The summer of 1999 proved to be a pretty important time in my life. I was about to enter my first year of high school, pro wrestling was at its zenith in mainstream popularity, and I decided that on a random trip to KB Toys I’d purchase “Resident Evil 2” for the Playstation. For a majority of the summer I struggled to complete “RE 2” and witness all the game had to offer. My experience with “RE 2” cultivated my excitement for more survival horror games that included the sequels to, arguably, the best iteration in the “Resident Evil” franchise featuring strict inventory management, disgusting bosses and more creepy houses than someone can shake a shotgun at on a dark & stormy night. So when it was announced “Resident Evil 2” would get the remake/re-imagining treatment I was incredibly excited that I wouldn’t be able to roundhouse kick my way out of a terrible situation.
Did I Complete “Resident Evil 2 (remake/2019)”?
Like the original iteration, the 2019 remake of “Resident Evil 2” features the player taking control of Leon Kennedy on his first day working for Raccoon City’s police department and college student Claire Redfield, sister of “Resident Evil’s” protagonist Chris Redfield. Though they meet up very early in the story, their interactions are few with the player having two separate stories that follow similar beats including the boss battles (though the final battles are different depending on the character). After nearly ten hours I finished both initial campaigns as Claire & Leon with the latter being an introductory run while the prior allowed for me to play through the story in less than three hours to get an “S” rating and a pistol with unlimited ammo. With the finishing of each initial campaign came the unlocking of a “2nd Run” pair of stories where narrative elements, items & even enemy appearances are different to make for a nearly entirely fresh experience. Both “2nd Run” campaigns took around four hours to complete, unlocking another pair of modes almost too tough that I’ve yet to complete; but it definitely won’t stop me from continuously trying.
Did “Resident Evil 2 (remake/2019)” Live Up to the Hype?
To remake a classic game that changed an entire genre featuring several hallmarks of a time gone by seemed like a daunting task, but “Resident Evil 2” succeeds in delivering the tense & scary feeling of the original while updating the gameplay to be modern & rewarding. Unlike the 1998 version, “RE 2 (2019)” features the ability to move the camera freely 360 degrees while the set orientation is over the shoulder of Leon and Claire. These camera adaptations dating back to “Resident Evil 4’s” design is perfect for not only making this game feel appropriate for this generation, but also removes the problem of fixed camera angles that would become jarring for the unaware like the original (not to mention making it harder to see items & enemies). Though the camera is free to move, “RE 2” does a great job of avoiding the loss of fear as natural lighting especially in the first major area of the game hides a majority of the dangers that seemingly lurks around every corner. Also a major reason why the player must tread lightly unlike in “Resident Evil 4-6” is the fact each protagonist isn’t some hand-to-hand combat specialist that can punch & roundhouse kick his/her way to safety if they’re overrun by the infected. Leon and Claire have to rely on their main weaponry including a variety of guns with finite ammo that is usually made by combining collected bottles of gunpowder, sub-weapons such as degradable combat knives or one-use grenades, or simply running by doing some impressive dodging after pulling off a stunning headshot. Harkening back to the days of “Resident Evil” being a Playstation exclusive, neither character is able to carry a suitcase’s worth of items initially (be it guns, herbs, chemicals that can mix with things such as the aforementioned herbs to make first aid medicine or key items that thankfully provide a checkmark in the menu when it’s been used for all its functions); thus making inventory management a key feature during the game’s majority even if the inventory is upgraded to max.
