Synonyms

Prerendered graphics; Survival horror; Tank controls

Definitions

  • Survival horror: genre of game that puts emphasis on a horror atmosphere, limited weapons, and puzzle solving.

  • Prerendered graphics: graphical assets that appear 3D visually but rendered in game as flat 2D planes.

  • Tank controls: movement style that was used often in early 3D gaming. The term comes from the up command always pushing the character forward, and the down command always pushing the character backward. The character spins counterclockwise when the left command is pressed, and vice versa with the right command, similar to how a tank moves.

History

Resident Evil 2, often abbreviated as RE2, was first released on January 21, 1998, in North America. It is the sequel to the 1996 game Resident Evil, both developed by Capcom. Resident Evil 2 serves as a direct continuation of the prior entries’ story, taking place only months after the original game’s conclusion. However, the game has a new setting and cast of characters. After a viral outbreak at the Spencer Mansion rendering its inhabitants zombified bioweapons, the virus has now spread to Raccoon City.

Resident Evil 2 meant to capitalize on the success of the original and expand upon it. Because of this, the sequel has much higher production values than its predecessor. Environments and character models are more detailed. Voice acting is improved, the enemies have more variety, and the story is told through (at the time) cutting edge CGI cut scenes instead of the often-mocked live action cut scenes of the first entry. It continues the practice of having two playable characters with two separate campaigns. The original game’s two separate campaigns play largely similar with the exception of interacting with different characters. The sequel ups the ante by having “A” and “B” scenarios. The campaigns are noticeably different, and events that happen in “Scenario A” will affect events in “Scenario B.” Since each character has an “A” and “B” scenario, this brings the number of available campaigns to four.

Gameplay

The game plays similarly to its predecessor. 3D movement is controlled using tank controls in a static prerendered environment. This allows the developers to control the camera at all times, at the cost of visibility and mobility to the player. While this allows the developers to control the scares, it is often considered archaic by today’s standards. The controls are considered a point of contention in gaming with some critics underlining that they are essential for a true survival horror experience, while others pointing out the poor design and their potential to inhibit the player more than to scare. The game progresses by the player finding items to solve puzzles, dispatching enemies and occasional bosses, and opening up the map using keys found in the environment. The game follows the story of two protagonists, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, as they are trying to escape the Raccoon City which is under a zombie infestation. During the game, their paths cross with characters related with the Umbrella Corporation that initiated the zombie outbreak through a substance called G-virus, and their survival is tied to discovering the origins of the virus. Although Resident Evil is not the first survival horror franchise, it is the first to coin the term (Kirkland 2009). An emphasis on limited weapons and healing items, running from enemies instead of fighting them, and item management is what defines the game’s experience. The game would go on to be a critical and commercial success (Metacritic n.d.; Eriksen 2020). It solidified the series as one of Capcom’s most lucrative franchises and has been ported to numerous systems over the years (as well as a movie adaptation franchise with mixed success; Lay 2007; Lukas 2009).

Production

In spite of the game’s success, the production was incredibly troubled. Beginning only 1 month after the original’s completion, development had to be scrapped when the game was around 60–80% completed. This version of the game, nicknamed Resident Evil 1.5, was radically different from the final product (Hurley 2018). While similar gameplay-wise, the original prototype had original environments, characters, story, and countless other assets that were all scrapped. Maintaining the scares of the original was important to the development team. Producer/series creator Shinji Mikami was unsatisfied with the original demo of the game and would later go on to say that the gameplay and locations were “dull and boring” (Whitehead 2012).

Remake

The game is often considered to be one of the best games on the original PlayStation and the series’ 20+ year history, and the best game in the series’ classic era. (As of November 2020, the original game has a 89/100 critic score and 9.2/10 user score on Metacritic.com https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation/resident-evil-2) Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield continue to be the most popular characters in the franchise, and the setting of Raccoon City continues to be one of the most famous locations in gaming history (Ackerman 2019). The legacy of the game would lead to a successful remake (McWhertor 2019) that Capcom released on January 25, 2019. This reimagining would go on to sell 7.2 million copies, outselling the original. Ensuring that Leon and Claire’s story would continue to be told to a whole new generation of gamers.

Cross-References