Resident Evil 2

Written by Tom Clare in PSOne Game Reviews, Friday 28 May, 2004

The Resident's Bite Back

Not in their wildest dreams would Capcom have envisaged the success that their low-budget horror game Resident Evil would receive. Released in 1996, it was a hit to match the popularity of the mighty Street Fighter 2, and would spawn a number of spin off's and sequels in the coming years.

The first sequel was always going to be the hardest though. By 1997, the developers were busy working on Resident Evil 2, with a hive of anticipation growing by the day as new screenshots were filtered to the press. But then the thing fans most feared happened - the project was scrapped.

Back to the drawing board. Eventually, an all-new Resident Evil 2 would arrive around 2 years after the original and, in Japan, become the fastest selling game of all time. But in terms of quality, could it live up to the first game?

Resident Evil 2 is a third-person survival-horror adventure, based in the ridiculously-named Racoon City, USA. The story follows two characters, rookie cop Leon Kennedy and biker-chick Claire Redfield. Leon is patrolling the city when he comes across some rather suspicious, rotting people trying to bite his ankles (just like on my estate then). Meanwhile, Claire has rode into the city looking for her missing brother, Chris (for anyone who remembers, he was the star of the original), only to come across similarly gruesome creatures. The two meet up in a diner, and use a patrol car to try and get away from the cursed area. But, before they can say "we're in this together!", an unfortunate and fiery crash see's the two seperated (by, as the game claims, "Inescapable destiny"). Their first aim is to get off the zombie-filled streets and meet up in the police station.

Things start brightly - whilst it's predecessor could only tend to handle two or three enemies on screen at once, RE2 throws half a dozen zombies at you in the very first screen of the adventure! The streets of Racoon City, though only really an introduction to the main bulk of the quest, are superbly realised - they are claustraphobic, cramped and dingy, with doomy music playing along menacingly in the background, making for a very atmospheric beginning. There are dozens of enemies in the first quarter of an hours play - it really throws you in at the deep end as many confrontations (like a classic moment with a crawling zombie on a bus) are unavoidable. The controls will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played a Resident Evil game, and it shouldn't take new-comers too long to get to grips with it either.

After reaching the Police Station, things start to settle down a bit, with puzzles taking main priority over action, at least for awhile...This, like the mansion in it's prequel, is the main hub for most of the game, as you'll spend a lot of time exploring the building for keys, clues and items.

Like in the original, you have the opportunity to assume control of two different characters, and Leon and Claire have a whole disc each to themselves! Things are a little different this time though, as instead of simply delivering the same adventure but with varying difficulty settings, the stories of Leon and Claire frequently crossover, and playing both characters versions helps you to understand how and why they meet up when they do. The two tend to face similar problems, but deal with them in different ways and consequently take seperate paths for awhile, before inevitably meeting up once more. Also, both have a secondary player whom you get to control for a short period of time, which is a nice addition.

The graphics were, in it's day, absolutely marvellous. Using the famous 2D static backgrounds that appeared in the first game, Resident Evil 2 is able to display staggering levels of detail in the scenery, whilst with some clever camera work, give the illusion of complete 3D surroundings. Locations are distinct, and the character animation is of the highest quality. The occasional full-motion video clips were also well ahead of their time - an especially good one is being introduced to a new enemy; a skinless, hissing beasty known simply as the 'Licker' - you won't rest easy for awhile afterwards. The only gripe graphically involves the action switching between two camera shots - there are slight (only if you're looking) pauses inbetween that can make for a slightly disjointed feel to proceedings, but nothing serious.

It's fabulous stuff - the wonderful, absorbing gameplay mostly covers up the fact that it doesn't really scare the player a great deal. Unlike Silent Hill, RE2 relies more on set-piece shocks to make the player jump rather than a terrorfying atmosphere. Surroundings are perhaps too bright and too open to create a claustraphobic feel, though there are some truly memorable moments lurking within - such as the appearance of a huge crocadile in a sewer. Waaaaahhhh! The gameplay mechanics are generally the same as in RE1 although the characters are slightly easier to handle and physical damage now effects movement - injuries range from a slight limp to near-collapse, highlighting the importance of staying at full health. The developers have greatly increased the variety of weapons on offer from the previous game, and so joining the usual suspects (pistols/shotguns/knives) this time around are Bow Guns (complete with bolts that stick in your unfortunate foes), Spark Shots (massive electrical discharge) and all manner of custom bits for your standard weaponry.

Resident Evil 2 appears to have taken great inspiration from two classic films - Aliens and Terminator 2. Comparisons to both are striking; much like in Aliens, the female lead (in this case Claire) will come across a poor defenceless girl (in this case Sherry), who unlike all the adults, has managed to evade the monsters without so much as a scratch, and would you believe she also has a habit of crawling through vents too! Also, the 'Licker' creatures dribble and hiss menacingly before pouncing on your character, reminding me of the good old Alien's of the film. The Terminator 2 connections are, in time, just as obvious; both T2 and RE2 took the direction of bigger-budget, more action, greater success, compared with their respective predecessors. A great little touch is the chance unlock the famous Gatling Gun that Arnie uses to mow down cop cars, though only after extensive play. This isn't the real reason I mentioned Terminator 2 however - as many have not witnessed, completing Resident Evil 2 opens up a 'Second Scenario'.

The Second Scenario's are mostly played in the same areas as the normal scenarios, except items appear in different places and there are a few new set-pieces to shock you. However, what makes this mode pant-wettingly scary is the inclusion of the Tyrant. With more than a passing resemblance to the Terminator, this tall, relentless character bursts through walls/ceilings seemingly at random, scaring the living hell out you. It walks very slowly, can absorb a lot of ammunition, and is frightfully powerful at close range. You'll be watching your back for the whole adventure, making sure he can't pin you into a corner!

The soundtrack is excellent. The echoing groans of the zombies are complimented by the wicked crack of gun fire, and background music that surpasses the excellence of the original.

There is very little wrong with Resident Evil 2 - I've never understood the complaints that have been levelled at the loading times between rooms, which are disguised rather well by a tension building, door-creaking-open screen. Elsewhere, inevitably there is some laborious backtracking to be done, as you wander around the Police Station looking for any missed clues or locked doors, and because your inventory only allows for a small handful of items to be carried around at any one time, you'll find yourself frequently having to put unneeded items away in Storage Boxes.

Resident Evil 2 is not a massive game as most should be able to polish it off within eight hours first time through. However, the addition of difficulty settings, two characters, alternate scenarios and even a couple of hidden mini-adventures mean that if you get hooked, you are guarenteed to get plenty of value out of this.

The 15 certificate suggests the violence within - it's no more violent than most other adventures though is certainly more graphic. Still, it wouldn't quite be Resident Evil if you couldn't blow zombies heads and limbs off... Still, I've been playing it for ages and I've turned out okay (wink!), but apart from the gore, you have to be a fairly logical player to get anywhere in this game - ammo must always be conserved and the puzzles, whilst never overly tough, can get pretty tricky at times. So it is aimed at adults but if your kids can tell the difference between the real and virtual worlds then it should be fine.

So Resident Evil 2 is a golden oldie - you can pick this up in almost any second-hand game store for a fiver or so, and even in 2003, it is worth every penny. Possibly the series finest moment to date.

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