4/5 ★ – SoftLockJake's review of Resident Evil 2.

For someone with no nostalgia for Resident Evil, RE2 Remake is still so excellent. There's so much praise I want to give this game. But it looks like most of it was already said in 1998... and 2019. To keep it short and sweet, RE2 is an incredible survival horror game that feels classic PS1 while still maintaining modern level-design sensibilities, and the modern technical presentation is unbelievably high-quality. The puzzles are fun, intuitive, challenging, and rarely obtuse. The freedom of exploration is incredible, considering the tight corridors and the limited number of rooms in the game's various levels, but backtracking and continued exploration are almost always rewarded with significant upgrades or much-needed restocks. While I think archaic mechanics like a limited inventory, scarcity of ammo, and concrete save points can hold some games back, RE2 uses these as core mechanics instead of hindrances to actually become additive to the challenge and experience. Where I think it falters in terms of gameplay are the combat and movement mechanics, as well as the inclusion of the ever-looming Tyrant. I know the point is that you are supposed to be inaccurate and afraid of enemies. But, I think the clunky controls and lack of refined movement and aiming are noticeable throughout, and were frustrating no matter what way you cut it. Then, there's our buddy Mr. X. Initially, I was very excited that there was an ever-present threat that meant you can't stay in one place for too long. But, after a while, it just became annoying. There often isn't a way to escape easily, forcing me to do a full lap around the police station to get back to the only place I can go to progress, only to be found again and have to repeat it. There's a bit too much of the Tyrant in my opinion. RE2's biggest achievement is its presentation. Even in performance mode on Xbox Series X, RE2 is one of the best-looking games I have ever seen. The textures are so detailed, the character and enemy animations are incredibly nuanced and effective at either being believable or scary, and the character models for both the main characters and the enemies are so well crafted. I've never seen gore look so good. The sounds are also amazing, creating a genuine sense of fear, even in well-lit areas, and a true sense of immersion in the more eerie sections of the game. The current-gen versions of RE2 are worth the price of admission even just to look at the game, let alone play through its perfectly paced campaign. I don't have enough good things to say about RE2, and even my qualms with it do not keep me from fully recommending it to almost anyone.