The game looks completely new, modern and spectacular
The authors decided not to do with little blood and transferred the entire game, which was released already in 1998, to the modern RE Engine from the recent Resident Evil 7. Accordingly, the graphics were completely redone from scratch, the characters now look not like dolls, but like living people (fortunately, they used motion capture technology), which emotionally gesticulate in dialogues and grab the neck if blood flows from there after a zombie bite. Locations have also become more elaborate, filled with details that make them livelier.
The authors also abandoned the “tank” control and a fixed camera, placing it over the shoulder of the heroes. The third-person view appeared only in Resident Evil 4, so in the second part it radically changes the feeling of what is happening. On PC, PS4 Pro, and Xbox One X, you’ll see it all in 4K and high frame rates. As a result, the new Resident Evil 2 looks and feels like a modern horror perfectly staged.
Everything sounds better too
The new version also pleases with a re-recorded, extremely authentic sound: here it is very realistic, one might even say “disgusting”, the sounds of bullets hitting the rotting flesh of enemies are reproduced. Therefore, the authors immediately warn that for greater effect, playing the RE2 remake is best with headphones, although the game also supports surround sound systems. A new soundtrack was even recorded especially for the game, although it is possible to include the classic one – it, unlike the graphics, is not too outdated. By the way, the usual heroes were voiced by other people: you won’t hear the voices of Ellison Kurt, Matt Mercer and Kurten Taylor, but judging by the demo, this will not affect the atmosphere in any way, the new actors do their work very expressively and emotionally.
Remake and scared in a new way
In the original Resident Evil 2, the fixed camera allowed for a special kind of tension. The player simply did not physically see what was around the next corner and on the next screen – there were zombies or “slimes” there, or there was no one. When the camera pushed us face to face with the monsters, we didn’t have to aim too much – we just frantically unloaded the clip at the enemies until they stopped moving. Therefore, the element of surprise and specific mechanics were the main artistic means of whipping up horror.
But in the remake, we will get exactly the modern horror. It is constantly dark around here, the authors competently play with light and shadow, forcing to constantly keep at the ready not only a faithful pistol, but also a flashlight. The severely limited third-person view forces you to nervously look around all the time and peer into the darkness. Moreover, the authors have noticeably changed the architecture of the levels and the location of the enemies. And if out of habit you are waiting for liquor to run through the window, then you may not see it, go further and only then gasp when it flashes in a completely different place.
Enemies are really scary. Zombies move a little faster than before, and the hero a little slower. At the same time, the walkers learned to move freely around the premises (there are no more downloads, everything is seamless), and if you have dealt with a monster noisily somewhere, then do not be surprised if soon reinforcements from several zombies arrive here. And they will also climb to hug, trying to devour us naturally. At such moments, the camera approaches, and we need to somehow fight off, push away or, for example, plunge a knife, which we then have to take out of the body ourselves – these are not ordinary QTEs, but live dynamic scenes. Therefore, now you have to accurately aim at the head of the enemies. Well, or try to shoot them rotting handles reaching out to you – the game has a very detailed dismemberment, and it must be used for strategic purposes.
At the same time, all modern directorial techniques work perfectly in the new Resident Evil 2. In the demo, in one of the very first cutscenes, we are trying to help the officer and pull him out by the hands from under the almost closed door … and we pull out only half of the officer. By the way, apparently, the authors will place a special emphasis on bloody naturalism.
Another important aspect is that the corpses of killed monsters do not disappear, and you will nervously wonder if the zombies will rise again (and those who walked in Resident Evil 2 loved to do this!) Or not. Although it is better not to guess, but just to be on the safe side, to hit the reptile with a knife or foot. And given the fact that Mr. X will now haunt the player constantly (and even Leon), it turns out that the remake will be scarier and more intense than the original.
New content will appear in the game
The plot of the new Resident Evil 2 hasn’t changed much. Two story campaigns await us: Leon Kennedy arrives in Raccoon City to start his first day at the local police station, and Claire Redfield is looking for her brother Chris here. Meanwhile, the city is already overrun with the walking dead due to the leak of the T-virus from the laboratory of the Umbrella company.
To see the full ending of the game, you need to go through both campaigns – it doesn’t matter in what order. At the same time, at some point we will still be able to play for Ada Wong and Sherri Birkin.
First, using new technologies, they updated and modernized old episodes, added videos, expanded some scenes and came up with fresh lines in conversations that allow you to work out the characters more thoroughly and interestingly.
They even promise some new plot branches – perhaps they are associated with the emergence of two new locations. This is an underground factory and an orphanage, where, of course, you will have to play for Sherri Birkin, whom the developers promised to pay more attention to in the remake.
