A long-awaited remake of a survival horror classic shuffles into view, was it worth the wait? See what we think in our Resident Evil 2 review.

Resident Evil is widely considered the granddaddy of the survival horror genre but it wasn’t until Capcom released a sequel in 1998 that it went from breakout hit to worldwide phenomenon. With 3D gaming still very much in its infancy, Resident Evil 2 touched down at the perfect time, combining traditional action and adventure with a grotesque level of gore rarely seen before.

Since then, it’s fair to say that the franchise has had its ups and downs. For every solid sequel or spin-off, there have been some major missteps as well as games that only existed to keep the brand name alive in between those meatier mainline installments.

Although seen as the weakest entry in the series, Resident Evil 6 still sold over 8.7 million copies, becoming Capcom’s third best-selling game. However, critics were beginning to tire of Capcom attempts at making the franchise more action orientated, becoming more and more of a flashy blockbuster showpiece with little consideration of what made those original game such stand-out classics.

Resident Evil 7 was certainly a turning point and although it had pitfalls of its own, Capcom was able to put its flagship franchise back on track, reanimating that familiar Resi formula we fell in love with all those years ago. If those lessons hadn’t be learned, we dread to think how Resident Evil 2 might have turned out.

Thankfully, this is the remake that Capcom had promised its fans: a deftly crafted tribute to the 1998 sequel, built from the ground up with just the right amount of modernization. The way it has gone about recreating a genre-defining masterpiece is incredibly faithful and while certain parts of the game have been rejigged to better suit the needs and expectations of modern gamers, nothing here has been desecrated or painted over just for the sake of it.

A huge part of Resident Evil 2’s success was its setting. We’ll always have a soft spot for the Spencer Mansion though there’s something about Raccoon City – seeing its urban sprawl overrun and descend into chaos – that has always been more evocative. Even when Capcom immediately went for a double dip with Resident Evil 3 Nemesis, the city still felt incredibly fresh, large swathes of its urban expanse yet to be explored.

With that said, much of your time with Resident Evil 2 is spent in the Raccoon City police station – arguably one of the most iconic buildings in video game history. It’s an ingeniously constructed example of level design, a maze-like puzzle box that loops back on itself as you unlock doors, and unearth hidden passageways.

What works so well about this remake is how Capcom quite clearly fought the temptation to give the original game a complete do-over. Having to decipher cryptic clues, spending prolonged periods scavenging for key items, and backtracking across the map can be just as frustrating as it was back in 1998. While these moments could easily have been ripped out or streamlined, Capcom kept those bits in, only smoothing over some of the game’s roughest, most archaic edges. As a result, Resident Evil 2 retains that same quality that it did more than two decades ago.

The core foundation is still in place but those changes the developers have made are extremely welcome and essential in propelling the game into the present day and still make it relevant.

The most notable change, of course, is the complete visual overhaul. Here we see Capcom flexing the same “RE Engine” tech that powered its last installment in the series. Character models are more lifelike than ever thanks to vast improvements in facial animation, especially when it comes to Leon, Claire, Ada, and the game’s small cluster of key supporting characters.

The enemies you come up against have also been reimagined in splendid, horrific detail. Zombies twitch and shamble, quickening their pace when in close proximity. The way they react to being shot is a tiny technical marvel that perfectly mimics the nineties original. Hitting your target square-on will cause them to stumble while aiming for arms and legs will cause them grossly slough away.

You’ll be surprised at the number of headshots it takes to put down a zombie for good. Even then, as you come back to revisit areas you’ve previously cleared, they’ll often be repopulated. Another nice little touch this remake adds is by having zombies try and barge their way into the police station, forcing players to board up windows or instead face even more enemies.

This all serves a purpose, enshrining the remake as a proper survival horror game and not just some zombie-filled shooting gallery. The team at Capcom are akin to evil geniuses in the way they constantly try to manipulate players, creating scenarios where you really have to stop and think about conserving items and ammunition. You’ll soon learn that outrunning zombies, or firing off a glancing shot, is actually more effective than trying to permanently eliminate them.

Even the most carefully laid plans can end up going awry as you fall into traps and eat into your reserves. There are also intermittent boss to be wary of too, but even if you’re completely unprepared for them, Resident Evil 2 spews up *just* enough items to scrape through. It’s a game that genuinely revels in the stress and unease it burdens the player with, ready to twist that knife at the most inconvenient of moments. Nothing about this is new, however – that’s exactly how those original games in the series were built.

Luckily, these tough spots are no longer compounded by some of Resi 2’s outdated design tropes. Much like the series’ most recent installments, players are treated to an over-the-shoulder view, being able to move and shoot at the same time, tank controls be damned. This also means that fixed camera angles are gone too – a casualty only the most zealous of purists will lament.

One modernization you may not notice at first is the removal of loading screens. Those tense door-opening sequences Resi became known for certainly have a fear-inducing nostalgia factor though being able to seamlessly explore the RCPD station and surrounding areas without interruption is a huge time saver.

There are some extra nuggets of content hidden away here and there, though expect Resident Evil 2 to clock in at a similar runtime compared to the 1998 original. A single playthrough should last six to eight hours though can be done in less. Meanwhile, those who want to wring every morsel from the game may take twice as long with multiple runs needed to uncover its numerous endings. Being able to play as either Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield naturally adds some of the replayability from the original game, offering two different, albeit overlapping, perspectives of the same main story.

Resident Evil 2 – while not a perfect game – is the perfect remake. Capcom has lovingly rebirthed a horror icon here, preserving that core DNA without infecting it through needless add-ons or alterations. There are certain aspects that will definitely grate and feel weirdly archaic though these are clearly an intentional part of Capcom’s grand design. Whether you’ve been waiting all these years to revisit Raccoon City or happen to be a curious first-timer, Resident Evil 2 is an essential must-have slice of video game horror, kicking off 2019 in style.

Resident Evil 2 review code provided for PS4 by the publisher.

Resident Evil 2 is out January 25 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.