With the game's release due out this week, reviews for the remake of one of the most beloved survival-horror titles are piling in from some of the biggest gaming and entertainment media outlets around the web. So here are what the critics think of Resident Evil 2's remake.
The reviews are almost all unanimously positive for Capcom's latest entry in the ongoing horror series. US Gamer gave it a 4.5 out of 5, citing some balancing issues with the difficulty in one segment, but overall enjoyed the experience...
Resident Evil 2 keeps everything that made the original special but reframes it through a modern lens. Raccoon City was always a great setting for a horror game, but looking back it was never more than a collection of alleyways and burning streets. Now though, it's a fully-realized environment, with dynamic enemies, terrifying bosses, and a home for smart, careful survival horror mechanics.
It's mentioned that the game still retains the two different campaigns based on Leon and Claire's individual yet intertwining stories. Players will be able to pick who they play as first, which will slightly change what the opening sequence will be like and how that sequence changes when you switch from Leon to Claire or from Claire to Leon.
This means you get two full playthroughs of the game, doubling your overall play-time and what sort of hour-per-dollar rationalization you might have for purchasing brand new AAA titles for $60.
The Guardian had no qualms about encouraging people to pick up a copy, noting in the tweet that it was a five-star gaming experience.
Several other outlets also mirrored The Guardian's enthusiasm for the revival of the 1998 classic that first appeared on PC, PSX and the N64, noting that it was basically perfect from start to finish.
Fandom gave it a 5 out of 5, really heaping on the praise toward Capcom for rebuilding the game entirely from the ground up. The Tyrant was also one of the aspects of the game that the reviewer enjoyed most of all, given that without loading screens breaking up the action between the police station, it now means that the Tyrant will trail you for longer and pose a significantly greater threat toward your well-being.
Overall, Fandom went in somewhat apprehensive but came out an unashamed fan...
When we first played this remake, we had some concerns. After the refreshingly different Resident Evil 7, we were unsure whether the full experience would do enough differently to keep modern gamers invested. Yet, impressively, those fears have been calmed. Thanks to its clever blend of old and new, Resident Evil 2 Remake resurrects the classic survival horror in a way that even series creator Shinji Mikami hasn't been able to replicate with The Evil Within.
It's not a game getting perfect scores everywhere, though. Some reviewers noted having anxiety attacks from the stress induced from the Tyrant's relentless pursuit of the characters during one segment of the game, others noted that the old-school 1990s style hunt-for-key mechanics might be a turnoff to some, while the over-the-top puzzles might dissuade new-school gamers from becoming invested. But, overall, most still agreed that Resident Evil 2 is a more-than-solid remake worth the price of entry.
Even still, with all the criticisms in tow, outlets like GameCrate still recommended the game for horror enthusiasts and fans of the survival-horror genre, writing...
This is the classic Resident Evil experience preserved in fancy new amber. It's immensely compelling horror, and a beautiful look back into the history of the franchise, and horror games as a whole.
Hopefully gamers feel the same way about the Resident Evil 2 remake in the same way that game reviewers felt about it. Most note that if you enjoyed recent action-horror and survival-horror games like The Evil Within, you'll likely find yourself also enjoying Capcom's remake of one of the most beloved games from the end of the 1990s era.
You won't have to wait long to get your hands on the game because it becomes available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One gamers starting January 25th.
