Resident Evil 2 originally launched in 1998 and is considered a cult classic. The title features tense exploration and puzzle-solving gameplay that are staples in the series even to this day. For those unfamiliar with the story, players join rookie police officer Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who are thrust together by a disastrous outbreak in Raccoon City. The illness transforms the population into deadly zombies who just want to kill. Today, Capcom launched Resident Evil 2 on Xbox One and other platforms. The remake costs $59.99, but there's also a Deluxe Edition available for $69.99. This version comes with various skins. The company also released a bombastic launch trailer which captures the horrors Leon and Claire experience. In our review, Jez Corden said, "Resident Evil 2 retains some of that... writing cheese, but the attempts Capcom made to inject more emotion into proceedings while fleshing out other aspects of the story undoubtedly pushed the game beyond the original. It all leaves me hungry to see what other classics like Resident Evil 3: Nemesis... Resident Evil 4 might look like reimagined by this team." At the PlayStation E3 2018 reveal, it was unclear if the game was a PlayStation 4 exclusive or coming to other platforms. Luckily, we reached out to Capcom then and the team provided us with confirmation that Resident Evil 2 was indeed coming to Xbox One, with Xbox One X enhancements in tow. The Xbox Store lists Resident Evil 2 as a "4K Ultra HD" title, but it seems like the game employs a dynamic resolution to maintain a solid 60 FPS.<doc-sep>Elevate your enterprise data technology and strategy at Transform 2021. I have enough stress in my life. I’m a parent to a young kid. We’ve got another one arriving any minute now. The future seems uncertain, and every moment feels like things are only getting more out of control. So I don’t go looking for more stress. And that would be a problem for a tense horror game, but somehow Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake is getting by just fine. Resident Evil 2 is the latest entry in the long-running survival-horror franchise. It is due out January 25 on PC (reviewed), PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and it is a complete reimagining of the original 1998 PlayStation release. Capcom retained the setting, characters, and basic story of the original, but the publisher also incorporated elements from other games in the series. Resident Evil 2 uses the same RE Engine that powered the atmospheric and beautiful Resident Evil 7. And like Resident Evil 4, this remake uses an over-the-shoulder camera perspective to put you closer to the action. The result is a Resident Evil that is scary but also packed with excitement. What you’ll like Action and horror together at last Resident Evil 2 introduces a hacking tool to solve puzzles about halfway through. At the same time, it strips many of your weapons away from you and handcuffs your ammunition. This makes you vulnerable, and in this part of the game, a massive enemy makes regular attacks against you. With almost no ammo, I began putting three bullets into the thighs of every zombie. This strategy causes their leg to fall off, which slows them to a literal crawl. That gave me enough time to solve the puzzle in the room and move along. That’s when two things happened: I found a locked door. And the large boss-style enemy showed up right behind me. I only had 9 rounds. So I aimed down sights and waited for my reticle to shrink to ensure accuracy. It was a tense moment, trying to line up the shot with the over-the-shoulder perspective and the enemy barreling straight at me. But when I had everything just right, I unleashed 9 rounds right into the behemoth’s face. Somehow, I had just enough bullets to stagger the giant. It didn’t kill him, but it stopped his progress. That gave me just enough time to remember I had a door to unlock. I pulled out my hacking tool and got through just as the monster was getting back to his feet. This encounter is indicative of everything that Resident Evil 2 is great at. It’s horrifying. I was scared. But the solution wasn’t just to run away or hide. I had to fight back just long enough to create an opportunity to escape. Capcom struck an ideal balance between horror and action, and that is why this remake works so well. Yes, it is stressful. I would almost call it too stressful for a fragile guy like me. But the fights give you just enough space to punch back that you feel like you can create some breathing room. The most multifaceted Resident Evil ever Resident Evil 4 is still my favorite in the series. I prefer action over horror. But where Resident Evil 4 has a lot of variety in its action, Resident Evil 2 remake keeps things fresh on multiple different levels. And it is better than any other in the series at serving all of Resident