Capcom cemented the survival horror genre with Resident Evil. While the series has seen its fair share of boulder punching duds that go from cheesy, but thrilling horror to becoming the Fast and Furious of horror video games, that does not take away from some of the hits like the second entry. Later this month both players of the original Resident Evil 2 and newcomers who missed out, like myself because I was too young, will get a chance to grab the remake that will modernize the iconic zombie title. Here is all that you need to know before spending the money on a new game.
Is it a remake or remaster?
Original players might feel disheartened to find out about the many changes that will come with the remake. This will not be a remaster, but rebuilding from the ground up to comfort gamers and adapt to the modern gaming landscape.
Graphics have been beautifully enhanced because the old version might have looked gorgeous back in the day, it has not aged well. Credit goes to the same engine used from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard which gives a stunning facelift to Leon and all of the horrific flesh-eaters.
Plenty of gameplay mechanics will have alterations ranging from the layout of the world to the fixed camera positions changing to a typical third-person perspective. Not every detail has been listed on what will be different, but the primary goal from the developers is to maintain a balance of retooling RE2 for a modern audience and to satisfy loyal fans who dealt with nightmares and joy from the original release.
Separate campaigns
In the initial version, a different story was set for Leon and Claire. Instead of choosing which character from the beginning then playing as the other person after completing the chosen narrative, Leon and Claire will have their individual campaigns to play on their own.
New gameplay mechanics
Knives will allow for an escape when grabbed by a zombie. The knife will stick in the walking corpse, so after killing the flesh-eater, pick the blade back up. Knives will break down over time, so keep an eye out for replacements.
Wooden boards can temporarily barricade windows and doors from imminent threats.
Puzzle solving has changed, like Ada’s segments. Her new tool allows discovering hidden mechanisms and secret paths as an easier task and the chance to survive to rise.
Crafting has become an essential aspect of Resident Evil, one of which will be gunpowder, allowing to create more ammunition.
Framerate and resolution for consoles
PC players rarely have to worry about balancing marvelous resolution and slick framerate, but Xbox One and PlayStation owners sometimes wonder how a game will look and run. An option for higher framerate and lower resolution will be available. Capcom made the game to run in 4K at 30 frames per second, but PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will go with toned down, while still beautiful, graphics to witness all of the gruesome violence engulfing Racoon City while playing at 60 frames per second.
Release date and platforms
Resident Evil 2 launches on Jan. 25 for PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One
Want to play? Pre-order from the link below:
Buy: Resident Evil 2 – PlayStation 4
Buy: Resident Evil 2 – Xbox One
Header image via Capcom
Tristan Zelden 