetings with one another over the course of the game, both characters will spend much of the night alone. Well, alone amongst the living at least.
The game’s first act plays out almost entirely within the walls of the Racoon City Police Department, a labyrinth of corridors and offices that previously served as the city’s museum. The building’s history provides context to the numerous puzzles and locks you’ll have to overcome during your visit, ranging from believable to pretty much outrageous. None of these are too onerous, generally only requiring a quick read of a document from another room or simply the right key for the right lock – however it does provide another layer of stress to an already rocky evening. The fact that these elements blend so well into the game’s setting is a testament to the fantastic atmosphere and design choices used throughout Resident Evil 2. Where the original used fixed camera angles and room transitions to create suspense and fear, the remake uses an over-the-shoulder camera view and the cover of darkness. The vast majority of your time in Racoon City is spent in the dark, leaving you to navigate its nightmares using what little light is available at the time. This forces the player to rely heavily on their own wits, as well as sounds and cues in the environment. Combine this dynamic with the close-quarters camera perspective, and the fight for survival becomes much more personal. The sound of footsteps or broken glass from behind spurs you forward, and when the creatures of the night come though the door for Leon and Claire, they’re really coming for you.
These creatures aren’t here to mess around either. For those still unfamiliar as to what haunts Racoon City’s streets and buildings, it’s the tried-and-true, classic zombie fare. Just about all the civilians and upstanding police officers you meet in the city are now shambling corpses hunting the living. These enemies have been created with an incredible amount of detail, reacting appropriately and as gruesomely as the player’s actions demand. Aiming for the head is still the best way of putting any zombie down for good, however a couple shots to the leg will have them drop like a ton of bricks if you need a quick getaway. It’s surprising how often you’ll need to go for the quick exit option, given that your average zombie is a fairly slow-moving target. This is because Resident Evil 2 is old-school survival horror, and part of that means almost never having enough supplies and ammo to be totally prepared for what’s ahead. You’ll often need to reach a far off room for a key item with next-to-no ammo and little health. Put that room at the end of a long corridor littered with the zombified dead, and you’ll be forced to make some tense and desperate plays. These enemies are just small fry, however, compared to the real nightmares that join the hunt in the night. Reanimated police dogs, deadly ivy plants and monstrosities covered in pulsing eyes are all waiting patiently for Claire and Leon to walk through the door. But, of course, there is one monster within the halls of the RPD that waits around for no-one.
The Tyrant (affectionately referred to as ‘Mr X’ by series fans) is an impeccably dressed nightmare that shifts the dynamic of the game completely. He appears around halfway through the game’s first act, just as you’ve finally got your bearings within the police station. Once he’s on the scene, his pursuit of Claire and Leon is absolutely relentless. With the exception of about three or four of the station’s rooms, there are no longer any safe spaces in the building that the invincible brute will not find you. He’ll end your game in two hits, and will barrel through doors and any zombie that crosses his path in order to get his hands on you. Up to this point, I’d been playing a careful and considered game – conserving ammo and reading each room before I’d make my move. Once the Tyrant entered the fray, this approach went out the window – along with a couple years of life. His inclusion in the game is a brilliant (yet thankfully temporary) shake up to the Resident Evil formula, despite a couple puzzles becoming a bit more of a strain with his helpful hand on your shoulder – forcing you into a constant fight-or-flight mentality as you race to collect the items required for your escape. For those worried that you’ll be sprinting through the game on high alert from that point, note that the pacing returns to normal once you move into the second act of the game.
It’s from this point that the story really begins to take centre stage. Without spoiling too much, you’ll be given the opportunity to play as different survivors for a short period – providing new gameplay elements and allowing for different perspectives. You’ll begin pulling the veil back on the cause of the chaos, delving into elements of both corporate espionage as well as the breakdown of a family. The remake really shines here when compared to its original counterpart, which is famous for its almost laughable English dialogue and stilted delivery. Each scene and line delivered in the remake is conveyed excellently and with weight. Environmental reactions and encounters between Leon, Claire and other characters feel genuine and natural, creating a relatable link to the player in the middle of the action.
Upon completing the night for your selected character, you’ll be given the option to play through the other’s scenario – which has been running tandem to your own on your first go. Completing both will reward you with the ‘true’ ending, wrapping up most of the loose ends you may have left from the story. The second playthrough features a few different story beats from the first, while also mixing up enemy placement to keep things interesting. For example, I ran into a spot of bother on my second run with some ‘Lickers’ – flayed, blind creatures that scale walls and attack with spear-like tongues and claws. The creatures are incredibly dangerous, but their lack of vision means you can often (attempt to) sneak around them without attracting attention. Imagine the surprise and delight when – expecting to be met with the sprinting dogs that were there in my first run – I bolted through a door at top speed, only to have a screeching Licker drop on me from the ceiling.
Once all is said and done, you can also take part in a number of additional short scenarios – most of which were added after launch. These quick runs place you in the shoes of a few NPCs you’ll have learned about during the main game, and are a nice little bonus if you’re looking at extending the stories within Racoon City – or if you’re into playing as a not-very-well-armed block of sentient tofu. Otherwise you can challenge yourself by finishing the story at higher difficulties or locating all of the game’s secrets. Weapons with infinite ammo are up for grabs for those ready to dial up the difficulty and blitz through at a pace. Allured by the infinite rocket launcher unlocked by completing under some gruelling conditions, I can tell you that playing for these bonuses is done on nothing but pure adrenaline and high health insurance premiums. It does, however, make it so much more satisfying to go back and drop limitless ordinance on anything that moves on subsequent plays. If you are looking to skip right to the cool stuff though, Capcom have released a DLC key that unlocks all of these bonuses without the work. While not being the most genuine and exciting way to play it through, this option may help those who are yet to dip their toe in due to the spooks.
Regardless of how you go about playing through, there’s no denying that the Resident Evil 2 remake is a fantastic addition to the series. Both the respect to the source material and quality of Capcom’s survival horror design have combined here, producing a high standard for future entries into the series – as well as for the genre as a whole. With ranging difficulty options and DLC designed for both fanservice and accessibility, they’ve also made it one of the most recommendable entry points into the Resident Evil universe – especially now as we get closer to the upcoming Resident Evil 3 remake early next year. So if you’re yet to visit Raccoon City with Claire and Leon, give yourself a shot at this well-polished and gripping run through the night – the locals are dying to meet you.
Resident Evil 2 is available now on PS4, XBOne & PC