The various environments especially the early portions in the Raccoon City Police Department are definitely haunting with dimly lit & foggy areas. Swaying curtains due to the wind blowing through a shattered window that some zombie broke & fell through because the character didn’t board up the entrance in time, flickering lights near the swaying body of an unfortunate soul, and some well structured interpretations of a memorable set piece from 1998 allows for the player to quickly learn routes while being constantly impressed in regards to how big the world feels in what is essentially a rather small series of corridors. What makes these smaller environments even more satisfying are its enemies – one of the game’s most impressive and disheartening designs. Enemies in this game – be it regular zombies, infected dogs or those sound-reliant lickers – have unpredictable movement styles that allow for hectic moments aplenty when the player is attempting to conserve ammo and a few headshots haven’t stopped an adversary from approaching. The negative side of such entertaining enemies is the fact their deaths feel like a dice roll. Typically three headshots will down the average infected with several more being needed to finish it off. But then there are times when nearly a full clip is a necessity to succeed in ensuring that the shuffling terror doesn’t stand back up or appear again when the player inevitably backtracks to solve a puzzle needing items found halfway across the map. It can become annoying when a single enemy so similar to the last a player put down refuses to die like its peer.
The bosses are both great representations of what was offered in the original iteration and underwhelming in terms of a challenge as the first two bosses are relatively easy while the last two are bullet sponges without offering much else in terms of the way they attack the somewhat too slow protagonist. Also several bosses & mini-bosses were removed or downgraded this time around, but it makes sense considering the more realistic tone of the remake. And then there’s Tyrant/Mr. X. The fedora & trench coat wearing hulk stalks both Leon and Claire at various points in the game (both “A” and “2nd Run” scenarios) while being able to enter almost any room the player occupies and can’t be killed (though enough headshots will stun the big boy for a short period of time). Depending on where the player goes in an effort to hide from or avoid Mr. X can produce some of the most tense moments in the game because an area not cleared of infected can become a death sentence as the player runs into, say, a pair of lickers while focusing on the sound of heavy footsteps coming behind Claire or Leon. The design choice of how & where Mr. X can be disheartening especially when attempting to solve a puzzle and the thing just shows up, but Capcom wisely only makes the Tyrant a temporary intrusion.
From a narrative perspective, the remake does a good job producing a stereotypical “Resident Evil’ story without going overboard with twists & absurd characters that made the sequels confusing messes. Each arc feels satisfying as it mostly hinges on the player making it through a certain section and exploring to the best of their abilities while unraveling the story of what happened before & during this outbreak via files left behind and even thanks to a few characters struggling to survive (including two characters that the player has a chance to control midway through each respective campaign). The voice acting is definitely world’s better than the original while having those moments of cheesy dialogue sprinkled in from time to time. But there is something definitely lacking when it comes to the story and how Leon & Claire’s actions affect each other. For example: playing as Leon the player will notice the two-way mirror in the RPD’s Interrogation Room is smashed, only to discover the reason as to why it’s broken by playing Claire’s story. But a majority of the things the player does as Leon or Claire doesn’t affect the other as it did in the original iteration. Add that to the fact Claire & Leon don’t communicate & keep each other abreast of their actions & whereabouts like in the 1998 version – making their reunions feel more like happenstance than well planned joint ventures. The “2nd Run” playthroughs for each character features fun alterations such as key items being placed elsewhere, a different boss, and even the true ending; ensuring players spend more time taking on fleets of hungry flesh eaters.
Like the original, “RE 2” is a flawed game where the positives easily outweigh the negatives. Thankfully this remake lives up to the original’s greatness while setting a benchmark for any other developer looking to bring older games to a new generation.
Should You Play “Resident Evil 2 (remake/2019)”?
While this version of “Resident Evil 2” isn’t a 1:1 recreation of a classic that hasn’t aged well, this re-imagining is a perfect example of a developer bringing together the best aspects from a franchise’s praised sequels (in this case “RE 4’s” camera angles & “RE 7’s” graphics) and adding them to a solid story featuring memorable & improved characters; creating long-lasting moments aplenty across several campaigns. There is definitely a level of difficulty & stress not seen in games today that allows for “RE 2” to feel even more unique. Capcom has not only delivered a game worthy of its resource material, but also set a standard for video game remakes that will be held against any developer that attempts to bring games from the generations past to the modern era. For those who can handle a lot of blood & gore, stressful management of items & ammo, and don’t mind being chased by a giant in a trench coat when you’re trying to solve an important puzzle, “Resident Evil 2” is perfect for you and your undead friends.
