Resident Evil 2 (PlayStation)

CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
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Overall score: 8.9 (4.0 stars)
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Gamespot editors' review

• Reviewed by: Ryan Donald
• Reviewed on: 01/28/1998
• Updated on: 05/02/2000
• Released on: 12/31/1997

Resident Evil 2 is the first really big, ultrahyped blockbuster of '98, and what Capcom has pulled off is more an interactive, cinematic experience than a video game. Seriously. Picking up a few months after the events of the first game, RE2 sees the entire town of Raccoon City hit with the devastating virus that zombified only a few dozen folks in the original Resident Evil. It's up to rookie cop Leon Kennedy, and Claire Redfield, sister of one of the main RE characters, to save not only themselves but any and all survivors, to boot.

The gameplay remains basically the same as before: As one of two characters, you solve puzzles and shoot monsters. The original Resident Evil featured two playable personas as well, although the differences between the two weren't incredibly significant. One could carry more items than the other could, while the other was easier to play, and they both had their own distinct storylines. In Resident Evil 2 the differences between the two are a bit more interesting. For example, Claire starts off with a lock pick, while Leon begins with a lighter, which alone changes the order in which the game's puzzles must be solved. Each character also finds different weapons along his or her quest. For instance, Claire will find a grenade launcher, however when playing as Leon, a shotgun will be in its place. In addition, Leon and Claire encounter a string of different characters throughout the game, so naturally their stories don't unfold in nearly the same way. The subtle changes between Claire and Leon don't make each character's story feel completely different, but they're enough to make you want to know what happens further into the game.

On top of that, once you play through the game as one character, a second scenario is opened up for the other - for instance, win the game with Claire and you'll unlock Leon's alternative scenario. (It's kind of like Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, where you see how one situation or scenario looked from another character's perspective.) And since both characters are supposedly running through the many locations of Raccoon City at the same time, the things you do in the first scenario will affect the other character in his or her second scenario. For instance, if you pick up the submachine gun with Leon the first time out and you later go to the same place with Claire, the submachine gun won't be there. Admittedly, it's mostly cool in concept, since it really doesn't come into play that much.

What really makes Resident Evil 2 so amazing is simple: It has more of what people liked about the first Resident Evil - weapons, ammo, creatures, and most importantly, many, many instances when you'll be genuinely scared. If you played the first game, you're sure to remember that your first encounter with a zombie took your breath away, and that you ran scared from the game's boss. These types of terrifying moments are commonplace in Resident Evil 2, and the effect is awesome. How does it scare you? Well, as in the great classic horror movies, it's a combination of eerie low-key mood music and sound effects such as a lone dog howling at the moon in the distance (that could just be right in the next room), followed by loud, shrieking music played perfectly on cue and sudden jolts of terror, like the arms of a zombie bursting through a boarded up window, right as you happen to be walking by. Things like that.

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