Summary
The sequel that blew the original out of the water...
The Good
If there was one game I would herald as Capcom's ultimate success in the action/puzzle genre, Resident Evil 2 would rise clearly above all the rest.
The game, by far the best in the series, creates an atmoshpere truly terrifying - possibly rivalled only by Konami's Silent Hill series. High points of the game include
*Crows breaking through glass windows without warning
*Zombies bursting through boarded up windows
*Lickers dropping from ceilings and leaping from seemingly nowhere
*And of course, our friend the Tyrant-103 - crashing through walls, hoisting himself up on to balconies, and smashing up cameras...all in the name of pulse-quickening good fun!
What appealed to me about RE2 was the fine line between Shoot-em-all and Puzzler. Different keys and combinations, block pushing - it is easy to see where the Dino Crisis puzzles were expanded from. However, torrents of zombies, mutated dogs and biological abominations keep the action fast-paced, maintaining the fine balance of brute force and wit required for complete fufilment.
RE2 boasts a diverse range of weaponry, including Shotguns, Grenade Launchers, Flamethrowers, and even a RocketLauncher! The available arsenal makes for controlled mayhem, without turning RE2 into a Shoot-em-up. Also clever was the way zombies rect to different weapons - the Magnum will burst heads right open, whilst a Grenade launcher will destroy the head and shoulders, and a well timed Shotgun blast can remove the torsos from a group of zombies - which will then begin to crawl along the floor to attack you!
Finally, the other fantastic selling point of Resi 2 is the storyline. Complete the game once as one character, and then play as the other - in a totally different game. The "2nd Scenario" involves your other character playing through the game again, but with several significant changes, including placement of key items, extra bosses and a different (REAL) ending.
The Bad
There's probably something, but I can't think what.
The Bottom Line
One of the best games CapCom has ever produced - maybe even ever will. If you don't have it, get it.
