Resident Evil 2 (1998)

- Reviewed on PC -

Resident Evil 2 released on January 21st, 1998.

Developed and published by Capcom, Resident Evil 2 is one of those games that has become synonymous with the survival horror genre.

Even though I wasn't alive when this game originally released, I still somehow have extremely fond memories of my very first playthrough years and years ago.

Resident Evil 2 has been a game I've returned to multiple times, and after playing it so much, I can confidently say that the original Resident Evil 2 is still one of my favorite survival horror experiences!

This review WILL have Major Spoilers so keep that in mind before continuing...

Resident Evil 2 takes place two months after the events of the original Resident Evil, with Raccoon City now being completely overrun by the T-Virus.

You play as either Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer arriving in Raccoon City, or Claire Redfield, who is searching for her brother Chris.

After arriving in the city, both characters eventually find themselves trapped within the Raccoon City Police Department, also known as the RPD.

From there, things only get worse, as zombies, mutated creatures, Umbrella experiments, and plenty of other horrors await!

One of my favorite things about the original Resident Evil 2 is its presentation.

I absolutely love the old school, pixelated, PS1 type graphics.

There is something about the pre-rendered environments, character models, animations, and overall visual style that gives Resident Evil 2 so much charm.

Modern games obviously have much more detailed graphics, but sometimes less really is more.

The dated visuals can actually make some of the locations feel even creepier, because your imagination fills in the gaps.

Speaking of locations, Resident Evil 2 has some of the most memorable environments in the entire series.

The RPD, the Sewers, the Laboratory, and more are all locations that I can practically remember by heart after playing this game so many times.

Even when I haven't played Resident Evil 2 in a while, I can still picture where certain rooms, puzzles, items, and enemies are located.

That's a testament to how well these environments were designed!

The RPD especially is iconic.

You begin your journey through this massive police station, slowly unlocking new rooms and finding out that something has gone horribly wrong.

What starts as a seemingly abandoned police station eventually turns into one of the most dangerous places in the game.

The further you explore, the more secrets you'll discover, and you'll constantly be backtracking to previously visited locations to see what you can now unlock.

The main gameplay of Resident Evil 2 revolves around exploration, puzzle solving, inventory management, and combat.

Of course, being a Resident Evil game, you will also be doing a LOT of running away from enemies.

Sometimes fighting is the best option, while other times, you're better off saving your ammunition and just getting past whatever is in your way.

Inventory management is one of my favorite parts of the gameplay.

The HUD design is extremely clean looking, and you always have to think about what you're carrying with you.

Do you bring another weapon?

More ammunition?

Healing items?

A key item?

You don't have unlimited space, so you have to make decisions about what is actually important at the time.

This can result in some trips back to the item box, but honestly, that's part of the fun!

The herbs are another gameplay mechanic I really enjoy.

Resident Evil 2 gives you different types of herbs that can be used individually or mixed together.

You can mash and mix these herbs to create stronger healing items, which adds another small layer of inventory management.

It might sound simple, but deciding when to use certain herbs, when to combine them, and when to save them can make a big difference during a playthrough.

Of course, the enemies are also a massive part of what makes Resident Evil 2 memorable.

The zombies are the stars of the show, and they're exactly what you would expect from an old school Resident Evil game.

They're slow, intimidating, and can take up just enough space in hallways to make you question whether you really want to walk past them.

Then you have Lickers.

I absolutely dread seeing Lickers in Resident Evil 2.

These creatures are one of those enemies that immediately put me on edge.

Their design is creepy, their movement is unsettling, and encountering one can completely change how you approach an area.

They keep you on your toes, especially when you're already trying to conserve ammunition.

And then there is Mr. X.

Mr. X is one of the biggest reasons the B scenarios feel different from the A scenarios.

Having this giant Tyrant stalking you throughout certain sections creates a completely different type of pressure.

You aren't just worrying about the zombies anymore.

You have this massive enemy that can show up and make you rethink your entire route.

Mr. X is a fantastic example of how Resident Evil 2 can take an already familiar location and make it feel dangerous again.

The bosses are also great, with William Birkin being one of the most important characters throughout the game.

