Resident Evil 2 : The Redemption of Survival Horror 

I really, honestly have no idea what they were thinking when making the "everyone hates Leon" thing in Welcome to Raccoon City. If you pay even remotely attention to the office desk puzzle, you'll notice that the combination lock prank was supposed to get Leon to memorize the names of his colleagues and there is a big "WELCOME LEON" sign hung up in the office. They weren't looking down on the new rookie, they were downright _excited_ to have him join them! Which just makes it all the more heartbreaking that the disaster killed all of them on Leon's first day and that the police chief himself was with Umbrella the entire time.

Marvin's death is the sort of thing I like because it's something that you can only really do in games. The fact that the game doesn't linger on it allows you to spend as much or as little time on it as you want, and it kind of makes it feel worse, knowing that Marvin has become just another unremarkable zombie, to the point where the game doesn't even make a big deal out of it.

The lack of emphasis on Marvin’s death is a projection of the tragedy of all the deaths in the city. All of these zombies were once people just like Marvin. He is now just another zombie. The lack of emphasis makes it more tragic.

Ok, I had no idea they portrayed Leon in that way in the new movie and that upsets tf outta me. Leon is NOT a fuck up, bum, irresponsible loser. He had the highest marks in his police training. He would have been a fantastic cop.

I played this with high hopes for the RE3 remake only to be let down horribly. It's crazy how good this one is compared to what came after.

I actually like Marvin's death in the remake. First, the developers tease you when he does not respond on the radio. Then they tease you again when you open the secret path. That is followed by a cliched but well acted scene of "I'm done, leave me, save yourself". And next when you enter the passage, and the door slowly closes behind you, it's shot in such a way that you see how you are being cut off from Marvin by this door. It's my favourite scene in the game, it's hauntingly beautiful, and it communicates to the player that Marvin is gone. And when you return to him, and he rises from the same bench he was sitting on, it's the ultimate payoff for that build up. It's not as dramatic as in the original, but it works in its own way. And Marvin is the only character in the game who wasn't butchered in some way, but was actually improved. One of my criticism is the way some in-game files are written. They seem to have been written by an edgelord trying to be sassy. Iron's diary is one of the brst examples. In the original, his description of killing on of the officers was very poetic, showing off his eloquence which was unsettling due to the fact that he was charged with two rape charges during his university years. The charges were dropped because of circumstantial evidence and his phenomenal academic standing. And his diary builds on that information, confirming his intelligence, eloquence and psychopathic tendencies. It's unsettling. And what do we have in the remake? He nearly came when he sliced a tiger open. Fucking travesty. Other than that, your take on the game mirrors mine.

I got killed by the gas station zombie on my first play through on hardcore. That’s when I knew this game wasn’t screwing around

Since Marvin acts as an early guide and provides you with necessary item to progress, I found myself going back to check in with him every time I entered the main hall. Discovering he had turned into a zombie when I walked up to interact with him was something I suspected would happen, but I still wasn't fully prepared for it. I found myself walking backwards for a few moments trying to decide if I kill him or spare him, since he's in an inconvenient spot to leave him alive. I think Claire has a voice line where she somberly says she's sorry after you kill him.

I disagree on the point how the remake handled Marvin. Having him just stand up and go after you like any zombie, with it being so matter-of-fact, helped to strengthen the sad reality of the situation.

The thing about this game’s intro is that it fails to establish that going through the streets is a death wish. In the original, they established why you are stuck in the police station, which sets up the whole premise of escaping it….

Loss of a true B scenario was my biggest disappointment. They kinda took bits and pieces of both A and B to make essentially a single run :(. It wasnt just the loss of feeling like the B scenario occurred concurrent with A scenario but you can reverse it with Claire A and Leon B and have a different experience again. It was so sad the B scenario wasnt seen important enough to implement :(

You encountering zombified Marvin as you return was actually quite cool. You meet him alive, and you briefly meet that cop which gets torn in half, which you also later encounter zombified (and he's already a zombie in scenario B). Zombies you encounter in Western office are all dudes who would be Leon's buddies, they are the ones that setup that joke desk-puzzle for Leon. This is how I initially solved the puzzle, you can very clearly read their names from tags and badges on their bodies after you kill them. This all reminds you that all the zombies in the game were once human. It was pretty cool detail.

