25 years ago, Capcom releasedResident Evil, and the video game industry was never the same. Since the franchise’s launch in 1996,Resident Evilhas remained a powerhouse in the industry, which is reflected inthe success ofResident Evil Village. However, while newResident Evilgames continue to captivate gamers worldwide, it is no secret that its remakes, such as the highly successfulResident Evil 2, have significantly contributed to the franchise’s ongoing popularity.
Last week, Capcom announced that theResident Evil 2 Remakebroke yet another milestone for the company as the game reached 10 million units sold. The latest sales recordResident Evil 2 Remakeachieved makes it the best-sellingResident Evilremake and one of the best-sellingResident Evilgames of all time. However, it is essential to remember thatResident Evil 2is not Capcom’s only remake, nor is it the first. As such, it is worth looking at what makes it so special.
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Resident Evil 2 is Not a Shot-for-Shot Remake of the Original
In 2001, Capcom released the remake of the firstResident Evilgame, which is considered today one of Capcom’s finest works. Unfortunately,Resident Evil Remakedid not perform as expected, and for a time, many thought that Capcom was done with remakes. Finally, in 2019, after years of waiting, Capcom released the long-awaited remake ofResident Evil 2,which receivedglowing reviews from fans and critics. However, it is important to remember that, unlikeResident Evil Remake,Resident Evil 2 Remakeis not a shot-for-shot recreation of the original.
While the changes disappointed some, many were happy with the fresh experience the remake offered. First, 2019’sResident Evil 2reworked the plot by expanding the roles of minor characterssuch as Robert Kendo and Marvin Branagh. Even supporting characters such as Ada Wong, Annette Birkin, and Sherry Birkin received expanded roles that delved a little deeper into their personalities, backstories, and motivations.
Additionally, the remake’s enemies also received a major overhaul. For example, zombies, lickers, dogs, ivies, and more, became much more threatening than their original counterparts. Not to mention, T-00, more commonly known as Mr. X, has been reprogrammed, which makes him much more menacing. Instead of having Mr. X pop out during scripted events, the tyrant was designed to stalk players inside the police station.Mr. X’s relentless pursuit of the playeramplified the game’s horror element, forcing players to strategize and think of their every move.
New locations such as the orphanage and expanded sewers offered new areas for players to explore. In addition, the underground laboratory was heavily updated, making it look like an actual high-end lab harboring advanced bio-organic weapons.Resident Evil 2 Remake’sgameplay was also modernizedin favor of the third-person over-the-shoulder camera angleinstead of the fixed cameras of the original game. While the change of perspective did divide the fan base smack through the middle, it did make the game much more accessible to modern players.
But It is Still Resident Evil 2
It is essential to note that 2019’sResident Evil 2is not a perfect remake. For example, players were disappointed to see the removal of the zapping system that they loved in the original game. As a replacement,a B scenario was addedthat introduced slight differences such as new bosses, puzzles, etc. However, despite the many changes added to theResident Evil 2 Remake, one crucial thing Capcom was able to execute flawlessly is that the game is stillResident Evil 2through and through.
While the story was altered, many critical plot points remained the same, and the flow of the story is pretty much similar to the original game. The same is true for the remake’s protagonists, given that Capcom kept the personalities of both Leon and Claire identical to their original counterparts. In a nutshell,Resident Evil 2 Remakekept almost everything players loved on the original and added new elements that made the experience more exciting and terrifying.
It is worth remembering that the same couldn’t be said of theResident Evil 3 Remakesince a lot from the original game was cut out in the remake. Given the poor receptionResident Evil 3 Remakereceived, some are worried about whether the next remake,Resident Evil 4,would suffer from the same fate. While it is too early to tellhow Capcom would approachResident Evil 4 Remake,the studio will likely be taking inspiration from everythingResident Evil 2 Remakedid right that allowed it to sell 10 million copies.
Resident Evil 2Remakeis available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
