Game Title: Resident Evil 2: Dualshock Version
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Genre: Survival Horror
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Platform: Playstation
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ESRB Rating: Mature
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Developer: Capcom
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Publisher: Capcom
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Release Date: November 01, 1998
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Overall Score: 9/10
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Sound/ Music: 8/10
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While the sound effects are decent, they're nothing to write home about. But all of it serves the purpose of helping make this classic survival horror experience feel, well..., like a classic survival horror experience should. As for the voice acting, most of it was fairly well done. None of it blew me away, but all voices suited their characters, and almost all of it was believable. Sure, a small portion of it was laughable, particularly during some scenes that take place early on in an A game. But overall, it's head and shoulders above its predecessor. The music seemed to compliment the game's atmosphere well, with one haunting tune after another. It may not be as complex as music found in today's games, but it has a certain classic charm to it.
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Graphics: 8/10
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Some games from its era haven't aged well at all, but I'm happy to say that Resident Evil 2 is not one of them. Sure, it doesn't look like Uncharted 2, but considering that it's over a decade old, it looks pretty good. Those of us who weren't gaming in the ps1 era might not care for its visual style, but those of us who fondly recall the good old days of gaming are more likely to appreciate it.
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Resident Evil 2's colour palette is nothing to complain about, and it manages to use vibrant shades without making them seem out of place in a dark survival horror setting. All items look enough like the items they represent in real life, and it's easy to tell the difference between several different weapons and keys at a glance. The characters themselves are more highly detailed than in the first Resident Evil. Most of the scenery is also different from most of the early Resident Evil series. Smoothing makes it all look a little less grainy, and is highly recommended for this game, though widescreen should be avoided.
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The CG cutscenes look especially nice. The characters look a bit like they're made of rubber, but the same could be said for some multiplats from a few years back. Everything else about them looks amazing, considering their age. The only problem with the in game cutscenes is that the characters' lips don't move while they talk. Though the CG cutscenes don't have that problem. But the odds are, if you're playing a ps1 classic, you're not doing it for the graphics.
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Gameplay: 9/10
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This is the real reason why all fans of the classic Resident Evil series should at least give this game a try. Controls are similar to other Resident Evil games, and the camera angle system is present here too, which could frustrate some, but the same could be said about the rest of the classic games. But enough about the series. Time to talk about this game in particular. Let's start at the beginning. After the opening cutscene in either A game, the player is forced to run through the city, in order to reach the police station. With a limited amount of ammo, and too many zombies to fight, this sequence helps to make the survival horror aspect of this entry in the series stand out.
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Upon reaching the police station, the puzzle solving returns, and anyone who enjoyed the mansion sequences in other games will feel right at home. Though the police station and sewer settings aren't any different than mansions or caves, just the difference in setting helps Resident Evil 2 feel a little less hackneyed. Although it still ends with a lab that eventually self destructs. But with secondary characters who become playable in parts, including an unarmed child, which actually gives a unique spin on things, the gameplay doesn't disappoint. Getting Sherry Birkin to follow Claire is mildly frustrating, since she can't move as fast, and stops if you get too far away. To make matters worse, Claire can't leave an area without her, which can slow one's progress. A minor issue at most, but worth noting.
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After completing a B game, players aren't handed the secret key, like in most Resident Evil games. Instead, players are challenged to run to the police station without picking up any items, including extra ammo, and afterwards, must defeat a tough zombie and take the key from its cold dead hands, before they can open a locker, and see the character's extra costumes. Leon has two extra costumes, but Claire finds an extra gun. When I checked out those costumes, I actually felt like I accomplished something, and was honestly more interested in completing that additional challenge than getting the reward.
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But most Resident Evil games have some aspect to the gameplay that sets them aside from most other Resident Evil games. In Resident Evil 2, that aspect is the scenario system, and it doesn't disappoint. How it works is that both Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield have their own disc. Whether you choose to start with a Leon game or a Claire game, that game will be an A game. Upon completing it, the player has to switch to the other disc, and play through the game as the other character. That game will be a B game. Some of the events, or choices made by the player in the A game will impact the B game.
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For example, the player will unlock a character specific area in an A game, and would be able to visit it again as the other character in his or her B game, however, character A will never have access to any of character B's character specific areas. And decisions like choosing whether to leave a sub-machine gun or a side pack for the other character can make all the difference later on. Character A also has the ability to help unlock a certain area that only character B will be able to access.
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But there's more to it than that. Though Leon and Claire have different approaches to leaving the police station and arriving in the sewers, the game type also affects how that character gets to the police station, how they enter and exit the lab, and even which bosses that character will have to fight, and even the individual enemies that person will encounter, the real difference is in how the story plays out. More on that later. But with two characters and two game types, Resident Evil 2 is worth playing at least four times. Sure, the individual games are fairly short, as the first A game should take less than five hours of recorded data to complete, but after playing it four times, Resident Evil 2 won't feel like it's over too quickly.
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In fact, the replay value doesn't end there. There are other modes. From the start, beginners can play an arranged game, which is like playing the original game only with weapons that have infinite ammo. Of course, B games are only unlocked by playing A games, and upon the completion of a B game, the player is treated to an extra mode called Extreme Battle Mode. It involves choosing a character and making one's way back to the police station to search for four bombs. While Leon and Claire are the only playable characters in the beginning, completion of this game will unlock other characters.
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And there are even secret unlockable characters in the original game. Unlocking them takes dedication, and apparently their adventures are more difficult than Leon or Claire's games, but that doesn't change the fact that Resident Evil 2 is packed with extras. It's an experience that won't be completely over for a long time.
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Story: 9/10
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The story takes place over the course of an A and B combo, meaning it takes two games to run its course. There are character specific plot elements, but Leon A will play out differently than Leon B, and Claire A will play out differently than Claire B. The A and B scenarios affect not only affect the gameplay, but could change how two characters meet, if they meet in the first place, where events take place, how certain events take place, and even which events take place. But it's worth seeing it all through to the end. I won't spoil it, but one A and B combo is in my opinion, darker, more intense, and even more romantic than the other. However, the other is worth seeing too, and both are recommended for getting the full experience. Overall, it's a decent story on its own, but it's the scenario system that really sets it aside from many other video game plots.
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Final Verdict: 9/10
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An excellent offering for fans of the classic Resident Evil series. With enough reasons to play through the game four times, and two secret unlockable games, a mode for beginners, or those only interested in the plot, and an unlockable mode that's a game in itself, Resident Evil 2 is highly recommended for anyone who hasn't played it, and misses the good old days of the franchise. It likely won't appeal to those who prefer the new direction the series has taken, or who can't stand Resident Evil's old style of gameplay, and gamers raised on later gens might not appreciate its classic visual style, but at $5.99, it's a steal for dedicated classic Resident Evil fans. Leading Sherry around can be a little frustrating, but overall, it shouldn't disappoint. Especially for anyone trying to get the most for their money, and aren't looking to spend a fortune.
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Please Note: The views expressed in this message are the views of the review author, who is in no way affiliated with SCEA or PlayStation.com.
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