Capcom actually announced Resident Evil 2 ages ago but most people were expecting a nicely crafted HD remaster. Something along the lines of Shadow of the Colossus which rejigged the controls for a modern palette, but otherwise took the original game and dressed it up for 4K screens. What we finally saw revealed at E3 2018 was a completely new game though - something completely fresh, and lovingly rebuilt from the ground up in Resident Evil 7’s RE Engine.
It's a big upgrade that obviously effects the looks of the game overall but also has a big impact on the horror and gameplay. No more tank controls and fixed camera angles for example, and where before shooting zombies looked like this on PS1:
It now looks like this on PS4, with the ability to shoot of limbs and body parts, stripping away flesh and bone like wax under a blowtorch.
But that's just the tip of the jutting bone shard. In case it wasn't obvious, this is taking the established plot and characters and using them to reimagine a completely new Resi 2 that honours rather than recreates the old one. The question is, how honourable is that recreation? If it’s too close, then there’s little surprise, but too far and is it even the same game?
Capcom has said that certain items and events have been moved around to keep things fresh. For example, Police Lieutenant Marvin Branagh is in a new location but zombies had a good chew before you turn up (spoiler: don't get too attached). While other changes just make sense, like the fact that the Raccoon City Police department now has toilets, a facility missing in the past. There's even new mechanic where you can board up windows to stop zombies getting in.
But how just close is the Remake to the original and where do the similarities line up? The video above shows some of the game's key moments side by side in both the 1998 original and the new Resident Evil 2 due January 25. Plus, you can take a closer look below at some images of the same moments.
Want to see more? Here's 24 minutes of Resident Evil 2 Remake gameplay set in the Raccoon City Police Station.
