Return to Raccoon City with Resident Evil 2, out now
Both fans and newcomers have been hungry for the remake of Resident Evil 2 since the game was unveiled back at E3 2018. The original survival horror classic captured the hearts and tasty, tasty minds of so many 20 years before when it released in 1998, and the remake seeks to return to what made that game so special while delivering a brand new perspective on the gameplay and story. Will you let your fears consume you? Resident Evil 2 is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam!
What started as a bizarre incident in a mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City eventually became a nightmare for the city itself. Thanks in part to the actions of the Umbrella Corporation, reports of strange sightings and horrifying illness eventually became a full-blown outbreak of the living dead – and before long, nothing could bring a stop to the nightmare that would unfold across the once lively metropolis.
Days later, not knowing what awaits them, two fresh faces make their way towards Raccoon City. Street-smart and survival savvy college student Claire Redfield travels towards the city after losing contact with her brother Chris, a S.T.A.R.S. agent who investigated – and survived – the original mansion incident in the Arklay Mountains. Meanwhile, Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer who was assigned to the force shortly before the outbreak, has just been assigned to the R.P.D. fresh out of the academy, and disregards orders to stay away. As luck would have it, the two of them join forces on the outskirts of town… only to be ripped apart by a cruel twist of fate shortly after they arrive in the doomed city.
From the desolate streets to the iconic Raccoon City Police Department, put yourself in the shoes of either Claire or Leon and unfold the mystery of Raccoon City’s downfall. Resident Evil 2 stays true to the core themes of the original game, offering a true survival horror experience for newcomers and veterans alike. Limited items and inventory space will challenge you to decide what to keep and what to use in any given moment, while scarce resources will require snap decisions on what you want to use your weapons and ammo on. Shambling undead, terrifying Lickers, and more creatures await, and you can never be sure what’s around the next corner.
And that’s saying nothing of the terrifying Tyrant, a massive horror that will chase you endlessly through the halls of the police station. While fans of the original will remember this monstrosity popping up at certain points throughout the original game, in the remake of Resident Evil 2 the Tyrant will stop at nothing to chase you down and put an end to your escape… and your life. Your best bet is to simply escape when he’s around, but keep an ear open for those heavy boots that he stomps around with in his never-ending chase. The Tyrant will always be on your trail.
While Resident Evil 2 remains faithful to the original characters and story, there’s a lot more to explore across the city – existing locations from the original game will be expanded upon to give you a better idea of what happened throughout the city, while brand new areas, like the Orphanage, will offer a new experience to both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike. If you’re looking for a truly classic challenge, you can also play the game on Hardcore mode, which disables auto-saving and only allows manual saves at typewriters when you have an ink ribbon. It’s like 1998 all over again!
Once you’ve finished either Claire or Leon’s story, there’s still more to do. See things from the other side with the unlockable “2nd Run” mode, an alternate campaign which shows how things play out for Leon if you played as Claire first (or vice versa), and unlock fun bonuses like “Classic” costumes that dress up the characters like the 1998 original. On top of all that, additional unlockable modes are included, including The 4th Survivor, which expands on the game’s story from the perspective of an Umbrella agent, and The Tofu Survivor, a goofy bonus mode where you play as – what else – a block of tofu. Additional content is on the way, so keep an eye out for news about The Ghost Survivors, coming soon!
Ready to make the trip to Raccoon City? Survive in style with the Deluxe Edition of the game, which comes with additional costumes for Claire and Leon, a bonus weapon skin, and a soundtrack swap which replaces the game’s music with tracks from the original game! No matter how you play, you, too, can once again enter the world of survival horror with Resident Evil 2, out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.