Video Game Review: Resident Evil 2 (2019)

I played the original Resident Evil 2 on the N64 in 1998. It was the first official horror game I ever got to play and it freaked me out pretty good. The controls, the monsters, the rationing of ammo and health items, were completely unlike anything else I'd ever played before. It was a singular experience that took many years to find a game that could replicate the feelings of real anxiety and trepidation RE2 caused.

21 years later, a remake of that classic game emerges and shows why the game was so awesome.

It's been so long since I played the original, that I honestly forgot how the game went. Some parts, like the police station, lickers, and the Tyrant were easy memories, but the underground lab, the multiple fights with William Birkin, and many of the sections with little Sherry felt brand new.  For a bit, I was more comfortable calling this Resident Evil 2.5, rather than a remake, that's how different it felt to me.

I won't delve too deeply into the story, since most people are probably familiar with it, and with the later adventures of the characters, but here's the basics.

Leon Kennedy is on his way to the Raccoon City police department to start his first day on the job as an officer. On the way into the city he picks up Claire Redfield, who is also on her way to the police station to look for her brother Chris, who is part of the RCPD's special S.T.A.R.S. unit. (You know about Chris as one of the characters of the first Resident Evil.) As they get into the city, they get separated, and manage to make their way to the police station.

With the zombie outbreak in full swing, punctuated by mutations creating such monsters a Lickers, undead dogs, and a giant alligator, they have to work separately to find ways out of the city. They find other survivors, delve under the city to a secret lab where the outbreak actually started, and eventually face the architect of the virus that caused everything.

The graphics are everything you've come to expect from the current generation of gaming consoles and computers, but seeing such classic creatures in their new high-definition form feels like they've really pushed the envelope. Environments are extremely detailed, but lack any notable easter eggs that I could find, which made me a little sad. 

Music and sound are artfully crafted, never overpowering the moments and filling levels with ambiance that ups the creep factor. That you can hear the Tyrant's footsteps while he's nearby, even though he's not in the same room is an incredibly nice touch and really makes you feel like you're being hunted. 

The biggest differences to the classic version are the controls and cameras. Gone are the clunky tank controls and security camera views which made the original a beast to play at times. In their places we have much more standard 3rd-person controls with an over-the-shoulder view, which puts you much closer to the action and gives you more of a sense that you're in control of the character you're currently following. 

They don't stop there, though. They've even come up with some original DLC for people who can't get enough, following some of the people (and bodies) you find while playing through as Leon and Claire. To top it off, Capcom has said that they're willing to consider doing a similar remake for Resident Evil 3 if this one does well enough. Which I'm pretty sure it has. 

If you played the original, or like horror games in ANY style, you'll love this game. It gets under your skin and will creep you out in ways few games do these days. I promise. 

~ Shaun