VERDICT
Resident Evil 2 takes everything old-school fans loved about the original, and reinvents it for a new generation. This is a great jumping-on point for newcomers and a lovingly-created return for longtime fans, capturing the aura of the Playstation classic while reinvigorating the setting with new visuals, gameplay mechanics, and current-gen triple-A quality.
The 1999 classic Resident Evil 2 has been given a new lease of life on the Xbox One and PS4. However, this isn’t a straight-up remaster, but an entire remake of the original Playstation release, bringing gorgeous new graphics, mechanics, and the over-the-shoulder third-person camera now famous to the series.
Developer Capcom has taken all these best bits from previous games in the franchise and injected them into the foundation of Resident Evil 2; so while it’s a ‘remake’ in the loosest sense, this is also an entirely new experience. The third-person camera angle (inspired by Resident Evil 4) makes a huge difference to the perspective of the gameplay, along with new stunningly lifelike visuals and dynamic enemies (courtesy of the technology behind the more-recent Resident Evil 7) keep you on edge at all times.
In terms of what you’ll actually be doing in the game, item management and keeping alive is essentially still the name of the game here. The game’s constant curveballs will have you limping from room to room in order to find a health spray or a few extra bullets to finish off a zombie in pursuit, all while trying to solve a puzzle or find an item you need. It’s all part of the classic Resident Evil experience, but some new threats have been added to the mix. Zombies can reanimate if they’re not finished off correctly, and the inclusion of a tyrant zombie known as Mr. X will pursue you throughout a fair portion of the game, causing you to think on your feet and learn the layout of the environments in order to hide from or evade him. While it can seem frustrating, it’s all intentional, and keeps throwing curveballs just when you think you’ve got enough shotgun shells and start getting a little complacent.
Resident Evil 2 takes everything old-school fans loved about the original, and reinvents it for a new generation. This is a great jumping-on point for newcomers and a lovingly-created return for longtime fans, capturing the aura of the Playstation classic while reinvigorating the setting with new visuals, gameplay mechanics, and current-gen triple-A quality.
Resident Evil 2 is available now on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