Evil’s disparate audiences. If you’re here for the lore and characters, Resident Evil 2 nails it. Are you looking for a zombie game with modern graphical tech, Capcom’s got you. If you want something that is intense and full of action, this is a bingo. Image Credit: GamesBeat But Resident Evil 2 also plays all of its various aspects off of one another really well. It has bigger and badder enemies to break up the monotony of the slow-moving zombies. And to break up that combat, it has the charming old-school puzzle design where you open secret passages with a medallion. It is a smart game for modern players who are looking for multifaceted gaming experiences. What you won’t like Stiff controls and a map problem Aiming and firing your weapon in Resident Evil 2 feels nice. But moving your character around the world is still a bit awkward. It is a huge improvement over the tank controls from the early games, but I still find myself struggling to get my character to move exactly where I want. And that’s a problem when it results in a zombie getting close enough to give me a nip on the neck. I also found myself opening up my map every five steps at a number of points in the game. The dark police station is tough to navigate. And just as you get the hang of things, it opens up a new area. And when something giant and impervious chases you, you don’t want to go down a dead end or anything. It’s scary, but it’s not that scary Resident Evil 2 isn’t as scary as I was expecting. It is stressful, but it’s not the nonstop nightmare fuel that Resident Evil 7 was. It is still stressful, but most of that comes from a sort of situational horror. Almost any game would cause you stress if you had to make it from one side of the map to the other with a wounded character, no health items, and 2 rounds in your weakest hand gun. Image Credit: GamesBeat The zombies, the lickers, and the rest of Resident Evil 2’s cast of undead just don’t frighten me much anymore. I’m probably just desensitized at this point, but I was expecting Capcom to do more. Conclusion Resident Evil 2 is going to click with a lot of people, and those folks are going to love it. I still really enjoy it even if it didn’t fully click with me. But my issues with this game are just a matter of taste and not execution. I prefer the Resident Evil 4 style where I have enough ammo to just blast my way out of every situation. But what’s great about Resident Evil 2 is that it’s still a really fun and well-made experience even when it drives someone like me out of their comfort zone. That’s the sign of a strong game. Finally, Capcom has put a lot of game into Resident Evil 2. It has four remixed campaigns — two each for the playable characters Leon and Claire. But Capcom has also revealed plans to add even more. That includes a mode that randomizes where items are as well as new player characters. It’s a good time to be a Resident Evil fan again. Score: 85/100 Resident Evil 2 hits PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on January 25. Capcom provided a download code for the purpose of this review.<doc-sep>The Resident Evil 2 remake, launching Jan. 25, looks like it will include plenty of fan service. Resident Evil 2 producer Yoshiaki “H” Hirabayashi told Polygon in an interview during E3 last year that some of the weirder elements of the 1998 game, like a sentient block of tofu wielding a knife, would be back in the 2019 remake. A trailer that plays after the 30-minute “1-Shot Demo” confirmed the return of the aforementioned Tofu Survivor, as well as Hunk, another unlockable character from the original Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 2 will come in three versions: a Standard, Deluxe and Collector’s Edition. Mega fans of the Resident Evil series — those who’d be excited about the return of a playable hunk of bean curd, for example — may be willing to splurge on the Collector’s Edition. The Deluxe Edition is a good middle ground for Resident Evil fans who don’t want to drop $200 but still want some extra goodies. Below, we break down what’s included in each version of the game. Resident Evil 2 Standard Edition The Standard Edition is just that: the standard play experience for those who are just looking to play the game, and don’t care about any bonus skins or weapons. It retails for $59.99. Get it on PlayStation 4 here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Walmart | PlayStation Store Get it on Xbox One here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Walmart | Xbox Store Get it on PC here: Steam | Fanatical | Green Man Gaming Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition For $10 more than the Standard Edition, the Deluxe Edition includes a DLC pack with additional skins, weapons, and access to the Resident Evil 2 (1998) soundtrack. The physical edition also comes with a reversible cover that highlights either Leon or