I still think it's funny they went from nailing it with RE2R to immediately shitting the bed with RE3R

My biggest nitpick on the Remake Zombies is that they sound like generic growling people, instead of unnerving moans like the OG RE2 and OG remake.

The way you have some channels dedicated to hating your videos, you'd think you were Chad Kroger of Nickleback. I find your thoughts well articulated and have complete comprehension of the game you're talking about. Keep up the good work.

Re2 remake be like “go on ahead I’ll meet you at the station” 2 steps and a corner later “tHeRe It Is ThE sTaTiOn”

Despite all its flaws, RE2 Remake is a very special game on top of being the best Resident Evil of the past 15-20 years. It proved that no, the true Survival-Horror mechanics aren't dead, and they can still provide an amazing gameplay experience today, and that zombies can still be scary! RE2 remake zombies are amazing. They are slow, but still a real danger, all along the game. That's a pretty amazing achievement from my point of view, especially with an over the shoulder camera. I'm really happy you took the time to put this video together to praise this amazing game. I really hope Capcom goes back to that route for RE9. It's pure Resident Evil, yet everyone loves it and it sells well.

This video is so well put together that I literally bought RE2 & RE3 remakes. I have always been hesitant to play remakes out of fear of lack of enjoyment when compared to their original titles. Started playing RE2 a few days ago and man, so far this is a good game. Thank you for putting this video together.

‘DYLAN! You S.O.B!’ Mayo, I’ve never vibed more with a video of yours than probably this one. Like you I’m a undying OG Resi fan. My views on scenario B, you nailed it. Didn’t realise the effect of not having the original music on the rooms had such a diminishing affect on the remake. So going to go download that right now. In my opinion, this is one of the best videos you’ve put out . Maybe it’s the bottle of wine I’ve already drank, but thanks so much for this absolutely treat of a video. 👍👍👍

oh my god, the original soundtrack option adds so much mystery. Now I want to replay the original

I'm glad someone mentioned the music! I feel like these days games don't think music is 'serious' enough, since it's been quite a while since I've played a newer game that put an emphasis on its OST. I miss the days when music could form a whole atmosphere of its own. The ambience and sound design are great, but music just makes it all so much MORE. I bought the original soundtrack as soon as I realized it was available and never turned it off for this game. That was how it should've been from launch.

One of my all time favorites for sure. The exploration and resource gathering first playthrough are really tight and it feels like you have just enough to keep going. And the journey from being completely lost and scared shitless by the enemies to an S+ run knowing everything about the game is very satisfying. At the end I just wanted more. I would love a game with the same mechanics but more difficult and with a small town to explore so there were more options and strategies for the resource gathering since at the end of all my S runs I had a massive stockpile of items.

I really enjoyed how they handled the Marvin death. I had forgotten about him and was quite surprised when I stopped in to check on him and he stood up trying to munch on my brains.

You forgot to mention that Leon doesn't encounter Sherry in the Remake until the final cutscene, while in the original he actually met her before Claire. That, the lacking B scenario and the fact that Leon and Claire barely interact with each other are the reasons I can't really love this Remake despite how much I want to.

Oh my god, finally. I'm so glad, I always wanted you to make a re2 remake video

This game could've been a masterpiece, but sadly it falls flat after the Police station in the first scenario (either Leon or Claire). It's a 7 to 8/10; it definitely is not a masterpiece. The Police station, Mr. X, and the bosses are the best part of the whole game. I would've been if it took the same direction as the first resident evil remake.

