Resident Evil 2

 PlayStation
User Score
9.3

Universal acclaim- based on 1168 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,092 out of 1168
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 1168
  3. Negative: 27 out of 1168
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  1. GuillermoP.
    Aug 4, 2006
    10
    It is one of the best psx games.
  2. ChrisM
    Jan 9, 2010
    10
    Jay D.... You gave this game a zero. Seriously. A zero. People like you who should've been born with no hands so they can't get access to a computer. The least you could do is give information as to WHY you feel this game deserves a 0. But no. You just say "the original is still the best" and slap a 0 on it. While I really think this game deserves a solid 9, I'm giving it a Jay D.... You gave this game a zero. Seriously. A zero. People like you who should've been born with no hands so they can't get access to a computer. The least you could do is give information as to WHY you feel this game deserves a 0. But no. You just say "the original is still the best" and slap a 0 on it. While I really think this game deserves a solid 9, I'm giving it a 10 because every little bit helps to make up for your stupidity.… Expand
  3. MikeH.
    May 10, 2002
    10
    LOOOOOOOOOSER That anonymous person has got to be brain dead, Resident Evil two is THE BEST R.E. game next to Resident Evil Nemesis. The ranking is R.E.3, R.E.2, R.e. C.V., R.E., then Survivor!!!!! LOOOOOOOOSER!
  4. GrayT.
    Mar 7, 2005
    10
    The best of the old generation of RE games, outshined only by the groundbreaking 4.
  5. ReyesA
    May 5, 2009
    10
    I keep hearing what people say about these Resident Evil games so I bought the full collection (1 through 3) for PS1. I HATED part 1. This one however, doesn't frustrate me or make me mad. It's easy to play and still provides those jumpy scares. I love having people watch me play it because I get to see them jump when a zombie comes crashing through a window or ceiling. Anyway, I keep hearing what people say about these Resident Evil games so I bought the full collection (1 through 3) for PS1. I HATED part 1. This one however, doesn't frustrate me or make me mad. It's easy to play and still provides those jumpy scares. I love having people watch me play it because I get to see them jump when a zombie comes crashing through a window or ceiling. Anyway, if you buy this game, get the dual shock greatest hits version because it has arrange mode (which if you play on rookie you can have a machine gun with infinite ammo right from the start). I still have part 3 yet to play and I am definitely looking forward to it.… Expand
  6. Backstrom
    Feb 20, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is one of the best games in the genre, and of the best games for the PS1 ever. It's slightly more action-oriented than the more scary RE1, but it doesn't make it lesser of a game. The action-horror atmosphere actually fits very well, but maybe it could have been slightly better if it was a teeny tiny bit more scary. Who knows. The music and the sound effects are excellent and gives the game an eerie atmosphere. The dialogue is kinda cheesy, but that's the way I like it. It has a lot of puzzle-solving which is a good thing, and it has interesting environments and characters. 2 separate characters with 2 separate scenarios each (granted the scenarios aren't very different from one another), and an extra mini-game with Hunk and Tofu gives this game a great replay-value. Plenty of interesting bosses including: alligator, Mr X., different mutations of William Birkin, G-Virus' "Offspring", the Moth (although not really a boss). 1-2 more boss-fights had been perfect though. I think Chief Irons had made a good boss, imagine a boss-fight with a human who isn't infected by some kind of virus, blasting away with a hunting rifle, and setting off traps (he enjoyed hunting) during the fight. A boss-fight against one of Hunk's team members would have been nice too. A G-virus mutated mercenary with a machine gun. Plenty of different monsters such as: a few different kind of zombies (but where are all the children zombies?), 2 kind of lickers, 2 kind of walking plants, spiders, dogs (where are all the cats though?), crows. Cats and snakes (there are only sissy snakes, and few of them) would have been cool. Some kind of different bird would have been nice, since there are only crows/ravens/whatever. Summary: A solid 10, it is everything that a Resident Evil should be, and I will NEVER get tired of this game. I still remember the first time I saw this game, it was when I watched my friend play the RE2 demo, which his older brother had got from his copy of RE 1 Dir. Cut. I was awe-struck and deeply fascinated when i watched my friend play it. It's more than 10 years later now, and the fascination of this game hasn't decreased,… Expand
  7. ChrnoTodd
    Nov 4, 2011
    10
    One of the best gmes i've played. The Soundtrack, cutescenes, characters and history.... everything in this game is epic. Probably the best Resident Evil and one of the best games of Capcom.
  8. mastermenelag
    Dec 12, 2019
    10
    Una pietra miliare che ha fatto la storia dei videogiochi horror e del medium in generale. Un avventura coinvolgente e divertente che continua ad affascinare nonostante l’età.
  9. Peteypoo
    Feb 22, 2012
    10
    As ChrisM put so well this is getting a 10 for me to compensate for JayD abusing the rating system. Would have given it a 9 otherwise. This game frightened the crap out of me and despite a lot of very annoying issues with camera angles, movement, battle gameplay etc. the atmosphere and visuals made it one of the most memorable games on the playstation.
  10. RECON-UK
    Oct 9, 2016
    10
    Not many franchises get sequels that improve on the first game in every aspect.
    This is what makes Resident Evil 2 so special. Improved visuals, sounds, voices, FMV's.
    2 entirely different characters to choose from, yeah that is what is available to you at the start of Resident Evil 1, but Resident Evil 2 links the two players together into Scenario A and Scenario B. If played the    Not many franchises get sequels that improve on the first game in every aspect.
    This is what makes Resident Evil 2 so special. Improved visuals, sounds, voices, FMV's.
    2 entirely different characters to choose from, yeah that is what is available to you at the start of Resident Evil 1, but Resident Evil 2 links the two players together into Scenario A and Scenario B.
    If played the conventional way (LEON A, then onto CLAIRE B) you will get the best experience from Resident Evil 2, however you are not limited to that way, you can Claire A and LEON B.

