Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 on PlayStation in 1998 was one of the most enjoyable survival-horror games ever released. The remake continues that tradition and improves on all the aspects that made it great and the result is what could be the best Resident Evil ever made. It may even be the best horror title ever made just going by the sheer level of craftsmanship and detail. Is it the scariest? It is scarier than the 1998 original, but on current platforms such as PlayStation 4 one would be hard-pressed to find anything that's even half of its calibre. This is one that keeps on giving; highly repayable and full of interesting ways to keep playing, even after completing two campaign variations.

Resident Evil 2 is a survival horror masterpiece, and sets an unbelievably high standard for video game remakes. The unrivaled realism, terror, and difficulty creates a tremendous, immersive experience that, honestly, makes other horror games look bad. I can see this game living on forever in speedruns, let’s plays, and even discussions for the greatest horror games ever made.

It’s not just a loving restoration but a temple built on newly solid foundations, with emotional beats that genuinely resonate. It sets a new bar for what a video game remake can be, masterfully marrying nostalgia with modernity without quite being a slave to one or the other. And so barely a month into 2019, we have our first front-running contender for Game of the Year.

This isn’t just an old Resident Evil molded into the new Resident Evil formula. It’s a new take on Resident Evil 2 that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to “modernize” or “fix” the original. It’s more of an expensive, ludicrously polished tribute than a remake in the semantic sense, a project that has been in demand for years and quietly pursued for just as long. I’m glad it worked out so well.

For veterans who remember the original (and I reviewed it at the time), it is an unmissable nostalgic treat. For those who don’t know their T-Viruses from their Code Veronicas, the experience is easily vivid and entertaining enough to stand on its own merits. This is horror game design as true craft.

Whether you're a long time fan or a newcomer, Resident Evil 2 remake is an absolutely fantastic game. It's the best in the series yet and wholly outshined my most optimistic expectations. It doesn't supersede the original, but it's an excellent retelling, a wonderful update, and an excellent experience.

This remake is, without a doubt, the best way to experience Resident Evil 2. Not only is it graphically and mechanically superior to the original, but it contains new content and better characterization. This is especially valuable, as the original hasn’t aged well and its control scheme is more of a novelty that’s worth checking out. I’ll also make this claim: it is no longer a given that the often exalted Resident Evil 4 is the best Resident Evil to date. I’ll gladly argue with anybody who is willing that Resident Evil 2 is better. It is my hope that this debate lasts until the next Resident Evil game that, if Capcom is smart, will use this nearly perfect game as a guideline.

Resident Evil 2 is an absolutely phenomenal remake, one which is bolstered by the developer's renewed sense of confidence and a newfound sense of direction. Capcom has fully come to grips with what the series should look like in this day and age, and the end result is pure survival horror, retooled and retweaked for a modern audience. The Godfather of survival horror is back.

I can’t speak highly enough of this game despite really not being one for horror. It felt fair. It felt accessible (there is an Easy mode for people who want to feel less helpless). The original game has always been touted as a classic and I see why. This game was fantastic and despite it only being January I can definitely see this as a game of the year contender. Spectacular work and a must have.

The silliness helps tie together Resident Evil 2’s combination of genuine terror with baroque puzzles and excessive action, making sure that it is frightening but always fun. It has always been the ethos that has made Resident Evil such an enduring survival-horror success for over twenty years. This remake captures it perfectly, but makes sure it has plenty of fresh tricks up its sleeve to ensure it has as much of an impact on the here and now.

As a fan of the original game, this Resident Evil 2 remake has been an utter joy to play. During my time with it, I was constantly in awe of the love and reverence the developers clearly have for the original. The spirit of Resident Evil 2 has been distilled down, concentrated, and reconstituted into this beautiful, hideous experience that completely undermined all my preconceptions. Resident Evil 2 remade is not the cheap B-movie of its predecessor. It eschews the horror-kitsch stylings that made the original games instantly memorable, cuts down the weird, and plays it entirely straight. It can be off-putting. It can feel too serious. But this package delivered by Capcom is undeniably brilliant in its own right. It’s a love letter to survival horror, delivered direct like a bullet to the head.

Resident Evil 2 drags an all-time classic horror game screaming into the new generation, and will terrify both fans and newcomers alike.

I spent a week in Raccoon City, fighting for survival, solving puzzles, exploring locations to increase my firepower, and resisting the most powerful threats of this challenging game. Having finished the review, I will again return to the city of darkness and despair.