The lighting change is done to accommodate the absence of fixed camera. With a full 3d camera they no longer have the ability to control where your focus is like fixed cameras do. This is design 101. The nitpicks of these games is getting beyond ridiculous. It’s like people are looking for shit to hate no matter how trivial, so they can make RU-vid videos.

I actually like the new treatment of Marvin's death, because it wasn't in a cutscene. It was understated. Less dramatic, maybe... but sadder. I also am glad they included the 2nd Run, as opposed to nothing, since they did pivot from there original intention and it does lead to the final Birkin encounter on the train (though why the title screen isn't Birkin's eye is beyond), but agree it's a terrible shame they didn't fully realize the A/B scenarios as they should have. Overall, as painful as the missing B scenarios are, I'm in the "RE2R is better than RE2" camp. Yes, the B scenarios are neutered, but the core gameplay is astounding, the environments terrifying (I don't really mind the desaturation, as it helps with immersion and mood, imo), and their use of the over-the-shoulder camera makes the game feel really immersive in a way that the original could not. Instead of feeling like I'm watching a movie with cinematic camera angles, I feel like I'm IN the movie. So, it isn't perfect, but for me, RE2R stands tall as one of the greatest games ever made.

I still wait for Resident Rvil 2 Remake. Real remake. One that keep EVERYTHING good from the original, add modern way of play and look and remove the bad sides.

Im not trying to disagree but overall it had many more pros than its cons

This is so good man, agreed on nearly all points. Your understanding of (and passion for) classic survival horror really shines through here.

seeing Marvin transformed was disturbing because he was the only person who spoke directly to Leon

I would argue that Ada is the character they butchered the most. They stripped her of all her humanity and vulnerability and it’s incredibly obvious from the start that Leon is just a pawn to her as opposed to the original. She’s a cold bitch in the remake and from the re4 trailer it’s gunna continue with that version as evident in the line she tells Leon about Ashley, “leave the girl, she’s lost either way.” Like why would Leon like this version at all??

Demake that's all around inferior to the original, and an embarrassment when compared to REmake1. The absolute butchering of the A/B routes and the Zapping mechanic is just a crime.

Remake wins in Gameplay and Atmosphere but everything else goes to the actual classic Re2

It’s just sad this game couldn’t be better because the developers don’t respect the original.

The absolute worst thing about this game is the cursing. If you stop and think about it, they removed the soundtrack and gave us endless profanity instead....

Agree on the lab. I prefer the grungy industrial look, considering it's supposed to be clandestine. The new lab is so clean and futuristic looking. It's an Apple store, and it looks like they give guided tours.

Fan from the ps1 days, and my biggest gripes with the remake were cutting the spiders, the visuals of Berkins later G forms and cutting down the city streets to a quick run around the corner before arriving at the police station

I've yet to play the remake but I have played the original multiple times in the last couple of years. While not the best from a gameplay standpoint (1 has better level design, and 3 has higher replay value), the story is perhaps the most engaging of any Resident Evil game, thus potentially making it my favourite instalment.

Thanks for the vid, you're a very well spoken dude I always enjoy your takes on the RE series. I almost always agree with you and you made me realize I've been too harsh on this game since its release. It really is an amazing game despite its flaws. I'm also very proud of the fact that I S+ ranked every run on Hardcore. Man it was brutal and took me forever!

Agree with so much in this video. Also gave me the push I needed to actually tackle Hardcore mode. Fantastic content, man.

I was waiting for this video a lot because RE2 remake is my favorite Resident Evil game so far. It was worth the wait. Great video!

I just wanted to say that your description from 36:08 to 40:00 is the highlight of the game, the highlight of this video and was incredibly well-explained by you. When put into words and visuals, it really hammers home the genius of that specific section of evading Mr. X, lickers and zombies who’ve crawled into the West hallway

Capcom should just port the old resident evil games to new systems!

To this day I have beef with this remake. I hated how they treated A/B scenarios.

