Resident Evil 2 Playthrough (Claire A)
11998, PS-X. Rating: 4 out of 4 stars
After the teething stage of the original, Capcom found their footing with a far more ambitious and exciting sequel that enhanced everything that made the original work while fine-tuning a few elements. The game, which takes place a few months after the original, takes another split approach with the story by having the rookie cop, Leon, on his first day and a young woman, Claire, trying to find her brother. Pretty standard tropes so far, but to their credit, Capcom makes their quests feel unique and special. While both deal with very similar environments such as the police station, the sewers and the labs, the routes they take and the characters and enemies they encounter are their own. This is a very ambitious approach and yet it works extremely well. It’s a testament to the designers, who really put a lot of thought and care into how everything works.
From a gameplay standpoint, the tank-like controls are still present and can be frustrating to new players. They are somewhat intuitive and logical and are easy enough to get a handle on, but it can be frustrating at times. Some of the camera angles also are difficult and awkward and can cause problems, particularly in close-quarters scenes. The original put a heavy emphasis on puzzles and less on action. Resident Evil 2 balances it out and gives the gamer a fighting chance, but it can still punish the game for being too trigger-happy.
The visuals are solid and do a good job of evoking a creepy, isolating atmosphere. The police station is a standout in this regard, but the other major areas are very good, as well. The music is creepy and ominous, but it never goes overboard. The voice acting isn’t great, but is a definite improvement over the horrible work done in the original. It helps getting better dialogue this time around. It’s very B-movie, but at least it’s handled with some conviction. Leon and Claire are likable protagonists and it’s easy to root for them. Leon has his character arc with Ada and Claire has hers with Sherry, who has a personal connection to the conspiracy behind the viral outbreak that has plagued Raccoon City.
Resident Evil 2 firmly established the franchise’s place as something special with a near-perfect mix of game design and horror. It still holds up very well today because of those elements. It’s not only one of the best PlayStation games, but it remains one of the best games ever.
0:00 Prologue
5:04 To the Police Station
11:28 Police Station Intro
24:36 Gathering Items
46:50 Clearing the Wreckage
55:09 Chief Irons and More Item Gathering
1:03:38 Police Basement
1:10:53 Sherry Part 1
1:16:03 Clearing out the Police Station
1:38:50 Chief Irons and Boss Fight
1:47:05 Sherry Part 2
1:49:18 Sewers and Encounter with Annette
1:59:40 Saving Sherry and Crocodile Boss
2:03:54 Escaping the Sewers
2:12:49 Tram and Birkin Boss Fight
2:24:40 Umbrella Secret Lab
2:38:49 Getting the Vaccine
2:59:35 Escape and Birkin Boss Fight
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