RETRO REBOOT!! Resident Evil 2 (Sony Playstation)

The Resi 2 remake is up for game of the year here in 2019, so perhaps it's appropo to give a glance at its forefather that is still one of the most popular games in the series and it's always in regular discussion for being the best Resident Evil game in the series.

I remember when Capcom released the original trailer for Resident Evil 2 nearly a year before its street date, and the opening movie alone still gives me chills watching it.  It is probably the one of the best, and more memorable opening cinemas, not just on the console, but in gaming altogether. CGI was gaining some ground at this time and images were sharper and moved with more fluidity. The decision to use computer models instead of returning to the cheesy as all hell live actors, though I gotta say, it certainly had its charm. The FMV allowed to set a new tone that probably could not have been done without some serious financial backing and probably better actors. The mood escalates into a crescendo as the rampage and carnage starts when we are introduced to our two protagonists, Leon and Claire. As the truck explodes and the two are split up by the wreckage, you are literally thrown into the fire as a maelstrom of zombies will overwhelm you immediately. Other games have tried to light that fire under you to get you geared to play it shortly after the introductory cinema (Crysis 2, Bio Shock, Devil May Cry, to name a few), but this is still probably the best on the market at its time.

 

Visually, Resi 2 looks more crisp and polished. The first game kept you cooped up inside the mansion for a good majority of the run, but now you are thrust into the tattered ruins of Raccoon City. The static, hand-drawn layout is lush with detail, from scattered desktops, blood-stained walls, alleyways littered with garbage. In an age when seldom a game tried to boast real-time detailed environments (still looking at you, Ninja (the PSX game, not the streamer), this practicality was a part of Resident Evil’s early charm as well.

One of the more vital introductions in this game was visual damage. You on longer have to routinely open the menu to see how low your health is, Leon of Claire will clutch their side or limp badly. I can’t recall how many times I died in the first game because I thought I was fine. Leon or Claire will also look in the direction of oncoming monsters or stare at fallen zombies playing…uh..dead (that was unavoidable).  A clever addition that helped out greatly when approaching a corner you couldn’t see around and kept you from walking blindly into a pack of undead or a Licker. The super popular Lickers make their debut here as well and these terrifying creatures are agile and deadly. I didn’t know that Voldo from Soul Calibur had offspring. If there's anything the remake has taught me is these things can be even more imposing than before.

Music production is top-notch and is sweet on the ears. Resident Evil’s eerie themes always keep you on your toes. Just as well, the game’s sound effects can also be greatly praised. Off screen enemies can be heard around corners and it’s easier to judge how far they are away as they approach. It is often a sigh of relief when entering a new room and discovering a safe spot and the safe room theme plays before the screen boots up. Voice acting is still a bit cheesy, but not because of the performers, but rather the script is littered with hokey lines. It’s far and few in between and a vast improvement over the previous game, whose cutscenes and dialogue are legendary for how goofy it is. Another thing I was sad about with the remake, Alyson Court does not return to voice Claire.

In my humble opinion, I think Resident Evil 2 is the very best game in the franchise. I contemplated Code Veronica (I’m a huge Claire Redfield fan), but from the solid story that picks up off the first game, the new enemies, escort-style missions with Sherry and Ada, crisper controls, memorable moments like the alligator battle (brief, but heart-pumping) a wide array of extras, and its high replay value make this the most complete game in the series. Resident Evil 4 may be the most important entry for the future of the series, but that final battle with Saddler really left me feeling empty. Revisiting it today, the tank controls are certainly antiquated, but Resident Evil 2 is still a rousing venture with high replay value.

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