The first Resident Evil remake set the standard for what people wanted from a remake - a mostly straight graphical upgrade with a few flourishes added in. The genius of the Resident Evil 2 Remake is how it completely changes the game while managing to retain the soul and feeling of the original.
The action and shooting in this game feels phenomenal. It's an ultra refined version of what they created with Resident Evil 4 with excellent feedback and feel to all the weapons. The game does a great job with making every encounter feel significant. The basic zombies in this game are challenging obstacles for once and every other enemy feels like they present a unique challenge. What the original Resident Evil 2 did over the first game was ramp up the scale of everything - rooms could be filled with 4-5 zombies instead of 1 or 2 like in the first game. This remake retains that. Zombies come pouring out of windows and through doors and it's an oh shit moment every time it happens as you scramble for that well placed grenade or have to think up an escape route. It's extremely thrilling.
Sense of place is always important in Resident Evil and the way this game recreates the police station is incredible. Little details are sprinkled throughout to make it feel more alive. Mapping the station is still incredibly satisfying and the game rewards smart and efficient planning. The other areas of the game (Sewer and NEST) are less thrilling but these segments are relatively short compared to the time you'll spend in the police station.
The most major gameplay mechanic is Mr. X. It's an ingenious addition especially in his sophisticated behavior. He's not just a magic boogeyman who teleports right behind you (most of the time) but a smart predator who will hunt you based on sound. The game does teleport him a few times, but it's always done for dramatic effect and works quite well. Mr. X forces you to employ all your knowledge of the game and requires you to have keen knowledge of the map and smart use of your resources. It's probably the crown achievement of this game.
The 2nd scenario I also felt was done well. While noticeably shorter, it did feel more different than the 2nd scenario in the original. While there's none of the "zapping" mechanics at play, I did appreciate how the game rewards you in the second scenario for knowledge gained from the first (remember to write down those locker and safe codes!).
Probably the most underwhelming part of this game is the music which is just fine, but Capcom wisely included an option to play music from the original.
I consider this a perfect game. Absolutely phenomenal in every aspect.
The action and shooting in this game feels phenomenal. It's an ultra refined version of what they created with Resident Evil 4 with excellent feedback and feel to all the weapons. The game does a great job with making every encounter feel significant. The basic zombies in this game are challenging obstacles for once and every other enemy feels like they present a unique challenge. What the original Resident Evil 2 did over the first game was ramp up the scale of everything - rooms could be filled with 4-5 zombies instead of 1 or 2 like in the first game. This remake retains that. Zombies come pouring out of windows and through doors and it's an oh shit moment every time it happens as you scramble for that well placed grenade or have to think up an escape route. It's extremely thrilling.
Sense of place is always important in Resident Evil and the way this game recreates the police station is incredible. Little details are sprinkled throughout to make it feel more alive. Mapping the station is still incredibly satisfying and the game rewards smart and efficient planning. The other areas of the game (Sewer and NEST) are less thrilling but these segments are relatively short compared to the time you'll spend in the police station.
The most major gameplay mechanic is Mr. X. It's an ingenious addition especially in his sophisticated behavior. He's not just a magic boogeyman who teleports right behind you (most of the time) but a smart predator who will hunt you based on sound. The game does teleport him a few times, but it's always done for dramatic effect and works quite well. Mr. X forces you to employ all your knowledge of the game and requires you to have keen knowledge of the map and smart use of your resources. It's probably the crown achievement of this game.
The 2nd scenario I also felt was done well. While noticeably shorter, it did feel more different than the 2nd scenario in the original. While there's none of the "zapping" mechanics at play, I did appreciate how the game rewards you in the second scenario for knowledge gained from the first (remember to write down those locker and safe codes!).
Probably the most underwhelming part of this game is the music which is just fine, but Capcom wisely included an option to play music from the original.
I consider this a perfect game. Absolutely phenomenal in every aspect.