Resident Evil 2 Remake: The Catalyst For Remakes

Following the immense success of the 2017 addition Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, 2 years later the first of the remakes was released. The Resident Evil 2 Remake created an enormous overhaul of graphics and gameplay respectfully compared to the 1998 original game. It is not far-fetched to compare the steps the game industry has taken between these two games, and the improvements in the remake exemplify this. The instant success of the remake has now branched into two new remakes. Find out why the remake was such a success here!

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Resident Evil 2 (Original and Remake)

A Two-Sided Story

Resident Evil 2 already had a story liked by fans and critics alike, so when remaking the game, the gameplay and graphics were put into the foreground. However, some plot points were changed or modified for the current times to make them more digestible for the consumer.

Players can follow either Leon or Claire, two similar stories with slight differences and story details. In the original, interaction between the two main characters was more prevalent, whereas in the remake the characters split up and have minimal interaction. Although the characters are in the same places, there barely meet, meaning their relationship is of friendly strangers. However when interaction does occur, their relationship blossoms with great chemistry.

The outbreak has worsened since the original game, whereas in the remake the zombies are harsher than ever. With the original having tame enemies compared to now, it’s evident that the remake had to cater for the evergrowing skillset of gamers.

In Claire’s story, you meet Vile Chief Irons. The remake makes Irons even more deranged and creepy, even though he was a tough character in the original. This amplifies the scene where you play as Sherry, escaping the clutches of Irons.

Sherry is introduced into the game with the new orphanage level, something rarely talked about in the franchise: the fact children can also succumb to the virus. The orphanage is a harrowing scene, with a narrative of children experiencing the outbreak and their possessions left behind.

In Leon’s story, you meet Ada, the love interest of Leon. Leon and Ada’s relationship differs between the two-game, where in both times Ada is secretly playing Leon but in the remake, Ada begins to develop feelings throughout the game.

Lighting And Fighting

Although the plot points help with the growing times of games, the graphics and gameplay standpoints are where the Resident Evil 2 Remake shines.

Lighting

The remake utilises ambience and scenery that the original could not. The 1998 game had a lot of lighting, the majority of rooms being lit up so much that it was easy to spot items and enemies, maybe too easy at some points. The remake overhauls this experience entirely. This is evident in areas of the police station, where areas are dark and harder to see. The game uses the flashlight to spot things when the lights are down creating an effective horror experience to the game, something lacking in the original.

Mr X

The tanky enemy of Resident Evil 2, Mr X, is a relentless force that can rarely be stopped. In the original, Mr X would only turn up in certain areas at certain times, and if knocked down, would reward the player with a small amount of ammo. Whereas in the remake, Mr X is relentless, still being able to be knocked down, but seemingly getting back up with no reward or incentive for the player. While a great addition for players, people who have less experience with shooting in games may find difficulty in the loud, stomping tyrant.

Expansion

In the remake, the addition of “Plant 43”, an area in the expanded Lab “Nest” is a terrifying addition to the game, introducing a new enemy type: the Ivy Zombies. These zombies had points on the body where players could shoot, instead of the typical shot in the head when tackling normal zombies.

Zombies And Lickers

The behaviour of zombies had changed as well. In the original, zombies were slow and seemingly benign in their aggression. The remake creates aggressive, lunging zombies which take any opportunity to bite a chunk out of the playable character.

Lickers are now more dangerous as well, the damage intake was increased and they seemingly became more agile and deadly whenever the character steps close (Pinning you to the ground, unlike the original).

Action And Bosses

Naturally, the time difference between the two games has created an enormous improvement in gunplay. The original lacked the right amount of hit registration that the remake offers to players in great force. For example, different spots on the zombie’s bodies will result in different effects when shot at. Headshots can result in critical hits, knee shots can results in the zombie staggering and defensive items like knives and flash grenades allows for both more survival and justifies the more intense behaviour of enemies.

These improvements in gameplay made for improved boss fights. Even though the original had the same intense and suspenseful boss encounters, the gunplay was lacking at best. With new aiming and movement capabilities, boss fights like Birkin in the remake benefited more in the long run.

The Resident Evil 2 Remake was a great choice for Capcom and has now spread out into two new remakes. Helped by the improvements in the game industry, the remake created a new dark atmosphere with improved gunplay and intense enemies. With the new remake of Resident Evil 4, it’s obvious the success of the RE 2 remake was the catalyst players needed to enjoy the franchise in a new light.

How about you? Do you think older games should be getting remakes like the Resident Evil franchise is? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!

Other things you might want to know about:

Is Resident Evil 2 remake successful?

As of its release, the Resident Evil 2 remake is one of the highest-selling Capcom games of all time. Here are some review ratings:

IGN 9/10
Steam Overwhelmingly positive 10/10
Metacritic 91%
IMDb 9/10
Eurogamer 4/5 stars

Is Resident Evil 2 remake long?

The remake has an estimated main story of around 6 hours, having some extra stories totalling 9 hours. For completionists, 100% gameplay could take around 15 to 16 hours.

Is Resident Evil 2 remake too scary?

The remake is marketed as a survival horror game, so it’s unlikely to go through the game without being creeped out or scared multiple times. If you are one for calmer games, then the remake may not be for you.

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