Resident Evil 2 Remake is everything a remake should aspire to be. It captures the feel of the original almost perfectly while updating and improving almost everything. It has its flaws, but nothing detracts from the excellent experience. It's fun, spooky, and everything Resident Evil 2 was — but even better. Fans of the franchise and newcomers should enjoy themselves greatly. If you like killing zombies, you owe it to yourself to try out RE2 Remake.

Resident Evil 2 is a breath of fresh (or should I say foul and dead?) air into the bloated world of open-ended gameplay mechanics that, instead of leaving the player feeling empty and exhausted for the amount of options, leave them with a constant sense of tension but knowledge and will to push on. Truly an innovation that proves its necessity.

2019’s Resident Evil 2 captures the vibe of the original perfectly, thanks largely to outstanding production values...Its visual design stands toe-to-toe with any contemporary work, with fantastic character models, dramatic motion capture performances and extraordinarily detailed and refined environment design. Just about everything is worth looking at a second or third time, either to catch a potential game clue or simply to appreciate its beauty.

Resident Evil 2 survives the horror of summiting a twenty-one year old apex. Time-worn mechanics, either left abandoned or considered obsolete, are accountably refashioned through an agile interface and a relentless commitment to creating tension. Resident Evil 2’s pervasive sense of dread, the handshake between past and present, remains delightfully, gruesomely in place.

A faithful remake that does exactly what it needed to do while adding plenty of its own ideas, Resident Evil 2 is now as terrifying in 2019 as it was in 1998.

Resident Evil 2 is a home run. There's just no other way to put it. By taking the heart and spirit of the 1998 original and combining it with the gameplay thrills of Resident Evil 4, Capcom has managed to outdo itself and in the process: make zombies scary once more. An early contender for Game of the Year.

Drawing inspiration from the simplicity of the original trilogy, the improved movement from Resident Evil 4 and the exciting, gritty realism from Resident Evil 7, the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2 is the greatest genetic success to ever come out of the Umbrella Laboratories. An incredibly fresh-yet-classic experience that sets new standards on how a survival horror game should be designed in our era.

More than simply a remake, this new Resident Evil 2 takes the whole classic experience from 1998 to a new level. Such a superior experience in every aspect.

Over the years, Capcom has experimented with several different approaches to Resident Evil, but this is one approach I hope gets revisited. Resident Evil 2 not only looks great, it plays well, and it forces you into a series of dark encounters that are a total rush. Resident Evil is finally running on all cylinders.

Resident Evil 2 is an old school game with modernized gameplay and graphics. Changes work wonders and it really feels like a fresh new game. With its terrific atmosphere and interesting story, RE2 is a big step forward for the franchise. This is a must buy, but not only for the fans. Everyone should play it.

In many ways, Capcom has achieved the near-impossible with the remake of Resident Evil 2. It’s a remarkable labour of design, iteration, faithfulness, and adaptation; a masterclass in knowing what to change, how to change it, and what to build upon. Sure, there are some slight niggles and design choices that perhaps long-time fans won’t appreciate but there’s no denying that Capcom has been bold in its design philosophy and has exuded a confidence and consistency in its execution throughout. The biggest compliment that can be levelled is how the game manages to elicit the same sense of dread and consequence that made the original a classic whilst injecting just enough complexity and modern sensibility to see it emerge from its namesake’s shadow with consummate ease.

Capcom did not want to call this a "remake" and they had every right to do so. This game introduced a set of new elements to the classic original which resulted in a fresh and modernized experience. A great achievement on all fronts for Capcom.

In every conceivable way, Resident Evil 2 sets the new standard by which the series should be judged going forward.

More than just a simple remake of a cherished classic, Resident Evil 2 is a reinvigoration of the entire franchise, showing just how much life it still has left without the need to make drastic gameplay or stylistic changes. From start to end, this is a phenomenal showcase of old mixed with new, both giving players the chance to relive an important chapter in the life of the series under fantastic new conditions, while also potentially paving the way for Resident Evil for years to come.

Resident Evil 2 plays its cards very well, and offers its benefits to a level of excellence that make this remake a title that's indispensable.

Resident Evil 2 is not a remake, it's a redefinition for the saga and for the survival horror genre. A triumph that mutate and improve the classic formula in unexpected ways.

