The Beginning
It's the summer of 1998, I'm 8-years-old and full of energy. My parents are telling me to be quiet or go outside because I'm making too much noise. Why am I so excited you ask? Well, for one I'm 8-years-old and hyper like most kids my age. The other reason being my brothers Rick and Jay are coming down for the weekend, by the way, they're bringing the Sony PlayStation with them! My brothers didn't live with me, but they always came down to visit on the weekends. So, they get to our house later that evening my brother Jay knocks on my door, I open it and BOOM! He puts his backpack on my bed and starts unpacking a Sony PlayStation with a bundle of games! I'm jumping in excitement knowing how much fun we're going to have. Then I see one game in particular in a thick case it's Resident Evil: Director's Cut. I previously played Resident Evil on my neighbor's Sega Saturn. So, this was my first time seeing the PlayStation version. On the cover, I noticed the game included a demo disc for the sequel Resident Evil 2!
Eventually, my brothers start connecting the PlayStation to my TV. We first had to get permission from our parents since it was a mature rated game. Once we got an OK, we then placed the Resident Evil 2 demo disc in the tray, close the top, and press the power button. After that, magic happens!
I'll give a short introduction to those who haven't played the game yet. Now, just like in Resident Evil you can choose between two characters. First, because he's my favorite RE character of all time is Leon S. Kennedy, a 21-year-old rookie cop reporting for his first day of duty. Second but not least is Claire Redfield, the 19-year-old sister of Chris Redfield. She's visiting Raccoon City because of her brother's disappearance. The story is set after the mansion incident that took place two months ago. Raccoon City, a mid-western town in the United States is suffering from a viral outbreak that's turning any living thing into mindless zombies. The origins of this virus can be traced back to the mansion in Raccoon Forest located on the outskirts of Raccoon City. When you arrive with either Leon or Claire, you walk into a relatively quiet city with no one to greet you. Any human that looks normal at first quickly becomes an enemy our heroes must eliminate. "Hey, Don't Shoot!" Claire shouts, "Get down!" Leon replied, shooting a zombie behind Claire marking the first time both characters meet in iconic fashion. They find a nearby police vehicle to escape from the mass mob following them, or so they thought. As they introduce one another, their short time of safety is quickly interrupted by a zombie hiding in the backseat. The scene ends with both characters surviving the ordeal now separated from a gas tank explosion. They tell each other to meet at the Police Station. Ironically, the truth they seek is waiting for them there.
Claire Redfield
Elza Walker RE 1.5 (Left) Claire Redfield RE2 (Right)
Next up is, Ada Wong. She is a personal favorite of mine. To this day we know very little about her background and that's why I find her so interesting! The femme fatale makes a hell of an entrance by shooting at the only cop left alive in the building assuming he was a zombie. Yeah, you guessed it, Leon! (if you played the game you'll know why I did that). Her reason for visiting the city was to find her boyfriend John who disappeared while working for Umbrella at the Arklay Laboratory. Later it's revealed that her real purpose in the city is to retrieve something important leading us to more questions. You first discover her in an underground parking garage beneath the police station. Ada adds mystique to the story; she never explains how she arrived in Raccoon City or how she knew about Ben Bertolucci the freelance journalist locked away in a jail cell. Throughout the story, Ada and Leon create a bond after facing many challenges together.
I'll end my character analysis with Sherry Birkin, the youngest character in Resident Evil 2. She is the daughter of Annette and William Birkin two Umbrella researchers working in an underground facility located beneath Raccoon City. She appears mostly in Claire's A and B scenarios. With her innocence, it's hard not to feel bad for the young girl. Eventually, she tells Claire that her mother told her to go to the police station for safety. Though her intentions were in the right place, Annette was oblivious to what was happening on the surface. Their work at Umbrella took up most of their time leaving Sherry alone at a time she really needed her parents. Overall, Sherry lightens the plot with her presence making her an essential character. She also has great chemistry with, Claire which is a joy to watch.
