Resident Evil 2

"Resident Evil 2 rules. Why? I'll tell you why."

Introduction
Resident Evil, as most hardcore fans know, is basically the start of all the horror games. It all started with Resident Evil on the Playstation back in 1996. It literally opened up a whole new genre of video game that not many had seen before. Over the years, Resident Evil has come so far as to having movies made over it's popularity and success. This my friends, is by far the most kick ass game in the series.

The game starts you off as Claire Redfield. The sister of Chris Redfield, whom was a main character in Resident Evil 1. And a rookie cop named Leon Kennedy. They both have their stories for why they have come to Raccoon City and happen to meet up after being bombarded by a flood of zombies in the street. After a crazy accident they are parted and forced to survive on their own in a city filled with blood thirsty zombies. Sounds fun? Well... too me it is!

Anyways, the main part of the game starts off in the vicinity of the Police Station in Raccoon City. Finding clues and any survivors seems to be the goal unless you've played previous Resident Evil games. The game is mostly adventure, it involves a TON of puzzles that can lose you unless you keep track of the clues along the way. You'll encounter a dozen or more nasty lookin creatures, inspired and brought to life by the twisted minds behind the Resident Evil series.

Gameplay - 9/10
Pure fun. Shooting walking dead in the head with a Beretta, what can get better? How about a shotgun to the face? Maybe an incendiary grenade to create a walking fireball? Resident Evil has it all. I must admit though, the interaction with background objects in the Resident Evil series has always been lacking, but if this was real life, of course everyone would use anything they could get their hands on to beat a zombie wanting to feast on their throat. It just adds to the thrill and suspense not giving you that option, hehe.

There is a nice choice of weapons to choose from throughout the game. However like most games, the farther you get, the better you find. You carry them in an Item Inventory... which is way too freaking small. It's more realistic and understandable if someone can only lug a Shotgun and a couple grenades on them at a time compared to say 50 slots for anything you want considering how crazy some video games get.

The healing system is rather different. You find herbs(no not weed) that are naturally grown around Raccoon city and provide stamina and healing aid to the person that rubs/eats it(I have no clue how it really works). Another neat thing is how you can mix herbs to create different variations. Some have better healing properties and others can counter adverse affects like poison. But I will stress one thing right now, DO NOT WASTE THEM. Conserve as MANY healing items as you can. Try not to use an herb when you're in Caution. Orange or danger is always when you need to truly refill your life. Trust me, it's not fun when a 10 foot guy in a trench coat drops down in front of you and you're out of herbs clutching your ribs.

The good thing with that said however, is the save points. The saving system is unique in the way that you can't just save anywhere. You actually use a typewriter and ink ribbons to save your progress. And we all know in real life that'd be an absolute waste of time, but it's creative and gives more value to the game as annoying as it might be.

Control - 5/10
I personally have never liked the control settings in the Resident Evil games. Resident Evil 2 actually had a special setting for the Nintendo 64(that I know of) that enabled you to use the joystick to run around in circles. Yes, you would think that would be the standard setup, but sadly it's not. You usually get some goofy setup that can be irritating and frustrating to get used to as you accidentally walk into a zombie and end up wasting an herb to heal yourself.

Story - 10/10
Honestly, Resident Evil's Storyline is by far one of the most creative you will ever get the chance to learn about. For the simple fact that it is realistic in the sense it COULD accidently happen in real life. I mean who wouldn't want the scientists notes on how they genetically created a flesh covered creature with razor sharp claws that can climbs walls and lash a 5 foot tongue at you by direclty injecting it with the G-Virus into the brain?

To truly value the Storyline, I would personally recommend you play the Resident Evil games in sequence. If you don't, you will have a hard time understanding what is going on. If you are a book reader, then head to your nearest Barnes and Noble and pick them up as they are awesome reads. I personally own every book in the series and loved every single one of them.

Graphics - 7/10
Now, I may be writing this review about 5 years late, but I do remember the days of playing the same game over and over again having as much fun as I did the first time. And that's the main reason I write this review. In other words, the burning image of what the boss looked like in my head has not faded.

The graphics are amazing for a game this old. Resident Evil games have always had impressive graphics and backgrounds, more so the animate objects in the game, but nevertheless great. You will be able to tell the difference in types of zombies and what color an herb is before you go darting across the largest room you've yet to step in, to ask yourself "was this worth it?" as the sound of danger clicks behind you.

Sound - 9/10
Ever seen a truly horrifying movie with music that sets the mood in ways you can't understand? That is what Resident Evil is like. I'll admit, I don't find very many, if at all any movies these days "scary". But the nights I played Resident Evil 2 or any Resident Evil game for that matter, there was always something that bothered me about getting into the game after certain points. The all around environment, the music and quiet sound effects you struggle to listen to in order to predict what's up ahead wa down right nerve racking. I couldn't be more impressed with a game series that has truly gone where many movies fail to go.

Replay Value - 8/10
Like I said earlier, there are many extras in the game and easter eggs you can search for that'll give you quite a bit of replay value. Possibly other characters you can play with... heh, but I'll leave that for you to discover on your own. I personally have played the game 100% and have unlocked everything possible. I absolutely love Resident Evil 2. Its been a few years since I've played it, but I will always remember the fun of blowing the head off of a zombie with an upgraded Shotgun.

Overall - 8/10
Best Resident Evil game in my opinion. Everything about it kicked ass. If you're up for older games that have something new to offer, definitely give Resident Evil 2 a try. Hell, maybe you'll end up falling in love with the series like many before you have. Maybe someday Resident Evil will happen in real life and you'll think back to my review and how you played a game just like it that might save your life! No, just kidding. I wouldn't burden that upon you.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/08/05, Updated 08/28/08

Game Release: Resident Evil 2 (US, 10/31/99)