Game Review: Resident Evil 2

Reviewed on Xbox One by KSI FadeZ 7

Release

Resident Evil 2 is a Survival-Horror game which was released on January 25th on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. The game is a remake of the original Resident Evil 2 which released in 1998. It was developed by Capcom and has been one of the many successful IPs that the company has created and ran with.

The Game

Resident Evil 2 takes place in a fictional Midwestern town called Racoon City. Due to an outbreak from a Bio Weapon called the T-Virus, the majority of the population have been turned into vicious reanimated corpses. You play as either Claire Redfield, a college student looking for her brother or as Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie cop experiencing his first day on the job. Both stories intersect but do vary drastically which encourages you to do a playthrough of each so you can fully experience both.

Gameplay & Changes

Resident Evil 2 has some drastic gameplay changes from the original, the biggest change being the perspective you play from. This entry is from a 3rd person modern perspective whereas the original version used fixed camera angles. This change creates a drastically more erie and intense experience as you make your way through the dark zombie infested corridors of the Racoon City Police Station. Another change made to the game is the save system; in the original you had to find and manage a number of ink ribbons to use at typewriters around the levels to save. The new version of this decided to still use the typewriters but opted to remove the ink ribbons, unless you play on a harder difficulty, to make it a more user Friendly and streamlined experience. There are multiple other changes to the game as well, with some puzzles being changed, and even some levels being rearranged and new segments of the game being added in entirely. You have to manage a small inventory and tactically manage your ammunition, medical supplies, and key items. This creates scenarios of really needing to plan your paths and priorities as you make it through the game.

My Verdict

Now I feel the need to mention I played the original as a kid. It was the first Survival-Horror game I ever played and the first Resident Evil A?I had encountered. The game honestly hooked me on not only the series but also the style of game as well. I love survival-horror and I owe it to the original Resident Evil 2. Now with that out of the way I have to say this game is truly a masterpiece. It being recreated from the ground up was worrisome but Capcom really improved it overall with amazing graphics, gameplay, lighting, and sound. These really set the atmosphere throughout the entire game, building anxiety nonstop as you play. The zombies are scary and will take a bit of firepower to actually take down. They catch you off guard constantly. I also love that chunks of them fall off and go flying as you fire your weapons into them.

I give this game a 10/10 and would highly recommend it for any fan of survival horror games and even for newcomers to the genre. But that said, these are my thoughts so take them as you will and thank you for reading.