I was so let down cuz of the B scenario, I truly was excited to see Claire's side of the story with new bosses or routes and/or puzzles. It all started feeling weird when I had to do the same puzzles that I made with Leon over again and fighting the same bosses in the same places that weren't supposed to still be there. So yeah, that's when I realised the wasted time I had put into the second run.

I'll take the OG RE2 everyday and twice on Sundays over the 'Reimagining', but a great video nonetheless

Mayo, just wanted to say that i really enjoy videos about the stuff you love (the robocop video was killer bruh). i was a little turned by the recent drama about your elden ring stream but this video but vids like this keep me a fan of ur channel. Heres hoping RE4 is good so we can get quality vids about that game too.

I know I’m getting ahead of myself but it would of been cool if there was a split screen or online where one person played Leon and the other plays Claire and they run into each other randomly and you can see them across the building I just think it would of been cool to play this with your friends so you both experience new things when y’all play the other character

REALLY well put together video Mayo Man! Didn't even realize the video was over 45 minutes long.

A friend of mine bought me this and the RE4 Remake. Happy to have played it!

While it’s a good game on its own and certainly better than the “remake” of RE3, it’s still disappointing as a “remake” of the beloved RE2. They cut and changed so many things to where it shouldn’t really be called a remake. They didn’t even remake the canon Claire A and Leon B paths. The only game that was actually remade was Resident Evil 1.

I disagree about the original tank controls. As much as inexperience was a nightmare at that time, it sure taught you quickly, early into the game, how to use them. Unless you are special and just never could understand their simplicity and advantage.

Love your channel mr mayo, i keep coming back to your videos dude 🙏🙏 thanks for you ! Happy new year

Jesus, I hadn't heard those RE2 OG voice lines of Leon talking over the radio since like 10th grade! The voice acting was such a massive step with the actor really selling it and the presentation sounded like they at least had the actors in a padded closet rather than the ol' tin warehouse down in the heart of Antarctica. I remember those games very fondly (RE1 & 2), and I find it very hard to judge them against their remakes like you are able to articulate here. It's just so crazy how fucking hot RE was coming out of the gate, with the first game being one that helped define the early PS1 era. Then the sequel came out and managed to soar over those heights of success and legacy! I feel like that alone just kinda skews perception but luckily I can be happily content in my inability to come to terms with such a difficult thought to process. I appreciate how you do it, though, mentioning how you could be partial to the oldies for this or that reason, I just like how you are up front about things.

That exact scenario you described at 38:00 has happened to quite a lot of streamers/youtubers I've watched play this game blind. Didn't happen to me exactly the same way since I ran through the operations room and out the unlockable door which put me behind the Lickers and I could run back into the main hall out the east office.

great video, Mayo! And yeah I did the exact same double Licker & Mr. X scenario haha

I remember buying this game with my ps2 and not having enough money to purchase a memory card. I played this for 12 hours straight until I beat it. There's never been a game that's captivated me as much as RE2.

The reason why it makes sense that mr.x dies in B is because in the resident evil lore there were about 5 of them dropped in the city with each having a mission

I immediately bought the classic soundtrack before playing the game. Very few video game OSTs have stuck with me through the years and RE2 is one of them. Edit: About Mr X dying in the second run, you have to remember that lorewise, they dropped a bunch of those things down on the city. Who knows if it's even the same one you encountered in the other playthrough.

Thank you for all the effort you put into your vids!

Now I know what to get for my birthday

It's a shame the game was overly dark because the lighting looks amazing.

That "greatest moment in modern gaming" you showed wasnt even scripted. I replayed recently, and got killed after that part occurred, when I redid it I brought the board down from the floor above to lock out the zombie, and refrained from running. And in result, Mr X never destroyed that wall.

You Nailed it. Players who played the original definitely would be left wanting more of this remake but there is no denying it's an excellent game and one of the best horror games ever. Also RE1 remake is still the best remake ever made imo.