Resident Evil 2 is an impressive remake; extremely faithful to the original 1998 game, yet more accessible. An authentic survival horror game that brings back the best moments we spent with the Capcom franchise.

Resident Evil 2 is the perfect remake. Everything, from the re-design of levels to the graphics, is a huge step forward. Capcom is no longer confused about the series; it is the old and beloved company we used to know.

The atmosphere of horror is overwhelming and proves that in 2019 there is a place for a Resident-like story in which the modern visuals heighten and not lessen the fear. It’s the best Resident Evil ever. [03/2019, p.40]

Resident Evil 2 is a wonderful recreation of a believed original that, not only recaptures the glory of that game, but also improves upon it from a visual and gameplay standpoint. All in all, don’t miss out on this one.

This remake not only honours the original, it makes it better. The result? Great fun and true survival horror experience.

By the end you’ll be exhausted. Relieved. And itching for more. In those dark rooms and corridors, Resident Evil 2 provides a challenge and then some. [Issue#159, p.87]

It may be only a remake, but Resident Evil 2 is amazing – a remake that is close to flawless.

This remake we’ve just been handed is something altogether fearless and perpetually full of surprises—a near-immaculate piece of survival horror willing to always put pressure on the player.

Resident Evil 2 is the closest you'll get to old school Resi whilst modernising the gameplay. The way Scenario B has been handled is disappointing but beyond that you'll find plenty of replayability across the multiple characters and modes. The puzzles and exploration will delight old fans whilst the improved controls are bound to create some new ones.

Resident Evil 2 is definitely worth the price of admission, especially for horror fans or fans of the Resident Evil franchise. The game pays homage to the original release while successfully updating the experience for modern audiences. It’s not perfect, but it’s close, and here’s hoping it inspires Capcom to remake other Resident Evil games in a similar style.

Resident Evil 2 sets a new standard for game remakes. Series veterans and newcomers alike will find a meaty adventure they can sink their teeth into with this title.

It's the best ever in the history of remastered games. Not only the graphical performance but also the gameplay as a whole feel like a 2019 game. The new Resident Evil 2 offers the existing fans a great opportunity to re-experience the classic horror and shows the best part of the series to the new generation of gamers.

Resident Evil 2’s remake highlights just how great Capcom’s first sequel in the Resident Evil series ways, but does it in a way that makes it the most compelling entry in the series thus far. It’s smart changes merge with the classic design expertly, while its atmosphere is rich thanks to gorgeous lighting and incredible sound design. It’s a reminder of the past, but this remake would be a fine direction for the future of Resident Evil.

Resident Evil 2 is an excellent remake, faithful to the original game but with a modern twist in terms of graphics and gameplay.

Resident Evil 2 is not only an entirely new game - it is also a great one. The sudden jump-scares are perhaps a bit unsophisticated, but they get the job done. Furthermore, the game offers a well-written story and over a dozen hours of pure fun, action, and puzzles. Amazing job.

Resident Evil 2 is an amazing homage to hardcore fans of the series, but at the same time is a great chance for newcomers to hop into the RE franchise. Extraordinary atmosphere and great gameplay mechanics for an unmissable game.

Resident Evil 2 is everything a remake should be. The game stays true to the original version, while also offering a totally new experience.

For a long time we had to wait for a worthy remake of Resident Evil 2 and to get straight to the point, every single day was more than worth it. Capcom delivers the most effective remake of all time, both visually and playfully, aimed at die-hard fans of the series as well as novices in the survival genre. The bloody splatter fireworks combined with great light and shadow effects and a sound design that miraculously supports the horror create a special atmosphere that players rarely experience.

Come, feel the history, watch it, touch it, marvel at how anyone a century ago ever got by in this crazy world full of chess-themed electrical plugs. But don’t forget where you came from, and honor those traditions, goofy as they may seem to us now, and you’ll have all the more fun for it.

Resident Evil 2 Remake is a survival horror triumph for Capcom. It translates the 1998 original onto modern hardware with an experience that feels fresh, exciting and absolutely terrifying to play. Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield deliver uniquely excellent campaigns who, despite clearly being cut from the same cloth, distinguish themselves enough to make this the definitive version of the beloved classic. It isn’t perfect, arguably confined by the blueprint it established more than 20 years ago, but as a recreation of the source material, it’s almost note perfect.

Resident Evil 2 is more than a remake of a classic game, it's one of the most accomplished horror titles you'll play for a long time.

