Took me 4 years to finish both Claire & Leon’s campaigns respectively (finished Leon’s in summer 2022), not just because I am bad at finishing video games, but I’m also a huge scaredy cat when it comes to the horror genre, especially games. Kind of ironic with Silent Hill 2 and RE4 being some of my favourite gaming experiences ever.

Anyway, this is fantastic, although I feel the sewer and lab sections kind of disappoint in atmosphere; the oppressive nature of the police station will always stick with me. Genuinely terrifying at points, a real sense of vulnerability with even one zombie posing a great threat. One of the most satisfying games to master, I feel. Maybe I’ll stop getting so anxious and no longer avoid these games for prolonged periods just because I’m a wuss.

This is probably my favorite survival horror game of the past few years. It takes most of what I enjoy about the older Resident Evil games (the exploration, usage of enemies as level design, and management of resources) and expands on them. It makes intelligent additions in places that make sense. Enemies can repopulate the map, fixing the issue where killing too many enemies could make the map feel safer, but it still feels fair and retains the permanence of enemies by having enemies spawn in ways that can be predicted and avoided by the player. Mister X also helps to keep things from ever feeling truly safe.
I will say the first half was significantly better than the second. Similarly to the original version of RE2, there's an increased focus on action. I don't dislike the game's action but it's not as compelling as what the first half focused on.

Ada's section can fuck off though.

A super-intense, oppressive, and rewarding experience.

I remember playing the demo a couple of years ago and being both excited and scared from it - by the end of the demo I was conflicted; the gameplay had a heft to it that felt great, and the survival mechanics were engaging. But it was just too intense and stressing, so I decided to postpone playing it then.

Having now finished both Leon and Claire's campaigns, I am so glad I went back to the full game. I absolutely loved it. The police station felt like a big puzzle on itself. The overall pacing is simply excellent. The environments are filled with objects and details that make them worthwhile to explore and appreciate. The inventory management and equipment progression adds a layer of strategy and challenge that's fun and rewarding on its own.

And then Mr. X shows up.

I felt like the stakes and the intensity skyrocketed once Mr. X was thrown into the mix. Hearing his steps nearby (with headphones it was so cool how you could estimate his location based on the source of the sound of his walk), the music escalating as he approached you. Terrifying and blood-pumping.

The story and characters are intriguing and charismatic enough to keep everything entertaining, although the dynamics of both Leon/Ada and Claire/Sherry felt a tad contrived or cliche at points, but also campy in a fun way.

REmake 2 is just on another level. Thanks to this game I am now obsessed with the series. Can't wait to bite deeper into it.