Revisiting Resident Evil 2

Casting a critical eye on the much-beloved remake

Capcom’s Resident Evil 7 was critically praised for revitalizing the aging horror franchise, but it also left people wondering where the series could possibly go next. Rather than moving forward, though, Capcom decided (much to fans’ delight) to return to the past — to a game that many fans argued needed some remake love. Resident Evil 2 (2019) takes the classic game and reimagines it for modern times. And, while it’s a largely triumphant remake, this version does bring some baggage along for the ride.

Let’s start by defining the parameters of this remake. In terms of story and plot, Resident Evil 2 is largely a complete retelling of the original. The shiny new RE Engine provides radically more fidelity to proceedings, though. Just as you did back in the late ’90s, it’s possible to start the game as either Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield, taking control of them at the point where they become stranded in Raccoon City following the outbreak of the deadly G Virus. Once you’ve completed one play through as Leon or Claire, you’ll unlock the second play through as the alternative character.

It’s not just visuals that have been upgraded here. The controls are radically improved over the original — the old tank controls and fixed camera angles are out the window, replaced…