E3 2018 – Resident Evil 2 Preview
If you asked me what I knew of Resident Evil 2 before I went hands-on with the title at E3 2018, I would likely only have been able to articulate that it was the second game in the iconic zombie gaming franchise. In seeing the reveal trailer of its remake at Sony’s E3 2018 Press Conference, I was instantly hooked into wanting to experience this survival horror game, as well as the other entries into the franchise. Luckily, I was able to play 20 minutes of the Resident Evil 2 demo at E3 and came away more than impressed.
Having previously played Resident Evil 4, I was surprisingly right at home with Resident Evil 2 due to both the main character, Leon Kennedy, as well as the over-the-shoulder gameplay style. Right away, the remake felt different from my past experiences with the franchise as it felt like there was a greater emphasis on horror and exploration rather than action. Running on the same engine as Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the Resident Evil 2 remake felt like a well-made combination of the latest entry along with the action-oriented contemporary titles.
Speaking of action, despite having a focus on horror and exploration, Resident Evil 2 has no shortage of action. Though I may have had some difficulty aiming Leon’s pistol, the shots that landed felt great, and so did using the knife in combat situations. One very interesting and honestly awesome mechanic I noticed quickly was that a headshot does not simply kill a zombie unless it also penetrates the brain. On a couple separate occasions, I thought I had killed a zombie only for them to continue their slow descent to grab me.
Typically, horror games are not my cup of tea, and zombie games don’t rank high on my favored genres either. However, the balance between horror, exploration, and action I found in Resident Evil 2, combined with the franchise’s legacy has gotten me invested not only in the remake but also in revisiting other games in the franchise. For a game I had little to no interest in before its reveal, it sure has made its lasting impression on me.
The Resident Evil 2 remake is slated to release on January 25, 2019, for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
