Mr .X is really gon’ give it to ya!

Introduction

The late 2010s have been a return to form for Capcom with Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Devil May Cry 5. However, one game that stands out in its gorgeous retelling of the destruction of Raccoon City, and that is the remake of Resident Evil 2. The original game was extremely popular among fans, and continued enthusiasm even saw a fan remake. Thus, it was only natural for Capcom to decide to take matters into their own hands and develop a new and improved dive into the beloved survival horror game.

Setting and Plot

Resident Evil 2 is a retelling of events in Raccoon City following a viral outbreak that transformed everyone into rotting flesh-eating corpses. However, alongside the undead, monsters further mutated by the virus now roam the streets. In this survival horror gauntlet, the player can either step into the shoes of Rookie cop, Leon S. Kennedy or sassy college student and younger sister of Chris Redfield from the first game, Claire Redfield.

Characters and Performances

While I appreciate Nick Apostolides‘ attempt to voice Leon, his performance comes across as a lot weaker than past incarnations of the character. The script also does help not him, portraying Leon as an individual with a more naive mindset in relation to the justice system, giving less impact to his decisions, which feel uninformed. These core changes to his character make him unrecognisable and it is honestly jarring listening to him. As a result, I cannot help by comparing this to previous performers, such as Paul Mercier, who portrayed Leon in Resident Evil 4. Apostolides’portrayal does not carry the same weight of authority and reliability as previous interpretations did before him.

Claire Redfield, on the other hand, voiced by Stephanie Panisello, sounds significantly older and more independent than the rookie cop Leon and her own past incarnation. Unlike Alyson Court‘s more child-like interpretation of the college student, Panisello sounds a lot more direct and confident in her delivery. I can even go as far as saying that she is a lot feistier, swearing like a sailor when she has to. She is even packing heat from the beginning of the game, even though all she wanted to do is meet her brother.

The protagonists have also received several updates to their overall design. I found that Leon’s armour looks a lot closer to those used by officers on active duty, while Claire swaps out her red biker shorts for more practical trousers. However, if you are feeling nostalgic over the original outfits, you can unlock them by winning the game.

Ada Wong loses the finesse she possessed in past entries in the franchise. The femme fatale is characterised with a more brutal edge in this incarnation, relying on intimidation tactics a lot more than flirtation to get her way. She has also become more tech savvy, ditching her grappling hook for a long-ranged hacking device that can switch on and off devices, along with overloading them. One small detail I did notice is that her Chinese accent does sometimes crack through when she is terrified, an excellent inclusion by Jolene Anderson.

I would also like to compliment the acting of Christopher Watson as Marvin. Watching him grunt and moan in his sleep or give me orders to shoot anyone first and act questions later, as he slowly succumbs to the virus, is harrowing. Each time I enter the main hall of the police station, I always expect to see him transformed, waiting to lash out at me.

Gameplay

Mechanics

Unlike the original, Resident Evil 2 incorporates an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective for its playstyle, similar to some of the newer entries of the franchise. This feature has always been accompanied by more action-heavy sequences and titles, making long time horror fans feel lost in the Michael Bayesque explosions. However, for this remake, I am glad to say that Capcom has stuck to its roots.

Resident Evil 2 also includes the use of secondary weapons from the widely successful remake of the first game. These weapons can be used as one-time use bonus weapons or as “get-of-jail-free cards” if the player happens to get a little too intimate with one of the many monsters in the game.

This remake, just like its predecessors, incorporates puzzle elements into its gameplay. However, it lacks the overall complexity of some of the other games in favour of plausible realism.

It is impossible to talk about this remake without mentioning the trench coat wearing stalker that hunts you throughout. While Resident Evil boasts a plethora of bosses, none are as relentless as Mr X, a biological weapon engineered by the Umbrella Corporation to imprint his fist into your face. Hearing that hulking behemoth’s footsteps in the police station made me extremely wary about the routes that I could take. Sometimes, I would have to run around the building several times to lose the guy. Completing puzzles and battling enemies require a lot more wit and finesse whenever he decides to make his grand appearance.

Content

While this remake is a short experience, the game is by no means lacking in content. Resident Evil 2 has two different campaigns for both Leon and Claire, and once you complete the game, it unlocks a second scenario for each of them. This second scenario changes the positions of monsters, items, and even the player’s starting position and culminates with a new final ending. This means one can experience the game in four different ways!

In addition to all this, there is also a fourth survivor storyline, where you play as HUNK, the last surviving member of an Umbrella tactical squad fleeing Raccoon City. Finally, the secret mode of “Tofu Survivor”, where you place as a giant sentient piece of tofu (the gift we needed but never thought to ask Capcom for).

Speaking of extra content, Capcom has also (you thought I was done, right?) released three free new DLCs called the “Ghost Stories” where you play as the unfortunate characters who didn’t manage to get their happy endings. One can get the PlayStation One models for both Leon and Claire as a free DLC as well.

Graphics and Presentation

Resident Evil 2 has some of the most realistic texturing and lighting that I have ever seen in a video game. One of the most impressive of these visuals is a the uncomfortably detailed sloppy burger being consumed at the start of the game (subtle foreshadowing, eh?), and it only gets better with each moment. The characters’ facial textures look so realistic that I feel I could just reach out and touch them… and don’t get me started on the zombies. This game has managed to make zombies TERRIFYING again! These undead humanoid bullet sponges may soak up damage, but not without leaving their bodies horribly visibly disfigured and scarred. Facing an opponent with no skin on its face is unnerving, to say the least.

One thing that Resident Evil 2 most definitely has going for it is the atmosphere. While not at the same level of Resident Evil 7’s Baker Residence, the mad geniuses at Capcom have succeeded in creating a sensation of absolute dread inside of the tight corridors of the police station and terrifying murky sewers beneath Raccoon City.

Music and Sound

Aside from its haunting visuals, this remake also delights with revolutionary cinematic sound effects that make a bump in the night send chills down the spine. These sounds are also highly interactive: one can listen to the sounds such as footsteps of the stalking tyrant or the sound of a shattered window to try and deduce its position (though of course it loves to surprise you the moment you let your guard down!).

Resident Evil 2 does have one strange omission, as Capcom removed the voice-over when starting a new game. This, some reason (money-money-money?) has been relegated to a purchasable DLC.

However, despite all these changes to improve the sound quality of the game, the classical eerie piano melodies from the 1996 version, composed by Masami Ueda, still provoke a more menacing tone. Once again, these may be purchased as DLCs. I heavily recommend you do so – Don’t get me wrong, I love the score used in the remake, but I rarely noticed it being played during my journey through the shambling necropolis of Raccoon City.

Conclusion

This short but carefully crafted recreation of masterpiece Resident Evil 2 results in a beautiful and haunting retelling of the destruction of Raccoon City by the T-virus, with some minor changes to the formula to make this dive into survival horror feel fresh and exhilarating. This game is one of the highlights of the Capcom Renaissance and a perfect example that the survival horror genre is still undead and kicking.

If you have played third-person horror games such as The Evil Within or Dead Space franchises, I do suggest trying out Capcom’s latest revisit of their magnificent nightmareverse.