Sequels in horror are usually a step down from their predecessors, but every now and then we find a sequel that's bigger, badder, and scarier than what came before. Lucky for Capcom that Resident Evil 2 appears to be in that camp. This fright-filled trip is more cinematic than the series' first outing, the monsters are more visceral, and the stakes are way higher! If Resident Evil was Alien, Resident Evil 2 is Aliens. Everything we loved about the first game cranked up to an 11 in this heart-pounding, city-sprawling survival horror experience! It is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Like Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 follows two protagonists. Rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy, and the college girl next door Claire Redfield. It's Leon's first day on the job, and what a day it turned out to be! He meets Claire; She's looking for her brother who disappeared after the events of the first game. The two enter Raccoon City to find it overrun with zombies and monsters alike! Unlike the first game, the characters here experience events congruently. So that door you've unlocked or ammo you've picked up as Leon? It's now unlocked, or gone, in Claire's respective version of events. It's kind of like flipping an old cassette tape, but instead of music it's a terrifying experience continuing from another angle!
Contributor: Markus "MarkUno" Slipton
Printed in Issue #45, March-April 1998
GAMEPLAY: Very Good
GRAPHICS: Excellent
SOUND: Very Good
PRESENTATION: Excellent
JET'S REMARK:Resident Evil 2 isn't content with telling one story with the option of two different characters. It's insistent on making both of those characters matter in each other's progress.
Review Station Last Stop
Capcom did the impossible and made a game that is even scarier than the original. Don't miss this incredible survival horror experience. This sequel is a masterclass in horror as a gaming experience.
