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Review: Resident Evil 2 is the magnificent recreation of the classic survival horror 2h6i45

arthur pieri avatar
Twenty-one years after its release, Resident Evil 2 impresses in much of what it sets out to do - whether for its importance and originality of the past or for the technological and creative revitalization of the present.

In 1998, arguably one of the most pivotal years in video game history, director Hideki Kamiya was at the helm of the long-awaited sequel to the classic horror game set in the Spencer Mansion. Expanding and bringing new concepts to the hostile Raccoon City, Resident Evil 2 soon became a benchmark for the genre survival horror and one of the most outstanding titles of that generation. 2pa6p

Twenty-one years after its release, the classic appears at its best to prove, once again, that Capcom can still surprise us with reimaginings of previous games. Before we talk about the grandeur of the remake itself, I think it's fair to talk a little about the plot and original concepts of the classic.

dynamic duo 2o66a

Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are names that define most of the best adventures provided by the games of resident evil series. Despite not being gifted with super abilities, Leon and Claire - either as a duo or individually - are practically superheroes of the franchise that, little by little, won the hearts of the public due to the hundreds of defeated creatures.

Girl power: claire is always ready to protect people around her in resident evil 2.
Girl Power: Claire is always prepared to protect those around her.

One of the reasons for Resident Evil 2 to have been so praised at the time was the so-called zapping system — something as impressive as storing the contents of two PlayStation CDs on a single Nintendo 64 cartridge. The weight of some unsigned actions in the first scenario (or simply side A) had slightly unpredictable consequences in the second part of the plot (aka as lab B).

As previously announced by the development team, which had the collaboration of more than 800 people, the Resident Evil 2 this year gave up this system, bringing two independent campaigns. A risky choice that, personally, I find much less interesting and meaningful than the original idea. After all, the narrative events involving Leon and Claire happen simultaneously in the same environments — even if not perfectly aligned in space and time.

The series' recipe for success 45kj

Raccoon City was in a state of public calamity when the events of Resident Evil 2 unfolded for the first time. Burning cars, bodies piled up in piles and looted commercial establishments evoked discomfort and a feeling of constant tension thanks to the balanced rhythm of action, exploration and adventure present in the gameplay.

Narrow corridors full of zombies will make you think twice before moving from one objective to another in Resident Evil 2.
Narrow corridors full of zombies will make you think twice before moving from one objective to another.

Fortunately, the current reimagining has played its part in hitting that pace — shifting the horror game benchmark to an even higher level: Resident Evil 2 it's just too pleasant (or is it unpleasant?) to play. Yes, it's strange and incompatible to consider a game about blasting undead heads off "enjoyable" and eventually dying by having your neck devoured in the most bloodthirsty way possible.

This kind of ambiguous sensation caused is recurrent in the classic trilogy. Using and abusing tricks to scare you - such as positioning enemies on the corners of claustrophobic corridors and the striking presence of an iconic big being that chases you incessantly -, it's a full plate for lovers of the genre survival horror.

In of exploration and puzzle solving, the game could have been more than just satisfying if the zapping system had been brought back in top form. Even so, new logical challenges involving the interconnectivity of the areas were posed along the two scenarios to generate certain players for progression.

A series of many generations 4s6j46

In a way, the show's transformation over time ended up doing itself good. This is noticeable in the remake of Resident Evil 2, that brings together the atmosphere of terror and hostility of the original trilogy with the fluid movement and combat of Resident Evil 6. The final product is very enjoyable and welcome to both longtime fans and newcomers to the Resident Evil franchise.

It seems that time has done well for the iconic marvin branagh, one of the rpd officers of resident evil 2.
It seems that time has done well for the iconic Marvin Branagh, one of Resident Evil 2's RPD officers.

Combat is handily the best in the series: the shortage of ammo on the highest difficulties makes every bullet count. The special enemies and boss were designed in detail to be terrifying, but they also don't lag behind in of how they behave in the face of our actions - such as opening doors quickly and crossing narrow corridors.

Dodging regular zombies has become an easier task to perform, but only when dealing with a single creature. For groups with two or more enemies in close proximity to each other, avoiding being attacked becomes more difficult and the risk of taking double damage — with two infected biting your neck — is even greater. There are some more powerful enemies, however, that can't be "fooled" practically, putting the responsibility for the route they plotted between a save point and their next objective on the player.

Resident Evil 2's stage of terror 2y1l5l

The Raccoon City Police Station, where we live the intense first hours of the game, is exceptionally built – both in of aesthetics and in its structure of interconnected scenarios. The other areas of the game are satisfyingly distinct, connected, and easy to understand.

The central hall of the resident evil 2 police station is one of the most recognizable areas of the classic.
The central hall of the Resident Evil 2 police station is one of the most recognizable areas in the classic.

The infamous RE Engine, used to develop Resident Evil 7: Biohazard e Resident Evil 2, has enough graphic tools and resources for scenarios to have darker and “washed out” tones, causing an irable feeling of discomfort. The characters' faces, however, can look a little too much like wax dolls depending on the lighting of the environments. It is worth emphasizing that this is not a demerit or even a negative point, just an observation.

sound design in Resident Evil 2 is very executed, almost forcing the player to use good headphones to achieve the maximum sound experience. Something that will certainly please the old guard of the series is the possibility of switching between the current and classic mode - which even rescues the nostalgic soundtrack of the safe rooms and corridors of the police station.

Raccoon City tour guide 3a5q3r

As you try to survive on the outskirts of Raccoon City, there are special collectibles and optional challenges that can make you deviate from your route of interest. The goals of trophies or achievements, usually demotivating or too demanding, seem to have been designed for a more comfortable experience. hardcore, but that was intentional from the beginning of its development.

Hunt for collectibles or be hunted by creepy creatures in resident evil 2? That is the question.
Hunt for collectibles or be hunted by gruesome creatures in Resident Evil 2? That is the question.

With all the qualities of a 1998 classic remade in the best possible way in 2019, the recent Resident Evil 2 ranks at the top of the list of a weight series — not necessarily number one. The problems pointed out are too small to overshadow the talented work of the studios involved in what is possibly one of the best remakes of video game history.

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