What I fell in love with the most after playing RE2 was the environment. At that time, I never saw a film or game place the viewer/player in a situation with zombies overtaking a city. I think that frightened me more because it meant nowhere was safe. Imagine, waking up one day to look out your window and people with wounds all over their bodies are chasing your neighbors with the intent to eat them. Talk about horrifying! That bold decision to move the setting from an old mansion isolated from society to the streets of Raccoon City proved to be a success. A change that was needed to keep us entertained and give us a glimpse of what true despair looks like. A large portion of the game takes place inside the R.P.D. (Raccoon City Police Department) the building itself used to be an art museum until it was converted into a police station. For example, the main hall features a beautiful white statue holding an urn. Throughout the building, there are many statues and paintings. They also serve a purpose for puzzle solving.
The other locations include the Sewer, Marshaling Yard, and the Underground Laboratory. All connecting to the police station with secret passages. Umbrella must really love making trips to the laboratory convenient for their employees (Joke). I played the game recently, and I have to say the pre-rendered backgrounds hold up pretty well. During the late nineties, many games including RE used this technique since most home consoles couldn't process these types of images in 3D. In a way, it kept the game from aging. My all-time favorite location is the Marshaling Yard. I love the colors from the rust on the walls to the purple in the evening sky. I purposely turn the volume high when I arrive here. Let's just say there is an epic battle against a familiar foe and the music compliments this scene.
YouTube Credit: Ch33zyQube & Leafblower29
YouTube Credit: Jake "Ziggity" Steven
"You should be safe inside here. I'm keeping a close eye on things." - Robert Kendo
YouTube Credit: Jake "Ziggity" Steven
Finally! The game starts. I'm learning the controls along the way. Figuring out which buttons were to aim and shoot. I was not too familiar with the PlayStation controller at the time. As I'm playing, I can see the scenery was vastly different from the first installment. Instead of an old mansion with one or two zombies lurking around the corner, we now have five to six of them walking the streets of Raccoon City all at the same time. As I barely make it to the Kendo Gun Shop after being harassed by a few zombies, I proceed and open the gun shop door. The next scene is a brutal massacre for the poor shop owner. As I'm walking around, I see ammo sitting on the counter. So I reload my weapon and then the glass breaks! Mr. Kendo is attacked by four zombies not even 5 minutes after talking to him. I froze in fear, I couldn't shake the fact that this man who I just met was killed instantly by gluttonous zombies. At this point, I'm telling myself there's no turning back now! I have to see the end of this demo regardless of how scared I am!
That night I finished the demo with the help of my brothers. I tried to process everything I experienced during my first time playing the game. I had so many questions about what I witnessed, the new rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy, the city in shambles, and the R.P.D. I wanted more, my obsession with Resident Evil 2 started with this demo disc. A few months later, I would get my copy of RE2 playing it multiple times. Now, I would like to move away from my first time playing this classic and move on to a more detailed take!
The Story and Characters
I'll give a short introduction to those who haven't played the game yet. Now, just like in Resident Evil you can choose between two characters. First, because he's my favorite RE character of all time is Leon S. Kennedy, a 21-year-old rookie cop reporting for his first day of duty. Second but not least is Claire Redfield, the 19-year-old sister of Chris Redfield. She's visiting Raccoon City because of her brother's disappearance. The story is set after the mansion incident that took place two months ago. Raccoon City, a mid-western town in the United States is suffering from a viral outbreak that's turning any living thing into mindless zombies. The origins of this virus can be traced back to the mansion in Raccoon Forest located on the outskirts of Raccoon City. When you arrive with either Leon or Claire, you walk into a relatively quiet city with no one to greet you. Any human that looks normal at first quickly becomes an enemy our heroes must eliminate. "Hey, Don't Shoot!" Claire shouts, "Get down!" Leon replied, shooting a zombie behind Claire marking the first time both characters meet in iconic fashion. They find a nearby police vehicle to escape from the mass mob following them, or so they thought. As they introduce one another, their short time of safety is quickly interrupted by a zombie hiding in the backseat. The scene ends with both characters surviving the ordeal now separated from a gas tank explosion. They tell each other to meet at the Police Station. Ironically, the truth they seek is waiting for them there.
