Even five years after its release, Resident Evil 2 Remake remains the gold standard for video game remakes.
this is not only One of the best video game remakes and one of the best Xbox One games/one of the best PS4 games, full stop. What’s more, now that it’s available on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus (not to mention it’s cheap, given that it’s five years old), it’s easier than ever to use.
Access is the key word here, because, if you can’t tell already, Resident Evil 2 Remake is a very special game to me. As an only child, I never had an older sibling to help my young brain navigate the difficult parts of games (or buy them for me from the store when I wasn’t old enough), so I don’t have any nostalgia for the games Feelings. 1998 version, or any other legendary horror series.”
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This means that before Resident Evil 2 Remake, I hated zombies, monsters, and anything scary; BioShock was as far as I could go. But nonetheless, back in 2019, I was tasked with writing a complete walkthrough for the game from front to back.
Because of the way it’s structured – you can play different versions of the campaign for the dual protagonists Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, both of which will affect the other version you play first – this means there’s potential for scrolling through the game The credits roll about six times a few weeks.
It’s a shame to admit it, but I started my first run on mute. By the time I finished the last one, I was a complete convert to the cause.
Even within its own remake series, Resident Evil 2 Remake is a rare triple threat: it manages to blend modern mechanics borrowed from Resident Evil 7 and make them its own, resulting in a fantastic experience, while also retaining the spirit of the original game in scope and direction.
Resident Evil 2 is a perfect haunted house thriller, with most of the action taking place within the confines of the Raccoon City Police Department, which has been abandoned and overrun by the walking dead.
Like the original, the gameplay is a mix of high-budget escape rooms and vocabulary tests. You solve complex object puzzles, insert seemingly random kipple pieces wherever they fit, and drowsily reload Leon as he faces whatever stumbling nightmare pops up from behind the next corner. weapon, say all your dirty words. What’s his excuse? He’s not even made from a mold!
But crucially, in true early Resi tradition, actual encounters are relatively few and far between, focusing instead on a handful of more powerful enemies who in their absence heighten the sense of fear, And demand your full attention to show up when they finally do.
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Resident Evil 2’s standout character and most memorable mechanic is emblematic of this: Mr. cracks, beating people to pieces like an R-rated Captain. falcon.
Having a super-powerful opponent chase you around adds an incredible element of scares and momentum to the puzzle sections, a technique that’s genius but nothing new to Resident Evil 2 Remake. While it has appeared in smaller parts in the soft reboot of Resident Evil 7, it takes on a new iconic edge in the remake, enhancing classic characters with new ideas that make something familiar feel different and exciting. memorable.
When it comes to where Resident Evil 2 ranks in the pantheon of the best video game remakes, there’s naturally going to be some stiff competition.
Resident Evil 3 Remake can’t match the density and focus of Resident Evil 2, so it’s not really a contender. And, to me, Resident Evil 4 Remake is a great game that falls short in one important area: memes.
I survived some campy moments that I absorbed through osmosis and watching friends play together, but I will forever mourn the loss of Salazar’s little hat and “No way, bro.” “Resident Evil 4 Remake” has a slick feel to it, while the original lacks that goofy, cute feel and therefore lacks character.
So while it’s still great overall (the intricate, interconnected puzzles around the lake and the intense boss fights are particular highlights), it’s still a disappointment in some ways. It’s an interesting example of how legendary, memorable moments can be viewed differently by a player base that’s attached to those moments and a development team that’s a little embarrassed by people laughing at their work.
But in a broader sense, I still think Resident Evil 2 Remake has almost everything it beats. When you see a game like Demon’s Souls on PS5, can you really say that it feels as good as FromSoftware’s subsequent games? Would you say that Link’s Awakening delivers a lot of original energy beyond its artistic style? Can you say that the sprawling, divergent, two-part epic that Square calls Final Fantasy 7 is really a remake of the 1997 game?
Resident Evil 2 Remake is a tight, focused, and perfectly constructed game that respects the past without being too resigned, pushing the entire series forward and revisiting past favorites. To me, this is an incredible way to play not only the Resident Evil series, but horror games in general. So while I’ve worked up the courage to check a ton of the best horror games off my list, and now when I can actually call Kojima’s upcoming OD one of my most anticipated games, I have Resident Evil 2 to thank Remastered Edition”.
Resident Evil 2 Remake Available now via PS+ and Xbox Game Pass. If you are playing the game, you can find all the necessary Resi 2 key codes and locker codes here.