I have been fanning out all weekend. When it comes to replay value, Resident Evil 2 does a fantastic job reeling me back in to get all of the true endings. I must say that there is a big issue with Resident Evil 2 that affects me immensely but I know that I’m probably the only one who feels this way.
Despite who you play (Lean A, Claire A, Leon B, Claire A) you’re basically playing the same story 4 times. Every fucking boss fight is the same in every scenario with the exception of the final boss fights (Leon vs Mr. X or Claire vs William Birkin). Leon A will fight the same Alligator as Leon B, Ben will die the same way both scenarios. Brian Irons will die the same way in both scenarios. There came a point where the game became way too repetitive. I will also argue that the weakest point is the final act in the labs. No matter what you do you will do the exact same thing no matter who you play as. Fighting the same boss battles 4 times just really got to me, I often felt like I was cheated after I left the RPD. Playing as Sherry was extremely enjoyable but should’ve been longer. I felt that Brian Irons was short lived as a villain and can’t help to think that what if Capcom just made him more of a major antagonist and this all seems like a missed opportunity.
Ada’s side-play was weak. With the exception of using the hacking device, I really missed the way the original 98 game had her face off against Cerberus dogs, and giant cockroaches. Can we talk about the scenario B footage of the Umbrella unit getting an entire cut scene of getting ripped apart by William Birken. I was wholeheartedly looking forward to those scenes we wanted for 21 years: the entire helicopter crash, Umbrella team getting ripped to shreds by William Birken and of course Mr X getting dropped from a chopper over the RPD.
That being said, I think Capcom did a fantastic job bringing back the fear and beloved characters from the classic. Although, I really would’ve loved to have important moments brought back such as Brad Vickers, helicopter crash, Umbrella team getting murdered in the sewers and how no boss battle was the same in both A and B scenarios.
As I’m typing this I realize I may get shit because everyone is so obsessed with this reimagining of Resident Evil 2 but to me the classic will always have the best experience. If there was a way we could get the original experience but include the new Brian Irons villainy I think this would’ve bee perfect for me.
The Fourth Survivor and Tofu:
One of my favorite thing about the original Resident Evil was being able to unlock mini games where you get to play as Hunk, the only survivor from the Umbrella team who were murdered by William Birkin. You have unlimited time to run to the extraction point where a helicopter is waiting for you. Once you beat this you will be able to unlock Tofu and friends. Holy shit, this is where Resident Evil turns into Dark Souls. The original Tofu gameplay from 98 had you run the the sewers of Raccoon City to the extraction with only a knife. In Resident Evil 2 (2019) Tofu will respond in crazy Japanese and wield heavy weapons such as a mini gun, rocket launcher and Claire’s electronic power gun. The music that accompanies Tofu and friends ( I say this because there are multiple Tofus and a Flan you can play as). As Tofu, you get to annihilate the undead over shredding metal music in the most bonkers gameplay you could get from a survival horror game. The Hunk and Tofu mini games make Resident Evil 2 more fun than you thought you were going to get.
Resident Evil 2 was an amazing experience that honors the original game immensely with enjoyable gameplay, awards and extras. My only issue was that I felt like I played the same game 4 times with no changes in outcome, in boss fights or the cutscenes that were unlocked in the original B scenarios.
9.5/10***
Announced today: Classic skins will be available February 15th