Leon S. Kennedy
Leon RE 1.5 (Left) Leon RE2 (Right)
As I mentioned above, Leon has always been a favorite of mine. Maybe, it was because my first memory of playing RE2 was with him, but I would say it's his overall design and personality. I mean come on! Look at that tactical gear he's wearing the guy looks like he belongs on a swat team. His outfit is very close to what we would see a member of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) wear. I wonder if Capcom had that intention with his uniform design. His earlier concepts were a bit different. The artwork from the unreleased RE 1.5 depicts Leon as an Umbrella soldier. The young rookie takes his job very seriously. Even though the law is nonexistent in Raccoon City, he remains a true believer in justice. His encounters with many of the survivors including Ada Wong proves this. He also keeps a pretty calm demeanor despite all the madness that surrounds him. Leon fits Resident Evil 2's plot because he's a new face witnessing new horrors. If it were, Chris Redfield, I think the situation would have to be different since he already had a run-in with monsters from the mansion.
Claire Redfield
Elza Walker RE 1.5 (Left) Claire Redfield RE2 (Right)
Now let's move onto Claire Redfield, She's a character that is bold and tough enough to fit as Chris Redfield's little sister. She shows determination in a world of terror willing to sacrifice herself for others. She is caring, supportive and resilient making her a great teammate. Her interactions with other survivors are always interesting leading us to more clues. And just like with Leon, she also had different concept designs. Before we had Claire Redfield, there was Elza Walker. Elza's background is close to Claire with little changes. She was an avid motorcycle racer who was ready to enroll at Raccoon University and live on the campus. Thus, leading her to the Raccoon City Outbreak. Her hair color was blonde instead of dark brown and her clothing matched her personality. Capcom decided to keep Elza's love for motorcycles with Claire's creation. I appreciate the connection between the two.
Ada Wong
Linda RE 1.5 (Left) Ada Wong RE2 (Right)
Next up is, Ada Wong. She is a personal favorite of mine. To this day we know very little about her background and that's why I find her so interesting! The femme fatale makes a hell of an entrance by shooting at the only cop left alive in the building assuming he was a zombie. Yeah, you guessed it, Leon! (if you played the game you'll know why I did that). Her reason for visiting the city was to find her boyfriend John who disappeared while working for Umbrella at the Arklay Laboratory. Later it's revealed that her real purpose in the city is to retrieve something important leading us to more questions. You first discover her in an underground parking garage beneath the police station. Ada adds mystique to the story; she never explains how she arrived in Raccoon City or how she knew about Ben Bertolucci the freelance journalist locked away in a jail cell. Throughout the story, Ada and Leon create a bond after facing many challenges together.
Sherry Birkin
Sherry RE 1.5 (Left) Sherry RE2 (Right)
I'll end my character analysis with Sherry Birkin, the youngest character in Resident Evil 2. She is the daughter of Annette and William Birkin two Umbrella researchers working in an underground facility located beneath Raccoon City. She appears mostly in Claire's A and B scenarios. With her innocence, it's hard not to feel bad for the young girl. Eventually, she tells Claire that her mother told her to go to the police station for safety. Though her intentions were in the right place, Annette was oblivious to what was happening on the surface. Their work at Umbrella took up most of their time leaving Sherry alone at a time she really needed her parents. Overall, Sherry lightens the plot with her presence making her an essential character. She also has great chemistry with, Claire which is a joy to watch.
The Setting
What I fell in love with the most after playing RE2 was the environment. At that time, I never saw a film or game place the viewer/player in a situation with zombies overtaking a city. I think that frightened me more because it meant nowhere was safe. Imagine, waking up one day to look out your window and people with wounds all over their bodies are chasing your neighbors with the intent to eat them. Talk about horrifying! That bold decision to move the setting from an old mansion isolated from society to the streets of Raccoon City proved to be a success. A change that was needed to keep us entertained and give us a glimpse of what true despair looks like. A large portion of the game takes place inside the R.P.D. (Raccoon City Police Department) the building itself used to be an art museum until it was converted into a police station. For example, the main hall features a beautiful white statue holding an urn. Throughout the building, there are many statues and paintings. They also serve a purpose for puzzle solving.