Claire. The DLC pack will be available separately, but Capcom hasn’t yet announced what it will cost. DLC pack includes: Arklay Sheriff Costume (Leon) Noir Costume (Leon) Military Costume (Claire) Noir Costume (Claire) Elza Walker (Claire) Samurai Edge - Albert Model Deluxe Weapon Classic Resident Evil 2 Soundtrack Swap Get it on PlayStation 4 here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store Get it on Xbox One here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Xbox Store Get it on PC here: Steam | Fanatical | Green Man Gaming Resident Evil 2 Collector’s Edition The GameStop-exclusive Collector’s Edition sold out after it first went on sale, but as of this writing it’s back in stock. It includes the DLC pack from the Deluxe Edition, along with some collectibles like a Leon figure and a Raccoon City Police Station poster. The Collector’s Edition only comes in a physical version, for obvious reasons. Full game Special deluxe packaging DLC pack Leon S. Kennedy (R.P.D. Version) figure ”Ben’s File” art book Digital soundtrack ”R.P.D.” Renovation Design poster Exclusively at Gamestop. Get it here: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 Resident Evil 2 pre-order bonus Regardless of the edition you end up buying, all pre-orders of Resident Evil 2 include two bonus weapons: S.T.A.R.S. members Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine’s signature Samurai Edge handguns. Physical pre-orders from Best Buy also come with an exclusive steelbook case. And PC digital download pre-orders at Steam key marketplaces Fanatical and Green Man Gaming are discounted by 20 percent.<doc-sep>
With the release of Resident Evil 2 on January 25th, the review embargo is now up for those who were given early access to the game. We know that Famitsu are fans, but what about everyone else? Here are all the reviews, scored and unscored, we’ve found so far. Cultured Vultures | Jimmy Donnellan – 9.5/10 From our Resident Evil 2 review: “Resident Evil 2 is, quite simply, one of the best remakes of all-time. Capcom have nailed their new vision of a classic just like they did back in 2002 by modernising a decades old game to feel like something completely fresh. Whether you want to take a trip down memory lane or are just experiencing the disconcerting decadence of the police station for the first time, Resident Evil 2 is the first essential purchase of 2019.” IGN | Daemon Hatfield – 8.8/10 From their review: “Now THIS is how you remake a classic. Resident Evil 2 expertly reanimates the horrifying atmosphere and moments of extreme tension that made the original so revered.” Gamespot | Alessandro Fillari – 9/10 From their review: “But above all, the remake is an impressive game for the fact that it goes all-in on the pure survival horror experience, confidently embracing its horrifying tone and rarely letting up until the story’s conclusion.” Polygon | Michael McWhertor – No Score From their review: “Capcom, on a far less dangerous scale, has not always known how to handle its own creation. After mutating from quaint horror to buffoonish action to back again, the Resident Evil series has been wildly inconsistent. But back-to-back Resident Evil games that showcase the very best of survival horror is evidence that Capcom may have its monster under control.” Destructoid | Chris Carter – 9/10 From their review: “My complaints about the Resident Evil 2 remaster* are minimal. An argument could be made that Capcom could have done more, but the spirit of the original has been preserved and in many cases, enhanced. I hope every legacy game in the series gets this loving treatment, as I’ll probably be playing them for the rest of my life.” Game Informer | Ben Reeves – 9.5/10 From their review: “Resident Evil 2 not only looks great, it plays well, and it forces you into a series of dark encounters that are a total rush. Resident Evil is finally running on all cylinders.” Wccftech | Nathan Birch – 8.5/10 From their review: “Make no mistake though, if you loved the original Resident Evil 2, you’ll likely love the remake, and new players who can tolerate a few old-school quirks ought to have gruesome good time as well.” Eurogamer | Aoife Wilson – Recommended From their review: “Even better, it toes the line between schlocky and scary that the older Resident Evil games managed so well, and does so in perhaps one of the most atmospheric settings ever to grace a survival horror game.” Push Square | Liam Croft – 8/10 From their review: “Resident Evil 2 might be one of the most accomplished remakes of the generation. A number of mechanics have been updated and introduced in order to bring the game into the modern era, but this is still very much the classic experience you remember – inventory management, limited ammunition, and all.” MORE REVIEWS: – Screen Rant – 4/5 – Gamer.no – 7/10 – CogConnected – 90/100 *goddamnit it’s a remake