The Resident Evil 2 Remake Looks Like the Best of Both Worlds

Capcom’s had serious trouble making a Resident Evil game that appeals to most of their intended audience in around the last decade. Games like Resident Evil 5 and especially 6 had too large of a focus on action for those who liked the horror-focused installments, while Resident Evil 7 leaned too far into horror for others. While the non-numbered mainline Revelations titles featured a fusion of elements from both types of titles, they were masters of none by not having horror or action on par with the best installments. They were also hamstrung by their lower budgets, though the first game was also made for 3DS.

This is where the remake of Resident Evil 2 comes in. Despite it seeming less important than the above numbered games thanks to being a remake, Capcom is treating and promoting it like a brand-new installment. It’s a remake of the second game, originally the first title to fuse horror and action elements thanks to ammo being more plentiful compared to the first game and its remake. This means it’s the perfect opportunity for the development team to see how good they are at making a title that fuses action and horror in a way that can impress most of their audience. Thus far, the results look great.

After first being announced back in August 2015, Capcom showed off the RE2 remake for the first time at E3 2018 in June, and it was tough to find anyone who disagreed that it looked fantastic. (In the better corners of the internet; no way in hell am I searching through any scummier hives.) The first presentation showed the opening moments of Leon in the Raccoon Police Department in Raccoon City, the location of a zombie outbreak. Even fans who said they’d be pissed if Capcom switched the camera perspective from the old fixed one to an over-the-shoulder one like Resident Evil 4 and its progeny were impressed, despite how they went through and made that change.

That’s because despite the switch, the remake will emphasize the atmospheric horror themes more than the original, following in the footsteps in what the Resident Evil remake did to the original. It’s a far better alternative than the jump scares the older RE games relied on; the new style fits the remakes well, even though this change and the mostly-improved voice acting deemphasize the cheesiness from the original games. Not to say some cheesiness isn’t there, of course. The photo-realistic graphics will also help with the immersion, thanks to the work of Capcom’s internal RE Engine, to make it even more frightening.

It’s also good that it still takes place in 1998, since its scenario wouldn’t work in the age of cell phones. It’s hard not to feel a little nostalgic when the main characters consult a vintage late-90s laptop at the RPD’s front desk.

The game also won’t veer too far into the action side of the RE series. While protagonists Leon Scott Kennedy and Claire Redfield can aim and shoot this time around, and move while performing both actions, it doesn’t include the melee attacks that graced the franchise starting with RE4 — which also starred Leon, by the way. The only styles of melee attacks included are counterattacks, where characters can, for instance, stab zombies and other enemies if grabbed, a feature taken from the first game’s remake. The limited attacking options will increase the level of tension players will feel, where they’ll be challenged to either stick around and shoot, or run if they feel overwhelmed in certain areas.

With the increased realism comes adjusted outfits more practical for a survival horror setting, which look better with the photo-realistic look. Actually, some are beyond “adjusted,” as Claire has an entirely new one. She originally wore a one-piece skinsuit with a dark pink vest and matching cutoff jean shorts, though her shorts were changed from pink to dark blue in games that retold RE2’s story and spinoffs. Now, she wears a red leather jacket and dark blue jeans, which looks more similar to her Code: Veronica outfit, though the “Made in Heaven” design is retained on the back. Most other characters just received adjustments, like how Sherry Birkin traded her sailor schoolgirl top for a plaid one.

The Tokyo Game Show preview introduced us to Ada, who resembles a spy to a hilariously transparent degree. Her outfit has also been modified from the original, though it’s partly based on an unused concept design. She wears a trench coat, though it’s tough to tell what he’s wearing underneath. I’m not going to speculate.

The only big gameplay-related change that’s created hesitance among the fanbase is how the “zapping” feature has been removed. Originally, if the player went through Leon’s scenario first, some story and environmental changes were made to Claire’s scenario, and vice versa. For the remake, it won’t matter which scenario is played through first, as neither will affect the other. As compensation, both the scenarios are more robust in terms of the story and exploration they’ll offer this time around. Examples have already been shown in Leon’s scenario during the E3 demo, which featured new areas like a bathroom (which the original game peculiarly lacked) and more floors in the RPD.

Another change that irked fans is the replacement of the voice talent, and especially how it happened. Actors like Matthew Mercer and Alyson Court were initially contacted to reprise the roles of Leon and Claire, respectively, but Capcom instead went with non-union talent. The way Telltale Games recently tossed out their ex-employees like cattle started a discussion about how poorly workers, permanent and temporary, are treated in the video game industry. This particular issue is comparatively minor, but the example should be discussed more frequently.

The Resident Evil 2 remake will release on January 25th worldwide. There should be more previews coming soon, and some will show more of the new areas and scenarios the game will have. There are only four months between now and the release, after all.