As Birkin continues to mutate, his boss encounters become increasingly disturbing.

His transformations also help show just how dangerous the G-Virus really is.

Resident Evil 2 also has four total scenarios to play through, which is a huge part of the game's replayability.

You have Leon A, Claire A, Leon B, and Claire B.

The different scenarios give you new challenges, different character perspectives, and changes to certain encounters throughout the game.

The B scenarios especially introduce things like Mr. X and additional boss encounters, making them more than just a simple repeat of the first playthrough.

Playing as Claire also gives you a different experience compared to Leon, and I really appreciate that Resident Evil 2 doesn't make the two characters feel completely pointless to play separately.

There are differences in weapons, story moments, and interactions depending on who you're playing as.

Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin also play important roles throughout the story.

Their sections are fun to play, even though I definitely wish there were more of them!

Ada's sections give you a temporary change of pace from playing Leon, while Sherry's sections provide an entirely different experience.

They are both short, but I think having more playable sections with these characters would have made the game even better.

There is also a LOT of lore and collectibles to discover throughout Resident Evil 2.

Notes, files, documents, and other pieces of information slowly explain what happened to Raccoon City, Umbrella, the viruses, and the various characters involved.

I've always enjoyed finding these little pieces of information because they help make the world feel bigger than what you're directly seeing.

The music and ambience are also on point.

Resident Evil 2 has that classic survival horror sound that can make an otherwise empty hallway feel terrifying.

The music knows when to kick in, while the ambience can sometimes be even more effective than a traditional soundtrack.

Sound effects also still sound great to me.

The various footsteps, doors, weapons, enemies, and environmental noises all add to the atmosphere.

One thing I will admit hasn't aged as well for me, though, is the dialogue.

I completely understand that this is a 1998 game and that there were obviously limitations with voice acting, recording technology, and everything else at the time.

I'm not expecting modern dialogue from a game released in 1998.

However, after playing Resident Evil 2 for so many years, the dialogue just isn't very interesting to me anymore.

I've heard it all so many times that it has lost a lot of its impact.

The dialogue also sounds extremely quiet to me, even with the volume turned up.

There were plenty of moments where I had to really pay attention just to hear what a character was saying.

This isn't enough to ruin the game for me, but it is definitely something I noticed during my most recent playthrough.

Even with that criticism, Resident Evil 2 is still an absolute blast to play.

The atmosphere, memorable locations, enemies, puzzles, inventory management, scenarios, lore, and overall survival horror gameplay all come together to create something that I can keep coming back to.

And that's probably the strangest part for me personally.

I remember my first playthrough years and years ago, and every time I return to the game, it brings some of those memories back.

Resident Evil 2 isn't perfect.

The dated dialogue can be difficult to listen to after you've played it as many times as I have, and I really wish Ada and Sherry had more playable sections.

But those are small complaints compared to everything else this game does right.

Whether you're playing as Leon or Claire, exploring the RPD, running through the Sewers, trying to survive the Laboratory, mixing herbs, managing your inventory, collecting notes, fighting William Birkin, or hearing the footsteps of Mr. X getting closer, Resident Evil 2 constantly gives you reasons to keep playing.

The original Resident Evil 2 is an absolute classic.

It's one of those games that I can replay over and over again, and despite knowing exactly what is coming, I still enjoy the experience every single time.

Capcom absolutely nailed the atmosphere, gameplay, enemies, locations, and replayability with this one!

Pros: 

    - Fantastic Old School Graphics

    - Great Sound Effects

    - Excellent Music / Ambience

    - Extremely Memorable Locations

    - Tons of Lore

    - Clean Inventory Management

    - Great Enemy Designs

    - Excellent Bosses

    - Memorable Side Characters

    - Great Replayability

Cons:

    - Dated / Uninteresting Dialogue

    - Would Have Liked More Playable Ada / Sherry Sections

My Rating for Resident Evil 2 (on PC):

5 / 5

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Disclaimer

All Reviews, Ratings, Pros, Cons, and Opinions Shared on this Blog (Press A Reviews) are my (Connor Butler) own Thoughts and Feelings.