    For the more experienced gamer you are able to achieve an A rank (European & USA release only, JAPAN is far easier and gives an S rank)
    The rank is awarded to the player with the best play through of the scenario's, complete both play through's under 3 hours and you unlock goodies! you also get a 3rd scenario known as 4th survivor in which you control Hunk (the guy in the William Birkin FMV sequence who asks for the G-Virus sample where he injects himself)

    If you finish the game 6 times going from scenario to scenario you unlock TOFU which is a joke scenario where you play as a piece of Tofu.

    This sequel brought so much for us RE fans that it deserves number 1 spot in my mind.

    This game has excellent versions other than the original release too, and my personal fave being the Dreamcast release which is the PC port with the most features (if you exclude N64's EX files & gore changer)
    The Playstation got the Dual Shock edition which makes the Dual Shock controller compatible with RE2 and gives the rumble function, it also includes Extreme Battle mode.

    The DC release has an arrange mode like the Dual Shock edition except has Expert and Nightmare modes which are the hardest version of RE2 on any release bar the PC version (PC port to DC).

    For the best FMV quality you want either the Gamecube or PC SourceNext editions, however SN version is Japan only and the Gamecube version lacks game play features from the DC / PC releases.

    I hope you enjoyed this read, thinking of playing it? it's an experience you won't forget!    … Expand
  11. Doggy
    Nov 30, 2020
    10
    It's hard to express what kind of a water-shedding mile stone and phenomena the original Resident Evil 2 was when it came out back in the 1998. Or rather, it was already a phenomena long before the release; that big think the original Biohazard game had been just couple years prior, and the hype surrounding its bigger and badder sequel was off the scale. While the game eventually got aIt's hard to express what kind of a water-shedding mile stone and phenomena the original Resident Evil 2 was when it came out back in the 1998. Or rather, it was already a phenomena long before the release; that big think the original Biohazard game had been just couple years prior, and the hype surrounding its bigger and badder sequel was off the scale. While the game eventually got a handful of revisions and design changes before the final version, the game we ultimately got was no short of a masterpiece.

    I assume everyone's already familiar with the premise of Resident Evil:
    Something bizarre has gone terribly wrong in a remote town of Raccoon City, and the streets are now swarmed by undead creatures. The survival-horror gameplay resembles the adventure games of the old quite a bit, revolving around exploration of certain major locations (in a semi non-linear manner), finding key items and supplies, reading notes to piece together the story, and solving puzzles in order to access new areas and challenges. There's a limited inventory space you need to plan and adjust once in a while, and saving is handled in specified safe-rooms, using consumable items you need to hunt down from the world (Ink-ribbons). There are no auto-saves.

