Zombies and Hundreds of Mutated Monsters, Dreamcast Style
Written: Jan 05 '01 (Updated Apr 24 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 2 GD-Roms packed full with horror, excitement, zombies, guns, babes, and extra treats
Cons: port, control, easy for the verterans
The Bottom Line: Although graphically it’s miles behind Code Veronica, the zombie goodness that Resident Evil 2 brings is more than enough to satisfy the needs of any gamer.
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| Horhay's Full Review: Resident Evil 2 for Dreamcast |
Story:
The sequel to the original proves to be a huge step when it comes to presentation and overall flow of the game. You control two main characters: Clair Redfield and Leon Kennedy. Each one has a story to share, and one major goal to complete. Both protagonists enter the zombie-infested Raccoon City clueless and in search of answers. Fate has brought them together and now it’s up to you to find out what’s going on.
Gameplay:
First off you got some extra modes and special goodies. In terms of modes you have 3: Original, Arrange, and Special. The original mode is self-explanatory, while the arrange modes offers something different. In the new arrange mode you have two new difficult settings, Expert and Rookie. Keep in mind that the PSOne version had the settings Normal and Easy. The expert mode is a little tough at first, since ammo supplies are scarce and zombies are a little stronger. Still this mode didn’t provide me with a challenge. I was able to blast past Leon’s first scenario on the expert setting in 2 hours and 30 minutes (without even trying I might add). I wouldn’t really call this a flaw though, since I have already played RE2 like a hundred times, so I knew where to go each time and I was easily able to solve the puzzles. The rookie mode is well meant for rookies. So if you really suck at RE2 here’s your chance to kick some zombie ahah. In the rookie mode you start out with the machine gun (infinite ammo). The amount of ammo you pick up for other weapons is more than abundant and the zombies are easier to kill.
As for the special modes you have the option of playing as Hunk or Tofu (secret characters), and you also get to play Extreme Battle. But before you start jumping up and down, there’s one slight problem, you have to unlock these by beating the game (the 2 scenarios). I think that’s still pretty worth it because in the PSOne version in order to get Hunk you had to get an A rating in the second scenario, and playing the PSOne version 6 times in order to get Tofu is way too much. Other extra treats include an art gallery where you can see sketches of characters and different environments used for the game. You also have a little movie theater where you can check out all the CG movies that you’ve seen in the game, this is great for showing off to friends.
That’s pretty much it when it comes to modes. Oh yeah I would also like to note that after beating the arrange mode a new difficulty popped up, which was labeled Nightmare. Although I only played it for a couple minutes I did notice new things. First the handgun can actually blow up heads. Zombies are much more tougher and when you blast one with the shotgun (regular shot), their body always splits in half and their upper torso is still alive. When I play this mode more I will update this opinion with new information.
The list of DC improvements is not done yet. The DC version supports vibration and analog control. If that wasn’t enough the whole control layout is fully customizable. Along with that you have the cool VMU status screen. When you take a quick peek at your VMU while playing you will see what condition your character is in, and the amount of ammo they have for the gun they are carrying. Although these features might mean nothing, I love the fact that they are included. As for the control, the button layout is changed from that of the PSOne controller. Don’t worry though because you can change the entire control setup to your liking. The analog control for the character movements was too touchy for my tastes so I stuck with the d-pad control.
Wow I can’t believe I already wrote so much and I haven’t even said how the game plays. I hate repeating myself with the typical RE formula but it’s a must in order to get my point across. The RE recipe uses ingredients that are both exciting and tiresome at times. It all comes done to blowing zombies up, collecting keys and weapons, solving fairly simple puzzles, and going back to places where you can use those keys or items you collected to unlock new areas so you can progress further in the game (damn that was a mouth full). This may sound boring, but this can be heavily overlooked by three factors.
What makes RE2 such a fun game is that you get to kill lots of zombies and demented creatures. You use various weapons and practically blow up these creatures into huge pieces of rotten flesh. The violence factor is way up, so this game is not recommend for the young ones. The second reason would have to be the scare factor. The suspense in this game is killer, because you don’t know what’s lurking around each corner. When I played this game for the first time 3 years ago I almost wet my bed. Sure the thrills might have faded a bit, but I found myself almost having heart attacks a couple times when playing the DC version. The last factor would have to be the overall smooth production value. The game plays like a movie. The cut-scenes move the story along at a nice pace, and the CG cinemas make you just want to set back and enjoy what’s happening on screen.
In terms of reply value there’s a lot to do, especially if you never played this game before. In order to fully beat the game and get your money’s worth you’re going to have to play the game a total of 4 times. Each character has two scenarios to play and each one is different in its own way. You’ll encounter different monsters, unlock new areas, watch new cut-scenes, and even get different endings. And if you’re done with that you always have the challenging Hunk mission and Extreme Battle missions.
Graphics:
After spending some time in the doctor’s office the Dreamcast version has gotten some graphical enhancements. First off the resolution has been doubled, and the result is better looking backgrounds and characters models. The pre-rendered backgrounds are still there, but are greatly detailed and look much cleaner than the PSOne version. As for the characters they look much sharper but nothing really huge. The cinemas look a tad bit better and having them play in full screen format is nice. I really like the changes Capcom made, but I can’t praise them since they basically used the PC port. I only wished that the loading times were gone though. Nevertheless the game looks good, even after being out for so long.
Sound:
Awesome sounds effects, a spooky soundtrack, and somewhat serious voice-acting makes RE2 what it is today. The music really helps set the whole zombie and not knowing what’s going on mood. Tracks are usually creepy but certain fast paced ones are played in some situations in order to keep you on the edge of your seat. The voice acting is solid and more original than RE1. The dialog is now much more human and shows some signs of drama.
Overall:
You really can’t go wrong with a classic like this. The gameplay is very fun, the graphics are good, and the sound is engrossing. I’ve played through two scenarios already and I’m still hungry for more. Now all I need is RE: Director’s Cut for Dreamcast and I’ll be a happy camper.
Note: My comparison to the PSOne version is to the original, not the Dual Shock version.
Recommended:
Yes
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Horhay
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Member: Jorge Vazquez
Location: San Francisco, CA
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