Resident Evil 2 is loyal to the original where it counts, while also upgrading the experience with beautiful visuals and modern gameplay conveniences. It’s so loyal that newcomers might find it a touch archaic, but for fans of the original, it’s an absolute joy to play, and a fantastic horror game in its own right.

Don't labor under the delusion that, if you played the original Resident Evil 2, that you should skip this one for some reason. There’s no excuse of “I’ve already played the original, so I don’t need to grab this one.” You couldn’t be more wrong if that’s your line of thinking. From top to bottom, this is already an early contender for Game of the Year 2019, and one of the greatest reasons ever to be a survival horror fan.

Capcom did a fantastic job of resurrecting all the best parts of the classic Resident Evil 2 and making them look, sound, and play like a 2019 game. If you’re of the mind that the series had lost its way for a while there, this game is very much a return to form. The zombie combat is satisfying and exploring the dilapidated ruins of Raccoon City is a thrill. The one big letdown is that the two characters’ stories aren’t different enough to make the second playthrough as rewarding as the first, even after unlocking the 2nd Game mode. But whichever you choose to play as, the experience of playing through the new Resident Evil 2 for the first time establishes a new standard for remaking classic games.

The sense of fear and terror when playing Resident Evil 2 never leaves you. It’s unlike anything else I’ve encountered in a Resident Evil game previously. I’m just going to go ahead and call it: Resident Evil 2 is the best Resident Evil game in the franchise and represents a series and developer at its peak. Don’t be distracted by the pretty graphics and gore, Resident Evil 2 is straight-up dangerous.

Resident Evil 2 manages to remain faithful to the original while simultaneously feeling new and modern. Superb visuals bring everything to life, emphasizing the constant sense of terror. Puzzles are brilliantly balanced, and slowly escaping the RPD by uncovering its many mysteries is incredibly rewarding. Meanwhile, new additions like the secondary weapons and defensive herb increase the depth of consistently dangerous combat encounters. Whether this is your first trip to Raccoon City or one-thousandth, you are not prepared for the horror that awaits.

Like Sony with Shadow of the Colossus, Capcom gives us a wonderful remake with Resident Evil 2. A game that knows how to keep the original DNA of the franchise while modernizing other aspects. Surely a very good survival horror game and a must-buy for 2019.

A fantastic big budget remake of one of Resident Evil’s most popular entries, that manages to look state-of-the-art but in terms of gameplay finds a perfect balance of old and new.

This Resident Evil 2 remake is a phenomenal update of a classic game. It combines the best of the original's narrative and puzzles with the ammo crafting of Resident Evil 3 and the action gameplay of Resident Evil 4 to create a hybrid that still manages to feel like classic Resi. Old fans will enjoy the nostalgic retread of Racoon City in all its newfound glory, whilst newcomers will get to experience one of the finest episodes of the series as it should be. The remake has been more than worth the wait, and the evil of the Umbrella Corporation is back in residence at the top of the survival horror pile once more.

Aside from the disappointing 2nd Run scenarios, I feel confident in saying that this is the best Resident Evil game ever released. It brings back everything that fans loved from the PS1 classic, and presents it in a fresh, modern way that's both exciting and nostalgic in a modern age.

Capcom gave clamoring fans exactly what they wanted. Each part of the experience whether it is the story, gameplay, visuals, or audio have all come together making Resident Evil 2 a fabulous complete package. While minor annoyances do exist, Resident Evil 2 (2019 edition) is about as flawless as one could hope for. Bottom line, Resident Evil 2 is an outstanding remake and one you can purchase with confidence.

Most of the spirit of the original has been preserved and in many cases, enhanced.

Resident Evil 2 is likely the single most excellent video game remake ever created and I'm hard-pressed to think of anything else that could even compare.

Resident Evil 2 Remake is the quintessence of the very concept behind the term "remake": a modern game, which has not forgotten its origins and presents the same soul of 20 years ago, able to amaze both the neophytes and the nostalgics.

Resident Evil 2 is exactly what it was supposed to be, what we wanted it to be: a stunning reincarnation of some of our best videogame memories. Welcome back to Raccoon City.

Though Resident Evil 2 has its roots firmly in the past, it reworks the familiar horrors into something that feels brand new and all its own.

