Resident Evil 2

Written by Adam Woolcott  on May 08, 2002

Review: "And to think, taxidermy used to be my hobby..."

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Leon and Claire both control the same as you'd expect in an RE game Ц for some this is a bad thing, others it's a good thing. Personally, I've never had too much trouble with RE's control Ц the only thing that I find bad is the robotic movements of the characters instead of free-moving 3D characters. RE2 now features an auto-aim, something lacking in the original RE (but included in the Director's Cut), making it easier to lock on to those enemies and shoot them down.

However, like all RE games, sometimes it's better to run like hell than waste all your ammo. Usually you can get away without killing half the zombies and assorted creatures, conserving your ammo for the later, more difficult enemies (such as bosses). This adds that element of fear, being low on ammo and encountering a few zombies looking for your brains on a platter. Smart conservation of ammo will get you far.

The only possible negative for RE2 is how short each scenario is Ц it may take 5-6 hours the first time around, and only 2 hours or so once you get a lay of the land Ц per scenario. And each Scenario B is shorter, and can be completed in less than 2 hours, for a total of 8-10 hours to beat all 4 scenario variations. Personally, this isn't a big deal, because the game is so well done that it's worth playing through multiple times to increase your score and beat it fast. Plus if you can get done quickly with a high grade, you can get a fat rocket launcher with infinite ammo. Rockin.

Also, this isn't a flaw but more of a rationalization Ц RE2 isn't as scary as the original. Perhaps its because of the RE1 clichщs that are used consistently, or even because the scares that aren't taken from the original are easy to see a mile coming (such as the 2-way mirror room, only a doof would not think something was up, and even if nothing happened it wouldn't be scary), but the game just is more psychologically chilling than scary. Some of the imagery and characters are really bizarre and create some disturbing scenarios later on.

Visually, RE2 is pre-rendered bliss. Even in 2002 the game still looks pretty decent, with only the animations and design of the various characters being below par. The backgrounds are full of details, with bloodstains in some places, lit up signs, and great lighting effects. Also, they're so convincing that any objects that are to be picked up blend in near perfectly, making you look around a lot to find whatever you need to advance. Usually pre-rendered static backgrounds help objects stick out, but not in the case of RE2.

The characters themselves are not detailed by today's means Ц but aren't bad. An over-use of hand gestures and such make it seem like a bad high school stage play, but it's not that difficult to ignore. The zombies (and other creatures) look great and have convincing feet shuffling and crawling for your legs. As such, the head-smashing or kicking for each main character is a blast to see for a good laugh.

The sound is also well done Ц the musical score is chilling and creepy, with slow piano dirges in some places, and a recurring police station theme that paints a picture of despair and fear. All the various pieces of music are fitting to the area, and all perfectly keep you on the edge of your seat, never letting up.

Gunshot sounds are done well, as are the moans and screams of the zombies and other mutations. The voice acting, once the bane of RE1, is much improved. It's still got a twinge of b-movie flair, but it's still done pretty well. There aren't many corny/stupid phrases Ц there may be a few poorly read lines here and there, but nothing really terrible.