I really wanted that real scenario B

Spot-on with the lighting issue. Thought I was the only one that noticed the drab look to the game overall.

The way that you described the decision making process spoke directly to me. One of my favorite things to do is plan and execute. In RE, you have to think about where you’re going and what to bring. When you’re exploring, you need to make decisions on the fly regarding what to pick up, leave behind, shoot at, avoid, etc. Now I want to replay RE1 remake.

When it comes to Mr. X getting killed in the middle of Claire's run, I like to head-canon that that's one of the five other tyrants dropped into the city.

I just discover your chanel. You have become my top 3 favorite when it comes to reviewing games.

My major grievance with most modern horror games is when they make it "dark". It bothers me because I prefer "dark" more as in tone and feel. Not "dark" as in "okay, I can't really see sh*t." The Ada section can drive me up the wall just because paths aren't always as clear. REmake2 just feels like it's "better" just playing the "2nd Run". Other than that, it's pretty much the same game. At least with OG RE2, you've created 2 different time lines by alternating the A and B scenarios. Eh. REmake is still the best remade.

I feel like Resident Evil 2 Remake was good, but it didn't do much in terms of really reinventing anything new with the series or the horror genre in general. RE4 Remake on the other hand actually looks different from most of its previous titles while truly feeling like a dark horror game with new ideas being brought back from its first initial beta version. Being able to parry incoming threats now is a BIG game changer for the franchise. The hud even looks different than all of the recent titles. Ironic that they wait until the Remake of RE4 to create a more unique stepping off point like how it was originally for the series.

Great video Mayo, amazing work as always

Best re2 remake analysis I've seen!! 😃 gives just the right amount of credit to the original and how it's still worth playing. While the remake is such an insane, new, and engaging experience (it was just too hard my first time around starting on hardcore)! I started as Claire had some fun moments "playing" with Mr. X. I was sort of testing his strength and recovering from his demanding presence (it's crazy how cinematic and re4 like those moments were despite also being terrifying.. like in re1 remake). Anyway, I hid in the ammunition locker room, totally thinking, "he can't come in here, he doesn't KNOW I'm in here, I am safe.. right.." and being totally wrong just led to some very funny experiences went it wasn't scary. This game grabs players by the balls.. and it's very respectable.

that sequence of events from triggering Mr X to the Licker corner feels scripted, handcrafted yet the devs designed the game in a way you're naturally drawn to performing the exact actions in order to make it feel almost on rails. absolutely genius.

I asbolutely love RE2make, but I do agree with you about the opening. It would have been nice to establish the setting of the Raccoon City streets. That and the B scenario are the only real missteps I can point to with RE2make.

The thing is that i hate how they kept the game world so f*cking dark. I want to see all these details and beautiful terrifying world they have made. But i cant when 80% of the game is so dark. They went way too hard on trying to make it "scary". But forget that the original wasn't about physical scares. The tension and survival mechanics is what made it scary back then with the original game. Its like they went this far with the darkness being like "oh look how scary our dark game is". But it really got old the more i played it. The first time i ran through the game, the darkness was cool. But on repeat playthroughs i just wanted to see evreything like the original in a more brighter atmosphere.

Wow, I really thought that's what was taking the remake soooo long. Making B scenarios and such. Nope. Just shows how much of a monumental masterpiece the original was despite it's flaws.

This game bored me without the OG Music.

Honestly I think you're dead wrong about Marvin. We already got the ceremonial cutscene sendoff when Leon first opens the underground passage, we knew his fate was sealed and exactly what it was. Coming across him casually in gameplay upon returning to the hall makes it feel much more immersive and intimate. Seeing him in the same light we've seen every other zombie in the game up until that point is an even bigger gut punch than some melodramatic grand transformation scene where he is the center of attention. The remake feels less like a movie and more like lived experience. It also puts us in Leon's shoes in a much more visceral way.

I rather play the SeamlessHD mod of RE2 & RE3 . Right now i am playing RE1 with AI upscaled backgrounds .