Capcom has not only recreated Resident Evil 2, but entirely redesigned it to be a bigger and more robust horror experience. The sense of dread and tension they created is unwavering throughout each of the six-hour campaigns. The choices they made only help expand upon the characters and the overall universe, along with making the gameplay a little easier for more people to survive this unforgiving world.

An impressive modern interpretation of the survival horror classic, showing that after Resident Evil 7, this is the horror franchise to beat. This is the new gold standard for remakes.

Resident Evil 2 is certainly propped up by being a remake of an already excellent game, but it doesn’t simply lean on that legacy. There’s so much great work being done to revitalize the experience for a modern audience, and those efforts deserve to be experienced. Nostalgic fans already got their preorders, but for newcomers - you need to summon your courage, turn off all the lights, and let this game fill you with dread - because it’s worth it.

The remake of Resident Evil 2 is the ultimate survival horror experience that takes Mikami’s successful formula and shapes it to greatness. Resident Evil 2 remake is so good that I personally hope that Capcom focuses more on remakes instead of making new RE titles.

In spite of its progression carrying the weight of the years and its strongly cliche scenario, Resident Evil 2 remains an exciting game in its mode of thought, its inventiveness and its execution.

Resident Evil 2 is a polished, respectful remake of a survival horror classic that probably would have benefited from a slightly more daring approach. Hints of a braver revamp are sprinkled throughout, but it doesn’t take the risks necessary to join the canon of truly great video game remakes. Make no mistake though, if you loved the original Resident Evil 2, you’ll likely love the remake, and new players who can tolerate a few old-school quirks ought to have gruesome good time as well.

Resident Evil 2 excels at putting the player in close quarters with things that will upset and unsettle them, always drawing them into ever more tense, disturbing fights.

Modern additions to the classic Resident Evil formula have made Resident Evil 2 an excellent remake although I am a little disappointed with how the 2nd Run campaigns are handled.

Resident Evil 2 is an excellent remake that takes great stuff from the original and adds something to that. It does make the game pretty different, but that works.

Resident Evil 2 Remake initially seems to be the perfect marriage between the fear of the classic Resi's and the power fantasy of the more modern ones, but sometimes the combination of these two worlds did not feel right. Then again: a good Resident Evil definitely doesn't feel right... right?

When this enthralling hybrid is delivering blood by the bucketload and thrills by the dozen, you won't exactly be thinking about what it isn't. [Issue#330, p.110]

This is not a horror game or even a survival horror game so much as it is a Resident Evil game — Resident Evil 2 is the Resident Evil game...Because of that, Resident Evil 2 can feel overwhelmingly formal. It’s slick and splendid, but also rigid. In excising all the flaws of past entries, Resident Evil 2 loses the unpredictability of the tradition it seemingly codifies. This is a remake, a returning to the serieses roots and, presumably, a commitment to a new path forward. Resident Evil 2 soars as a definitive statement of intent after a decade of recentering. Beholden to the past as this game is, it’s a promising new beginning. Now that Resident Evil has found itself, it will be exciting to see what kind of gross hot-dog dinosaur it mutates into next.

While Resident Evil 2 could have bettered its story structure for 2019, there’s no denying that Capcom has delivered an impressive remake fully worthy of its title. The scares, classic environments, and drama are all fully intact. With voice performances that aren’t laughable and an upgrade to the audio, it all feels way more believable and authentic. Resident Evil 7 may have showed us that the series could exist as a first-person franchise, but Resident Evil 2 proves Capcom has plenty more to offer in the future.

Recreating Resident Evil 2 20 years later was no easy task but Capcom pulled it off. Resident Evil 2 was handled with love and care and it shows. 2019's Resident Evil 2 is a wonderful Survival Horror that is both terrifying and fun to play. Fans old and new will have a great time with the game. Our only, and minor, complaint is that we wish the remake added more new story content to the original storyline. But other than that, Capcom did the original game justice.

A beautifully made and reverent take on the original game that works both as a remake and a completely new game.

A wonderful reimagination of a beloved classic, Resident Evil 2 hits home with great atmosphere and horror-inducing gameplay. Some slight tempo issues aside, this is a must buy for virtually every survival horror fanatic out there.

Resident Evil 2 might be one of the most accomplished remakes of the generation. A number of mechanics have been updated and introduced in order to bring the game into the modern era, but this is still very much the classic experience you remember – inventory management, limited ammunition, and all. Capcom has lovingly recreated every historic location and moment you remember from 1998, and you owe it to yourself to witness that spectacle first-hand.