CAPE TOWN – It’s truly magical when a game that released more than two decades ago is completely remade and still manages to capture the essence of the initial experience. Resident Evil 2 is one such game. It manages to deliver a survival horror experience of the same calibre as the original in some new, gorier modern digs.
The story follows Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they head into Raccoon City; Leon for his first day on the job as a cop and Claire to search for her brother, Chris. Little do they know that they’re heading right into a massive zombie outbreak. You’re able to play as either character from the start, very much like the original game. It’s an enjoyable narrative, teaching us more about the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. It also manages to nail the atmosphere from the original game.
The game controls quite well, taking place from an over-the-shoulder perspective. It encourages you to take things slowly in order to make your shots count and not just shoot carelessly. It has classic survival horror elements, such as conserving ammo and managing your inventory; it works quite well as every encounter becomes a matter of fight or flight.
There’s a ton of replayability here. Aside from the second scenario in the campaign, in-game rewards can be unlocked by completing set tasks in your playthrough. In addition, there are unlockable game modes that complement the main narrative.
The game looks and sounds great. The RE Engine has done wonders for this remake, especially when it comes to the character models and lighting. The sound is just as great with gunshots sounding authentic, giving each shot a sense of power. Even more so, hearing the Tyrant’s thunderous footsteps as he searches for you is terrifying. The voice acting is also more realistic and fluid this time.
The Resident Evil 2 Remake is excellent. Capcom has managed to bring the original game to the current generation and they’ve done in just the right way by retaining what made it so special and yet still being able to make it current. Utilising the over-the-shoulder perspective and making it work for this game while still making it feel like a classic Resident Evil game is impressive. This is one of the best remakes I’ve ever played and it truly makes me hopeful for a remake of Resident Evil 3.