Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 remake hits Game Pass, a chance to replay it

Resident Evil 2 was a masterpiece when it was initially launched greater than 25 years in the past on the unique PlayStation, and it was a masterpiece when it was gorgeously remade in 2019. Capcom’s remake is now on Xbox Game Pass for the primary time, and it’s one of many best suggestions I could make. It units the usual for a modern-day remake of a groundbreaking online game, and helped encourage final yr’s equally nice Dead Space remake.

For the horror-averse, Resident Evil 2 just isn’t for the faint of coronary heart. The remake is bloody and gory. The recreation is stuffed with stunning moments and well-earned bounce scares. The life like casting of shadows from a character’s flashlight has spooked me extra occasions than I’d like to admit. But as zombie video games go, Resident Evil 2 is immensely fulfilling, with intelligent puzzles to resolve and a satisfying, solely barely tacky story.

But don’t simply play the Resident Evil 2 remake to completion; I like to recommend taking part in it by way of to its finish once more. And once more. And then 5 extra occasions. Resident Evil 2 is value replaying till all of the meat has been picked clear from the bone, figuratively talking, as subsequent playthroughs provide new challenges, highly effective unlockables, and recent views on how to survive Capcom’s model of horror.

Image: Capcom

Resident Evil 2 warrants a number of playthroughs based mostly on its construction. Players have the choice of beginning the sport as both Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield, after which, after beating it, taking part in by way of a extra condensed model of the story as the opposite character. These “Second Run” playthroughs allow you to go to new areas, encounter totally different characters, and fill in gaps within the recreation’s story.

After beating the sport at the very least as soon as, I recommend the next: Beat it once more in below three and a half hours to obtain an S rank, unlocking a gun that provides you infinite ammo. Then take Resident Evil 2 for one more spin, this time with out the stress of ammunition shortage and with a newfound familiarity of the sport’s map and puzzles.

Revisiting the sport this week, I cozied up with my Samurai Edge pistol — the one with countless bullets — an unbreakable knife, and Polygon’s information to puzzles and protected combos in an try to full an S+ rank runthrough of RE2 on hardcore mode. That means I can solely save the sport a complete of thrice, and enemies are a lot harder to take down.

(*2*)

Image: Capcom

But regardless of the stress of taking part in on a increased issue stage, taking the sport in hourlong chunks between saves turns RE2 into one thing extra akin to a roguelike. I see how far I could make it, on this now-familiar place, earlier than I have to save once more (or die making an attempt). I’m nonetheless plugging my manner by way of it, in pursuit of securing its Platinum trophy, and searching ahead to yet one more runthrough after I’m achieved (subsequent, I’ll go for the “A Small Carbon Footprint” problem, which requires lower than 14,000 steps complete).

It’s a unusual taste of consolation meals, maybe, taking part in by way of a scary recreation again and again. It’s like a Saturday afternoon rewatch of The Shawshank Redemption or The Hunt for Red October on TBS; I do know the beats, I’m nonetheless captivated by the deaths and the drama, however I stroll away happy, completely satisfied to revisit it once more later.

When you’re achieved with Resident Evil 2, from a story and replay perspective, there’s much more. For one other replayable, shorter, however more difficult expertise, there are a number of Survivors modes. They’re value taking part in too, if solely to expertise the joys of battling zombies as a massive block of tofu.