Resident Evil 2 Critic Reviews

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

The stunning graphics, incredible survival horror combat and wonderfully eerie setting make picking up a copy of Resident Evil 2 a no-brainer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.