The other locations include the Sewer, Marshaling Yard, and the Underground Laboratory. All connecting to the police station with secret passages. Umbrella must really love making trips to the laboratory convenient for their employees (Joke). I played the game recently, and I have to say the pre-rendered backgrounds hold up pretty well. During the late nineties, many games including RE used this technique since most home consoles couldn't process these types of images in 3D. In a way, it kept the game from aging. My all-time favorite location is the Marshaling Yard. I love the colors from the rust on the walls to the purple in the evening sky. I purposely turn the volume high when I arrive here. Let's just say there is an epic battle against a familiar foe and the music compliments this scene.
The Music
Anytime I hear a track from Resident Evil 2 I instantly get sent back to 1998. Nostalgia is an understatement this game's music is like a time capsule for me. The Front Hall theme that plays inside the R.P.D. gives me chills every time. The harmonious bells ringing alongside the piano playing makes it feel like I'm listening to a crime drama. I would like to thank Mr. Masami Ueda who is the composer behind the masterpiece. Another track composed by Masami Ueda called "Screaming Target" will play when an enemy breaks into a window giving the player a sense of paranoia. Horror is not only about visuals, but it's also about sound, and Resident Evil 2 has both.
The Remake
During the late summer of 2015, there was a huge announcement from Capcom. After much speculation from fans and media alike we got news about an official remake of Resident Evil 2. But before we go any further, I would like to speak about how it all happened. So why a remake? The success of Resident Evil (Remake) for the Nintendo GameCube released in 2002 is partly responsible. The fan base received a polished and more immersive game than it's original counterpart from 1996. Almost every fan including myself was blown away by the vast improvements. Instead of taking away what we enjoyed from the original, it enhanced the experience with new elements. Eventually, this led to all of the fans wanting the same treatment for our beloved Resident Evil 2.
YouTube Credit: Resident Evil
Now let's go back to the summer of 2015, where there was another remake in the works by a group from Rome, Italy called InvaderGames. This project was named Resident Evil 2: Reborn. Each video separates the gameplay segments. The first video takes place outside the police station and the second inside. Both clips were more than amazing! They used the Unreal Engine 4 creating a very realistic Raccoon City and RPD. My heart was pounding I felt the nostalgia coming back to me. A few weeks later I read from an online source that Capcom had InvaderGames close down the project. Capcom was now officially working on a "Remake" themselves. On the upside, InvaderGames were invited by Capcom to visit their headquarters in Osaka, Japan. They're now known as Invader Studios and have been working on a new title called Daymare: 1998.
We're
weeks away from the impending release. What can we expect in this
revamped version of RE2? The game will be using the same graphics engine
from RE7 dubbed the RE Engine. Leon and Claire will both have campaign
modes, but there will not be a scenario A and B. I think they're
combining the A and B plots to streamline the story. There's a newer
generation that may have never played the original game, so I
understand. I noticed two things from watching the gameplay trailer.
When the player is bitten by a zombie an, EKG meter will display. Also,
Leon was holding a flashlight while aiming his weapon. Capcom may have
borrowed from Invader Studios. After watching the clips from RE2: Reborn
it's hard to miss. Honestly, that's pretty awesome if that's the case!
So will we finally get more information about Ada Wong's background? Maybe in a DLC campaign? What about Hunk? I guess we'll have to find out when the game is released. Until then, thanks for reading.
Credit: InvaderGames
YouTube Credit: IGN
So will we finally get more information about Ada Wong's background? Maybe in a DLC campaign? What about Hunk? I guess we'll have to find out when the game is released. Until then, thanks for reading.
UPDATE: 2/12/19
After thoroughly playing Resident Evil 2 Remake on PlayStation 4 I can now confirm there is, in fact, a scenario A & B. The scenarios now go by the title of the first and second run.
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