To me these remakes sometimes seem like they had less time on making levels since they used up more time for models, graphics... etc

On your point about the darkness and the lighting. The original RE games had fixed camera angles. So creating tension could be as easy as spawning a zombie out of frame leaving the player anxiously wondering where the threat is. With the 3D camera the devs can’t just hide enemies out of frame so reducing the lighting and adding the narrow flashlight was probably the only way they could think to maintain that same tension and anxiety through most of the game. And for the most part I like it and think it works well though maybe they could have added a mechanic like a fuse box and fuses? Like the windows and the wooden boards. An item letting players choose which dark areas they’d like to be able to light up

Excellent piece here. I don’t agree with every point you make, but I would say your honesty, articulation and fairness is on point here. Nice one!

its nice to finally see you take on the game and it doesnt disapoint the only RE games i really have played are 4 7 and 2 remake and man 2 is easilly my favourite out off all off them i played that game so many times and i am suprised i was engaged thought the whole video but you have some secret ingredient that makes you videos so engaging side note about the MR X breaking the wall thing .I had never experience that in my first playthought but in my 4 or 5 playthought i experienced and man it was one off the biggest scares in my life it had no build up no dramatic music nothing it just comes out nowhere in the best way possible here hoping that re4 remake is as good since i think the re2 remake team is working on that so i have high hopes

Very insightful and honest review. I realized the importance of ammo consumption and management on my first play through when I reached the first boss in the game. I was stuck trying to beat it without enough resources, thus leading me to restart the entire play through and reach the same point. Thankfully it only took me 30 mins to reach the spot from the prior knowledge but it was hard and well taught lesson to learn the games mechanics and play by its rules. An amazing experience

great review as always man 😊 you’re one of the best…

Agree with most of your points. The intro was a huge letdown when i first played. We just hear the helicopter crash? And Mr X just showing up with no context or epic intro was poorly done, just like the scenarios.

Wow, I can't believe they just had Marvin get up zombified going after you and that's it. I know the original didn't do much passed that but since they didn't even do that little bit it just comes off like his character didn't mean anything. Smh.

Another great video! I wish Capcom would sit down their staff and have them watch all of your videos.

Help with purchases. Own RE7 (not played) RE2 Remake on Sale but wonder if I should wait for RE4. I want different gaming experiences and not sure on differences between survival Horror vs Survival action (which seems to be the dichotomy of RE games). If I own RE7 out of 2 Remake and 4 Remake which shud I choose to get a different gaming experience?? Thanks!

Great video! I have nothing to argue about, but I do have some comments. You're right about the B scenario in the remake. I like the challenge of enemies in that scenario, but other than that, its the same as the A scenario, which sucks because I expected something different. I never been in that two Licker situation after jumping down while getting chase by Mr. X. I'm glad I didn't because it'll suck lol. I'm glad you like the game Mayo! If you didn't, I would have to rethink about my life 😅. BTW, still love that RE3 remake video 😂.

You just want every game be like RE Remake! 😎

THIS MAN LITERALLY TOLD ME WHAT MR.X WAS GOING TO DO, AND I STILL JUMPED WHEN HE BURST THROUGH THAT WALL LOL

7 redeemed survival horror.

RE1 on the gamecube is the best, always will be.

No matter what anyone says I'll never be able to enjoy this game and I don't believe it deserves all the praise it's gotten over the years. It definitely doesn't deserve to be called a "masterpiece". It's boring, tedious and changes way too much of the story to be considered a "remake". It also made me dislike the characters I've loved for decades.

As much as I like this game, as great as it is. It's too flawed in important aspects that still makes me prefer the original. RE3 is irefutably worse however doesn't mean that the flaws in RE2make get a free pass. The most dissapointing revelation is that now that these classics have been remade one pretty well and the other a bitter dissapoimtment. We will now unfortunately not get them remade correctly ever or atleast anytime soon.

B story was my only issue with this game.