December 5, 2018, 3:57 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Zombies, puzzles, and a constant sense of unease: These elements made Resident Evil a global success in the mid-1990s. On January 25, a remake of the second installment of the survival horror series will be released. TECHBOOK had the opportunity to play the adventure of protagonists Leon and Claire in advance.
With Resident Evil 7 from January 2017, developer Capcom gave the aging franchise a fresh start. Almost exactly two years later, the next part of the series is hitting the market. However, instead of a completely new game, it’s a remake of Resident Evil 2. The original was first released in March 1998 for the PlayStation 1 and allowed players to take on the roles of multiple characters within two major storylines. The game came on two CDs—one for Leon S. Kennedy’s story, and one for a similar story from Claire Redfield’s perspective. The remake comes on a single disc but again offers both stories. Even for veterans of the series who remember the original, there’s plenty of new experiences to be had.
First Look at Resident Evil 2
The first thing you notice is that Capcom uses an over-the-shoulder view in the remake, known from the sixth installment of the series. So, neither the first-person perspective from the latest Resident Evil game nor the static cameras from the original are present. The game was tested on a PlayStation 4 Pro and was graphically impressive. The characters look great not only in cutscenes but also in the game itself. Animations and outfits appear very realistic. For example, when Leon first steps outside, players are treated to beautiful rain effects. The character frequently wipes water off his body. Ada’s red dress and trench coat are also a visual delight. The environment, however, is kept simple, often featuring the same metal barrels repeatedly.
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Mix of Puzzles and Horror
The game section we tested places a strong emphasis on puzzles. Particularly the part involving the mysterious Ada (part of Leon’s story) delivers one puzzle session after another. A device called the “EMF Visualizer” is used, which can hack electronic control boxes even through walls, opening new sections of the game. However, those expecting relaxed puzzle-solving are mistaken, as the game sends various creatures and zombies after the player. While the latter can be relatively easily shaken off with targeted shots to the knees, with monsters like the Tyrant, the only option is to solve puzzles, run away, solve more puzzles, run again, and eventually finish the puzzles.
No Wild Shooting
Resident Evil stays true to its roots and creates additional tension through scarce ammunition and rare save opportunities. Those who try to take down every zombie will quickly find themselves with an empty weapon. It takes at least 5-6 pistol shots to bring down a zombie in the game, even with headshots. Running away is often the better option, and that’s intentional. After all, that’s the essence of survival horror games. While the zombies aren’t fast, you shouldn’t linger too long in one spot once they’ve picked up your trail. If the walking dead catch the player three times, it’s game over, and you return to the last checkpoint. After each hit, the character loses speed. Of course, there’s also the option to heal with various herbs to last longer. Additionally, a flash grenade in the inventory can fend off a zombie attack.
If you die frequently at a certain point, a simplified mode is offered. In this mode, enemies deal less damage, and your health automatically regenerates. However, once you switch to this mode, there’s no going back. This might affect unlockable items or alternative endings, but that’s pure speculation at this point. Speaking of speculation: During the journey through the linear levels, a hidden, small figure was spotted upon close inspection, which emits a shrill sound when shot. Could there be more of these hidden in the game, and what might their discovery bring? Still unclear!