    Coming on two discs, one per each of the game's playable characters, Leon and Claire, RE2 expanded and enhanced upon the RE1's two campaigns idea by making both of the character's stories overlap, and even interact. Depending on which of the two you decided to start with, the first character would be placed into an "A route", where as continuing the game after the credits with the second disc would show the "B route" from the second character's perspective. These routes also have a handful of spots where choices made during A affect things in B, dubbed the "Zapping system".
    This meant that you got essentially four different versions of the game's campaign, with a couple minor adjustments you could try out on top, greatly enhancing the replay value further. And then you have various unlockables and bonus mini-games as an extra carrot!

    The audio-visual presentation is still drop-dead gorgeous and atmospheric, even after all these years. The pre-rendered world of Raccoon city is highly detailed and cleverly presented you via changing cinematic camera-angles, that alone can tell a tale and form a certain mood. The sound-design further helps craft this sad scene of a zombie apocalypse, with the echoing, pitiful moans of the walking corpses being especially haunting. The voice-acting was also a major leap from the original RE's hilarious dialog, further helping to take the story seriously.

    Even in 2020, I still rate the 1998's classic RE2 above its more recent "remake". I was quite saddened by Capcom's decision to cut out so much content, while also apparently appealing to the more casual player base, thus removing or watering down what I'd consider essential survival-horror traits (ie. limited saves, no check-points, lack of UI and hints, plenty of replay value...).    … Expand
  12. KlausKinski
    May 21, 2012
    10
    When i played this game the first time me and a friend stayed up all night to play and we were speechless of how much it kicked ass LOL this is a all time classic!
  13. hollowfication
    Oct 5, 2012
    10
    i love this game PERIOD it oozes blood & challenge (no pun intended) lol anyways it is one of the best survival horror games let alone the series. yes i kid u not it is one of the best it is up there with silent hill 1 & 2, doom 3, and of course fatal frame
  14. pookie
    Jun 28, 2012
    10
    The Mansion seemed like the best setting, but RE2s police department isn't that far behind. RE2 improves over the original ALOT. The plot, characters, and scenarios are more engaging. Gameplay tweaks fix a lot of the originals issues. Controls feel a tad more precise. The game seems to have a perfect balance of action, puzzles, and backtracking. RE2 is up there with REmake and RE4. It'sThe Mansion seemed like the best setting, but RE2s police department isn't that far behind. RE2 improves over the original ALOT. The plot, characters, and scenarios are more engaging. Gameplay tweaks fix a lot of the originals issues. Controls feel a tad more precise. The game seems to have a perfect balance of action, puzzles, and backtracking. RE2 is up there with REmake and RE4. It's certainly the best Resident Evil on PSone and one of the best in the entire series.… Expand
  15. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    10
    Awesome game. 2 whole quests.
  16. tekneek344
    Jun 28, 2012
    10
    This was the first survival horror game I ever played, and thus, the first game to make me anticipate nightfall for full enjoyment. Your surroundings have to be engulfed in darkness if you want your pants scared off properly, after all. You can choose to play as one of two protagonists; Claire, sister of S.T.A.R.S. member Chris from the first game. Or Leon, who is presented with theThis was the first survival horror game I ever played, and thus, the first game to make me anticipate nightfall for full enjoyment. Your surroundings have to be engulfed in darkness if you want your pants scared off properly, after all. You can choose to play as one of two protagonists; Claire, sister of S.T.A.R.S. member Chris from the first game. Or Leon, who is presented with the greatest first day rookie cop assignment ever; to survive a zombie apocalypse. The game's soundtrack is atmospheric, and really captures the ambience of a desolate setting, housing unfamiliar and unnatural horrors in its shadows, and a lingering hope for survival beyond those shadows. The game is a perfect compromise between shooting, puzzle-solving, and pop-up scare tactics. I also enjoy the fact that you can play a second side of the story directly after beating one disc, and vice versa. That makes for 4 different scenarios and a lot of added replay value.… Expand
  17. suneater
    Mar 3, 2013
    10
    Takes everything from the original and improves upon it. With diverse paths through the game split between two characters, each storyline is much more unique this time. Better voice acting, sharper character models and textures, tons of new weapons, and a compelling storyline split between two diverse locations make this one of my favorite games ever. If you enjoyed the original, beTakes everything from the original and improves upon it. With diverse paths through the game split between two characters, each storyline is much more unique this time. Better voice acting, sharper character models and textures, tons of new weapons, and a compelling storyline split between two diverse locations make this one of my favorite games ever. If you enjoyed the original, be prepared to be blown away by all the improves to the series. Resident Evil 1-3 are all fantastic survival horror games from a bygone era of gaming that all fans of action games should play.… Expand
  18. lxliNsAniTylxl
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    To me Resident Evil 2 and 4 are tied for the best and my personal favorite, not just because Leon is awesome in both, but the gameplay was just wow. I literally can play these two games over and over and over. They're that addicting. I love them. Now focusing on 2. 2 starts out where Leon is supposed to go to the RPD for a party. First day on the job is always supposed to be the worstTo me Resident Evil 2 and 4 are tied for the best and my personal favorite, not just because Leon is awesome in both, but the gameplay was just wow. I literally can play these two games over and over and over. They're that addicting. I love them. Now focusing on 2. 2 starts out where Leon is supposed to go to the RPD for a party. First day on the job is always supposed to be the worst anyway, well yeah it was a bad day for Leon. The opening scenes put you in suspense and it never stopped. When it got quite I got real scared as a kid not going to lie. I was terrified, but I beat the game. I even bought it for my ps3. This game also really intrigued me. It was a long long campaign. I just love this game so much it's ridiculous. 2 and 4 of the Resident Evil franchise are my favorite games of all time.… Expand
  19. hemmo1986
    Jan 26, 2015
    10
    While it doesn't quite hold up today; back in 1998 this was survival horror in its prime. While Resident evil paved the way for survival horror, Resident evil 2 cemented the series reputation as king of the genre.

