Resident Evil 2

 GameCube
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15
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  1. Game Informer
    80
    Sound, suspense, storyline, and action make RE 2 a classic on any platform. [Apr 2003, p.89]
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  2. N-Insanity
    76
    As far as extra features being a reason to own it on the Gamecube though, there isn't much incentive other than having the full series on the GCN.
  3. Nintendo Power
    70
    Great story and challenging scenarios. [Mar 2003, p.136]
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  5. GamePro
    70
    A nostalgic experience with the Resident Evil franchise should always include number two.
  6. Nintendojo
    65
    Aside from the price, Resident Evil 2 is a worthwhile game and is an extreme necessity to those who want to follow the series' storyline but haven't yet played the title on any other console.
  7. GameCube Europe
    63
    The passing of time has paid its toll on this game, and Capcom did little to nothing to overcome this aging. The gameplay remains solid, but I don't think its enough to really enjoy the game, there are just too many shortcomings.
  8. TotalGames.net
    60
    Great news if you've never played the games before and have large pockets, but for those who hoped to revisit the entire series in the same fashion as they did the original, this is nothing short of a major disappointment.
  9. GameSpy
    60
    Upset as I am towards Capcom for the price hike, and putting the cosmetics rant aside, Resident Evil 2 is still one of my favorites in the series.
  10. Cheat Code Central
    60
    Enjoyable but dated... Considering that these are nothing more than the Dreamcast versions released a year ago for the low price of $19.99, charging an extra $20 is nothing more than highway robbery.
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  11. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    55
    A FRICKIN' RIP-OFF... [yet] still deserves playing. [Apr 2003, p.128]
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  12. IGN
    50
    Totally unchanged and -- five years old, just feels completely outdated.
  13. GameSpot
    50
    The most frightening aspect of Resident Evil 2 for the GameCube isn't the zombies that walk the hallways, the enormous spiders lurking deep within the sewers, or the other horrid denizens of Raccoon City--it's the fact that a mediocre port of a 5-year-old game retails for nearly the same price as an entirely new product.
  14. All Game Guide
    50
    Players are recommended to skip Resident Evil 2 if only to send a message that repackaged titles should be treated as such -- not as full-fledged releases.
  15. Eurogamer
    40
    You'll find yourself cursing the lack of inventory spaces, and the inability to drop objects (which was only introduced in Resident Evil Zero), and all told the trip down memory lane merely serves to illustrate how far games have come generally, and how forgiving we must have been back then to put up with such wholly irritating fundamentals.
  16. G4 TV
    40
    Even factoring in the many heart-pounding battles with gangs of bloodthirsty zombies, there's no denying that most of the game is spent walking around hallways trying to find a key or some other random object.

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Best GameCube Game of 2003
34
#34 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2003
18
#18 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 100 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 100
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 100
  3. Negative: 7 out of 100
  1. Griaule
    Jan 8, 2014
    9
    They said it's going be a remake. I still miss it. And no, the Umbrella Chronicles is not a real remake of Resident Evil 2, because it doesn'tThey said it's going be a remake. I still miss it. And no, the Umbrella Chronicles is not a real remake of Resident Evil 2, because it doesn't have the same atmosphere.… Full Review »
  2. XISMZERO
    Jul 13, 2003
    1
    Resident Evil 2 was a groundbreaking title - five years ago... here we have another no-frills Capcom port for $39.99 - unacceptable.
  3. Heisenberg93
    Jul 27, 2015
    10
    Here we are talking about a big shot. Very big. Hailed by many as the best chapter in the saga. I will talk about this game for what it is,Here we are talking about a big shot. Very big. Hailed by many as the best chapter in the saga. I will talk about this game for what it is, because that's how I played it. I won't waste time to whine that it is not a true GameCube remake as the first chapter, or that it has a dated and ugly graphic for 2003. I played often RE2 on PlayStation, but I never had the opportunity to finish it. Then thanks to Dolphin emulator, I could.

    The plot of Resident Evil 2 is up to the one of the first chapter. However this time it is more perceptible that behind the background about the biological disaster caused by Umbrella, there are personal stories: the first day of service for Leon, Claire looking for her brother, William Birkin and his morbid love for his work. The setting in the streets of Raccoon City, but especially in the police station and then in the laboratory creates a background similar to the one of the first chapter, and of course it works perfectly, even though The Mansion was most fascinating.

    RE2's gameplay is extraordinary, but I have to put one thing straight: after playing the remake of the first on GameCube, it is obvious how the gameplay of this second chapter will always have something less. The gameplay is the most classic and the most beautiful that can be expected from Resident Evil: weapons, ammunition, herbs, puzzles and a lot of zombies. However it is important the way in which the game manages to handle these elements. For example, the balance is almost perfect: the amount of ammo is always good, but never too much. You have enough ammo, but you know that you can finish them quickly, so you have to keep your eyes open and don't waste them. You're always on the edge and that is fantastic; the difficulty of the game is also excellent at lower levels, and this is simply outstanding. Speaking of puzzles, I was a little disappointed. There are few puzzles, in fact. Beautiful, but few. And not as beautiful and complex as those in the first chapter. The game has 4 scenarios, 2 with Leon (A-B) and 2 with Claire (A-B). It is interesting and nice the way scenarios are organized and only if you play according to a certain predisposition, have their way. In any case, playing one scenario over another is always fun because there is always something different. Something you didn't know, or something you missed. One very nice thing is the appearance of the enemy T-00, known as "Mr. X". It's interesting because that big bastard beast always appears when you least expect it, and in this way makes the gameplay more difficult, fun and scary. He moves continuously in the police station, he follows you, he enter breaking down the walls when you don't expect it or he can appear behind you. This particular enemy had a very positive impact on the game's horror factor, such as Crimson Head in the first chapter. The difficulty in boss fights is very high, even playing at lower levels. Playing one scenario individually doesn't last long, but having to finish all 4 scenarios will make the game last longer. Gameplay is still clearly horror and the atmosphere is great, but it starts to feel a more action tendency.

    From a technical standpoint, RE2 looks pretty good. And I don't care that it isn't a true remake. The graphic of the game is beautiful and charming in 2015, in 2003 and in 1998. And it always will be. Among other things, the game has an impressive and extraordinary cinematographic level, incredible today, but above all in its bygone era. The soundtrack is perfectly suited to the atmosphere of the game. The performance with the emulator is excellent and the game run smoothly fluid.

    Resident Evil 2 is clearly a survival horror masterpiece, a classic game that is reminder of an era, which provides a great quality, difficult to find today. I don't understand the criticism for GameCube version: I would have paid this game even 100 Euros, if I had the chance in 2003. We should be grateful for games like these, which in recent times are less and less.    … Full Review »
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