Since Resident Evil 2's release, Capcom has hosted several discussion videos centered around the game's development. While works on the remake of a beloved classic, the developers have been very open with inside stories and tidbits involving the creative process. In the most recent video, the developers took to the cutting room floor to discuss content that didn't end up making it into the game for one reason or another.
Resident Evil 2 was one of 2019's biggest games of the year. It did so well, it actually sold more units than the original title in 1998. The remake, much like the previous one for the original Resident Evil, is a pretty faithful rendition of the classic title. Beyond an updated graphics engine, the game featured better controls, redone voicework, and more. In essence, it's what Resident Evil 2 would be like if it was made with today's developer tools.
What was revealed in the video is a number of larger changes that almost made it into the game. This includes things that did not appear in the original Resident Evil 2. Some changes would have included a different look for certain foes, two additional camera perspectives, and a few sequences that were ultimately cut. Interestingly, one of the camera perspectives being considered was a first-person camera akin to mind trip that was Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
The most eye-catching content that was dropped was a new enemy type called the "Condemned." These enemies would have appeared as a jump scare in the game's new orphanage area, created just for the remake. There was even a model and animation created for the creature, but nothing past that was ever designed.
It's unclear why Capcom decided not to include the Condemned from the final game. While they didn't appear in the original, neither did the area they were supposed to appear in, so it doesn't seem like they would interfere with any previously existing content. It's possible, however, that they were removed due to interrupting the pacing of the existing conflicts in the orphanage sequence.
Ironically, this enemy was already hidden inside the concept art packed in with the game since launch, although it had no context until now. It wasn't accessible without unlocking it in-game first or until the DLC that unlocked all in-game rewards was released.
Resident Evil 2 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.