    Resident evil 2 takes what Resident evil had achieved and extends on the formula by adding improved voice acting, a greater story, new enemies and to top it off adds replay    While it doesn't quite hold up today; back in 1998 this was survival horror in its prime. While Resident evil paved the way for survival horror, Resident evil 2 cemented the series reputation as king of the genre.

    Resident evil 2 takes what Resident evil had achieved and extends on the formula by adding improved voice acting, a greater story, new enemies and to top it off adds replay value by unlocking different scenarios once the game has been finished, and trust me you will want to play the new scenario's as that's when the game gets interesting with a pre-nemesis monster that stalks you throughout the game.

    Hands down a all time classic    … Expand
  20. kyriores
    Aug 30, 2013
    10
    Long long ago, when the Resident Evil series was an adventure/horror series and not an action/shooter series, Capcom actually knew how to make good games. Resident Evil 2 is one of them. It's plot is simple, yet intriguing. The game is one of the most atmospheric games of this era and even though it's quite old, you can still tell that it is well designed. The gameplay is excellent asLong long ago, when the Resident Evil series was an adventure/horror series and not an action/shooter series, Capcom actually knew how to make good games. Resident Evil 2 is one of them. It's plot is simple, yet intriguing. The game is one of the most atmospheric games of this era and even though it's quite old, you can still tell that it is well designed. The gameplay is excellent as well. Need I say more? This game is a classic.… Expand
  21. redparadox85
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    This was the first survival horror I played and it will always hold a place in my heart. The game overall was an instrument of perfection (well of course there's the cliche voice acting) and having multiple scenarios on multiple discs made this a thunderous experience. Most notable for introducing Leon and Claire, as well as the infamous Licker.
  22. elitefour
    Oct 21, 2013
    10
    Resident evil 2 is the best resident evil of franchise
    one of the scariest game of my childhood
    i love it
    is one my favourite games of ps1 and n64
    i love it
  23. solo-kreep
    Nov 16, 2013
    10
    i remember the first day i played this 15 years ago. i remember those exact words, (we finally beat it!) only 5 years old when i first beat re2 and 3. resident evil series will always be on my game list, even when ps5 and 6 come out. people gona play Cod Bo 3 and 4 while im playing games not for entertainment, but also to reminisce to. I will never forget who Capcom is.
  24. rafinhazz
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Excelente. Aterrorizante. Eletrizante. É um verdadeiro survivor horror, esse jogo deveria ser eternizado como um dia melhores!
  25. archonome
    Feb 22, 2014
    10
    Very rarely would I give a 10/10 for any game... but when you STILL compare every new survival horror to this one and that your childhood was marked by this video game...WELL IT DESERVES a 10.

