As a huge fan of survival horror, the thought of returning to the streets of Raccoon City once more to face off against the zombie hordes – where it all started 20 years ago – is something that I’ve been excited about for quite some time.
For those that have kept an eye on the upcoming Resident Evil 2 remake, you’d agree that this is one game that has only looked better each and every time new screenshots and videos emerge. With the 1-Shot demo now available on the Xbox One, PS4 and PC, many have already jumped in to see what all the fuss is about. Having spent my 30-minute allowance gawping in awe at the freshly remade corridors of the Raccoon City Police Department and firing my last remaining bullets at the rotting faces of the unrelenting zombies shambling with intent in my direction, I too cannot wait to get stuck in when Resident Evil 2 arrives on Xbox One. Here are a few reasons why.
We’ve seen numerous remakes arrive in recent years, however very few have shaken things up quite to the same level as Resident Evil 2 looks to be doing when it arrives on January 25th 2019. Not only are we being given vastly improved textures and crisper visuals for one of survival horror’s greatest titles, we’re also set to experience one of the finest survival horror games of all time in an all new light thanks to some vastly improved gameplay mechanics. But what can you expect to find when the horror returns?
One of the first major changes to the game is the shift in camera angle from a fixed-angle view point to an over the shoulder third-person method. Not only does this make the whole experience feel a lot more personal, being that you’re now a whole lot closer to the action than before, but it also allows for the second improved mechanic – free-aim shooting. This is also available thanks to the shift in camera angle and can be used to target the different limbs of the enemies.
Something else that quickly catches the eye whilst exploring the demo’s limited yet expansive areas is the attention to detail. From the character models and backgrounds, to the blood dripping down the walls to signify a gruesome attack has recently taken place, things look stunning. No longer are we left glaring at blocky and pixelated designs, but instead are treated to some of the sharpest and most realistic models seen in the series yet. That is quite some achievement for a remake of a 20-year old game.
The thing that feels most exciting about the 1-Shot Demo and the return of Resident Evil 2 however, is that despite the changes to some of the more notable gameplay mechanics, the game still manages to feel like Resident Evil 2. From the claustrophobic rooms, to the spine tingling chills of being backed into a corner by a shambling corpse, to scavenging every last room to find those few bullets that might be the difference between life and death, Resident Evil 2 is just as much the same game it was all those years ago.
If you’re one of the 2 million+ players to have jumped into the 1-Shot Demo by this point, then you’ll no doubt agree we could be about to experience the best Resident Evil game to date. Should you be yet to experience the thrills of a modernised, yet retro infused, Raccoon City Police Station then go enjoy it now, for it’s absolutely free, it’s absolutely amazing and it’s absolutely the true return to survival horror that we’ve all been craving from a Resident Evil game.
