Product Description

Survival horror that expanded the zombies theme from a haunted mansion to an entire city of brain-eating, gun-blazing terror.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3959 in Video Games
• Brand: Capcom
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: PlayStation
• Number of items: 1

GameSpot Review
Resident Evil 2 is the first really big, ultrahyped blockbuster of '98, and what Capcom has pulled off is more an interactive, cinematic experience than a video game. Seriously. Picking up a few months after the events of the first game, RE2 sees the entire town of Raccoon City hit with the devastating virus that zombified only a few dozen folks in the original Resident Evil. It's up to rookie cop Leon Kennedy, and Claire Redfield, sister of one of the main RE characters, to save not only themselves but any and all survivors, to boot. The gameplay remains basically the same as before: As one of two characters, you solve puzzles and shoot monsters. The original Resident Evil featured two playable personas as well, although the differences between the two weren't incredibly significant. One could carry more items than the other could, while the other was easier to play, and they both had their own distinct storylines. In Resident Evil 2 the differences between the two are a bit more interesting. For example, Claire starts off with a lock pick, while Leon begins with a lighter, which alone changes the order in which the game's puzzles must be solved. Each character also finds different weapons along his or her quest. For instance, Claire will find a grenade launcher, however when playing as Leon, a shotgun will be in its place. In addition, Leon and Claire encounter a string of different characters throughout the game, so naturally their stories don't unfold in nearly the same way. The subtle changes between Claire and Leon don't make each character's story feel completely different, but they're enough to make you want to know what happens further into the game. On top of that, once you play through the game as one character, a second scenario is opened up for the other - for instance, win the game with Claire and you'll unlock Leon's alternative scenario. (It's kind of like Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, where you see how one situation or scenario looked from another character's perspective.) And since both characters are supposedly running through the many locations of Raccoon City at the same time, the things you do in the first scenario will affect the other character in his or her second scenario. For instance, if you pick up the submachine gun with Leon the first time out and you later go to the same place with Claire, the submachine gun won't be there. Admittedly, it's mostly cool in concept, since it really doesn't come into play that much. What really makes Resident Evil 2 so amazing is simple: It has more of what people liked about the first Resident Evil - weapons, ammo, creatures, and most importantly, many, many instances when you'll be genuinely scared. If you played the first game, you're sure to remember that your first encounter with a zombie took your breath away, and that you ran scared from the game's boss. These types of terrifying moments are commonplace in Resident Evil 2, and the effect is awesome. How does it scare you? Well, as in the great classic horror movies, it's a combination of eerie low-key mood music and sound effects such as a lone dog howling at the moon in the distance (that could just be right in the next room), followed by loud, shrieking music played perfectly on cue and sudden jolts of terror, like the arms of a zombie bursting through a boarded up window, right as you happen to be walking by. Things like that. Of course Resident Evil 2 comes with all of the trimmings: 3D-rendered backgrounds with 3D polygonal characters running through them. Visually, it looks a lot like the first Resident Evil game, except with incredibly improved graphics and character animations. For example, the heroes, zombies, and other creatures now all move with true realism, with head-tracking effects that make them look at what is near them (like a rabid dog or a zombie eating a dead policeman). Also improved over the original is that you can tell the extent of your character's injuries simply by looking at his or her body language instead of having to repeatedly check the status screen to see how hurt your character is. There are one of three states: perfectly functioning, holding the side in pain but still functioning properly, and unable to run and in horrible pain. This damage system is both effective and cool. This isn't to say Resident Evil 2 is flawless though, as there are some points that could have been improved. Some of the puzzles just seem a little out of place and might make more sense in a different setting... a police station that has a room with three large statues, one with a ruby in its hand, and some sort of pressure-sensitive floor that triggers the ruby to fall out of the statue's hand? C'mon! It's not as much a problem as the inventory management system, which hasn't been changed at all. As in the first RE, you are only allowed to carry eight items at any time (except for an item that allows you to carry a few more items). You must mindlessly keep bringing items to and retrieving them from these "magical" storage bins that somehow share contents with aother bins, and always seem to be really, really far from where you are. If realism is what the developers were shooting for, as it seems to be in RE2, then you should have the ability to set items down wherever and pick them back up again at your leisure, and you should be able to carry more things, too. Really, a key and a rocket launcher don't take up the same space or weigh nearly the same. But in the end, Resident Evil 2 is one of the most entertaining games I've ever played. With its unique camera angles, storyline, graphics, sound effects, and music, Resident Evil 2 seems more like a product out of Hollywood than the video game industry. Resident Evil 2 surpasses its predecessor in nearly every aspect of gameplay, and in short, Capcom has outdone itself.--Ryan Mac Donald--Copyright © 1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Customer Reviews

The best in the series, and one of my favorite PSX games
Resident Evil 2: Greatest Hits (2000). The re-release of the 1998 blockbuster sequel to Capcom's survival horror series.

When the Playstation first started out, one of the first games to put the system on the map was Capcom's first foray into survival horror games, Resident Evil. Aside from the earlier series Alone In The Dark, Resident Evil was the first game of its kind to really bring the survival horror genre to life, complete with various puzzles and zombie blasting action. Since RE1 managed to build up a solid fanbase, Capcom was soon called to make a sequel the following year. Initially, they had 60% of the game completed and it was supposed to be released in early 97, but the creators weren't satisfied with the way it was going, saying that "it needed a huge overhaul". So the original plans were scrapped, forcing the fans to wait longer. But come early 1998, the wait was well worth it when Capcom unleashed the new and improved sequel, THE must-own PSX game of 98.

RE2 was the first title in the series I played, and from the get-go, I was hooked. When I say that it's the best RE title to date, I'm not joking, as just about everything from the first game went through a MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT. I'm very glad that Capcom ditched their original plans so that a better sequel could be made. Now I'm not trying to turn this review into just gushing praise, but honestly there's so much to like about this game that beats out the original.

For starters, the graphics are VASTLY superior to the first-generation visuals of the previous game. The character models are much more detailed, the still-screen environments are more vibrant (but dark and pale enough to convey the game's atmosphere), and the crappy B-movie quality intro of the original is gone in place of excellent CG movies. The characters and monsters, while still somewhat blocky, are all brought to life much better now with numerous animations, such as head tracking, and physical gestures during cutscenes. Also, when your character takes damage, you can now tell how hurt they are by the way they walk. If they hold onto their side and limp on one foot, you know that they're close to death. In addition, the newer game engine allows many more creatures to be in the area at one time, like when you stumble into a room with 7 zombies.

Secondly, the sound is brought more into the front this time, with howls and screams of the monsters standing out more so than in the last game. It's especially noteworthy when something suddenly jumps through glass or breaks a wall. When this happens, you'll definitely jump out of your seat. As far as scares go, it'll certainly keep you on the edge until the end. Same thing with the musical score. Compared to the last game, the music is quite a bit more chilling and it seems to know just when something will come out after you. And most importantly, the voice acting is thankfully much better this time around. It's not perfect, but the dialogue and characters are very believable. For instance, Leon's character shows real determination, Claire is quite sympathetic yet assertive, and Chief Irons comes off as just plain creepy. These traits help distinguish the characters.

The story is also brought out very well. Just a few months after the events in the first game, Raccoon City is overtaken by the T-Virus, and nearly every citizen has been turned into a zombie. Two outsiders, a rookie cop named Leon Kennedy, and Chris Redfield's (from the first game) younger sister Claire, wander into the monster infested city. The two get split up from one another only to end up in the police station. They soon find more characters and monsters to contend with, and discover the deep secrets of the Umbrella Corporation as the game goes on.

The controls for the most part remain the same as in the first game, as do the menu options. You still have to backtrack often to "item boxes" to store items you can't hold in your limited inventory menu. This grows tedious, but oh well. I did find that the controls are a bit more responsive this time around. The characters have plenty of differentiation in gameplay, such as how Leon starts with the lighter, whereas Claire can open locks. Plus, both feature different weapon arsenals, so there are plenty of guns.

Perhaps the best aspect of the game is the alternate scenario options introduced for the first time. What this means is that if you started and beat the game as Leon, you then play through the same story through Claire's perspective, and vice versa. The alternate scenario takes place in most of the same areas as the first time, but this time you have to contend with the menacing 7-foot, trenchcoat wearing Neo Tyrant. The idea is that he's constantly stalking you and could appear at any time (this idea was perfected with the Nemesis in RE3). The scenario features might make the game feel shorter than the original, but technically you'd be beating the game 4 times to see all the different endings. There's also a few cool mini games and sidequests to unlock, so you've got plenty of replayability here.

About the only bad thing I can say about RE2 was the fact that the puzzles were a lot more simple and not very challenging compared to the others in the series. It's a minor flaw though and doesn't take much away from the game.

Overall, RE2 is an excellent addition to the series, and expands the original game to new heights. Since it's available on multiple platforms now, it's very easy to come across. NEW FANS SHOULD START HERE, OR ALSO THE GAMECUBE REMAKE, THEN MOVE ONTO THE OTHERS.

Nothing like it
I have had this game for probibly about 2 years and I am still intrested in it. I play this game for hours at a time every day trying to solve the mysteries or destroying zombies. I think this game is great.The action is great and the suspence is increadible. I think this is a great game for everybody that can handle gore. Buy it and see for yourself.

Way to go Capcom!
When my cousin started talking about the Resident Evil series, I thought I should give them a try. I got this one first, since the first one was all out. I got home and put it in the Playstation. I loved the beginning part, although I was confused not having the first one. First off there are 2 discs for 2 different characters, Leon and Claire. I found out later Claire is related to Chris from the first one.

The graphics are cool, and the zombies are awesome. I played the game in the dark, recommended by a friend and I thought it was as suspenseful as a real movie! The controls are a little confusing at first, but then I got used to them. The puzzles are the only really drawback in this cool game. It took me days just to figure out one puzzle. But I got the hang of it.

If you starve for a grusome game with awesome graphics, look no further than Resident Evil 2. In fact try all the Resident Evil games, I love them all!!