    People need to judge this by pretending it's 1996-1999 era and then they'll realise this is probably one of the best 10 games ever made!!! The story line is simple yet very intriguing. The    Very rarely would I give a 10/10 for any game... but when you STILL compare every new survival horror to this one and that your childhood was marked by this video game...WELL IT DESERVES a 10.

    People need to judge this by pretending it's 1996-1999 era and then they'll realise this is probably one of the best 10 games ever made!!!

    The story line is simple yet very intriguing. The characters weren't bland and were mysterious. The pre-rendered backgrounds are amazing!!(I prefer these then the new-gen).

    Some of the BEST things about this game was that it had an awesome atmosphere! (new-gen games fail at this).
    I remember finding pages and diaries and reading through them and being completely immersed in the world. (the one where the guy is writing about his painful seclusion and feeling sick...not knowing how long he had left).
    Absolutely breathtaking!!

    Capcom should have stuck to this recipe and kept this game for NICHE audience! Instead, they made RE5, RE6 and completely destroyed everything that was perfect about RE1,RE2.

    This is hands down the best RE of them all. Sorry RE4 was good but it did NOT have a story like this one did... neither did it have the HORROR aspect as well blended as this one!    … Expand
  26. fijiboy
    May 2, 2014
    10
    survival horror wise, this is the best game in the franchise. the scariest, the most challenging, and of course the tyrant, which isn't quite as cool as nemesis, but whatever. quite possibly the greatest survival horror game ever
  27. Henry4Dead
    Aug 8, 2014
    10
    Even thought the first installment of the Resident Evil was amazing,Resident Evil 2 perfected it in all the aspects.You start as Leon S.Kennedy,a rookie police officer,who in the first day at his duty,is surviving at a zombie apocalypse.
    Graphics-8/10
    Playabilitie-10/10
    Soundtrack-10/10
    Review by Henry4Dead
  28. Tharduz
    Jun 26, 2020
    10
    Masterpiece of the original PlayStation, lost count of how many times I have completed this
  29. SiAScORCH
    Nov 5, 2014
    10
    This game will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end, from start to finish. Resident Evil cannot be topped when it comes to length of a game, spookiness, or just plain not knowing what to expect. The game can be hard, but not difficult and with many different rewards for finish on different difficulties and getting a score at the end you can unlock things(I won't spoil it).This game will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end, from start to finish. Resident Evil cannot be topped when it comes to length of a game, spookiness, or just plain not knowing what to expect. The game can be hard, but not difficult and with many different rewards for finish on different difficulties and getting a score at the end you can unlock things(I won't spoil it). The game can be heart wrenching at times too, as you kind of feel like a character grows on you. The music is what makes the game even better. I mean they have perfect music for whatever scenario you're in so you kind of never know what to expect, so it's creepy. I cannot say enough good things about this game, so hopefully you will experience it, even 16 years later it's still one of the best.… Expand
  30. Joker92
    Oct 7, 2015
    10
    Loved this game when I was a child and it first came out, and I still love it now. A masterpiece and forerunner in survival horror. If for whatever reason you haven't picked this gem up, then you need to and find out what you've been missing out on!
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PS1 Game of 1998
3
#3 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1998
7
#7 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. GMR Magazine
    90
    Zombies running amok in Raccoon City; more B-movie voice acting running amok on your speakers. Enough to fill two disks this time! [Feb 2003, p.97]
  2. PSX Nation
    97
    The sequel elevates what was so great about the first one to a complete new level of terror.
    Read full review
  3. TotalGames.net
    96
    One of the most clever, crowd-pleasing, tense, dramatic, beautiful and playable games ever conceived.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »