25 years ago, Capcom released Resident Evil, and the video game industry was never the same. Since the franchise's launch in 1996, Resident Evil has remained a powerhouse in the industry, which is reflected in the success of Resident Evil Village. However, while new Resident Evil games continue to captivate gamers worldwide, it is no secret that its remakes, such as the highly successful Resident Evil 2, have significantly contributed to the franchise's ongoing popularity.
Last week, Capcom announced that the Resident Evil 2 Remake broke yet another milestone for the company as the game reached 10 million units sold. The latest sales record Resident Evil 2 Remake achieved makes it the best-selling Resident Evil remake and one of the best-selling Resident Evil games of all time. However, it is essential to remember that Resident Evil 2 is not Capcom's only remake, nor is it the first. As such, it is worth looking at what makes it so special.
Resident Evil 2 is Not a Shot-for-Shot Remake of the Original
In 2001, Capcom released the remake of the first Resident Evil game, which is considered today one of Capcom's finest works. Unfortunately, Resident Evil Remake did not perform as expected, and for a time, many thought that Capcom was done with remakes. Finally, in 2019, after years of waiting, Capcom released the long-awaited remake of Resident Evil 2, which received glowing reviews from fans and critics. However, it is important to remember that, unlike Resident Evil Remake, Resident Evil 2 Remake is not a shot-for-shot recreation of the original.
While the changes disappointed some, many were happy with the fresh experience the remake offered. First, 2019's Resident Evil 2 reworked the plot by expanding the roles of minor characters such as Robert Kendo and Marvin Branagh. Even supporting characters such as Ada Wong, Annette Birkin, and Sherry Birkin received expanded roles that delved a little deeper into their personalities, backstories, and motivations.
Additionally, the remake's enemies also received a major overhaul. For example, zombies, lickers, dogs, ivies, and more, became much more threatening than their original counterparts. Not to mention, T-00, more commonly known as Mr. X, has been reprogrammed, which makes him much more menacing. Instead of having Mr. X pop out during scripted events, the tyrant was designed to stalk players inside the police station. Mr. X's relentless pursuit of the player amplified the game's horror element, forcing players to strategize and think of their every move.
New locations such as the orphanage and expanded sewers offered new areas for players to explore. In addition, the underground laboratory was heavily updated, making it look like an actual high-end lab harboring advanced bio-organic weapons. Resident Evil 2 Remake's gameplay was also modernized in favor of the third-person over-the-shoulder camera angle instead of the fixed cameras of the original game. While the change of perspective did divide the fan base smack through the middle, it did make the game much more accessible to modern players.
But It is Still Resident Evil 2
It is essential to note that 2019's Resident Evil 2 is not a perfect remake. For example, players were disappointed to see the removal of the zapping system that they loved in the original game. As a replacement, a B scenario was added that introduced slight differences such as new bosses, puzzles, etc. However, despite the many changes added to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, one crucial thing Capcom was able to execute flawlessly is that the game is still Resident Evil 2 through and through.
While the story was altered, many critical plot points remained the same, and the flow of the story is pretty much similar to the original game. The same is true for the remake's protagonists, given that Capcom kept the personalities of both Leon and Claire identical to their original counterparts. In a nutshell, Resident Evil 2 Remake kept almost everything players loved on the original and added new elements that made the experience more exciting and terrifying.
It is worth remembering that the same couldn't be said of the Resident Evil 3 Remake since a lot from the original game was cut out in the remake. Given the poor reception Resident Evil 3 Remake received, some are worried about whether the next remake, Resident Evil 4, would suffer from the same fate. While it is too early to tell how Capcom would approach Resident Evil 4 Remake, the studio will likely be taking inspiration from everything Resident Evil 2 Remake did right that allowed it to sell 10 million copies.
Resident Evil 2Remake is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
