The original Resident Evil 2 that was released back in 1998 was, for a time, one of the best (if not the best) in the Resident Evil franchise. However, after the release of the Resident Evil 2 remake, fans gravitated more towards the remake since it had updated gameplay mechanics, graphics, and a slew of other aspects.
Although Resident Evil 2 was widely praised when it first came out, most of the mechanics are relatively outdated when compared to its remake. Resident Evil 2 Remake took everything that was great about the original and vastly expanded upon it. It’s a faithful adaption, and more importantly, it was a great adaptation that removed fixed camera angles and tank controls. It also upgraded the graphics and vastly expanded on the scale of the world. However, some still hold a soft spot for the original, and one Tiktok user has decided to revisit the original and faithfully recreate it in real life.
The changes that Resident Evil 2 Remake made are even more apparent when revisiting the original or attempting to recreate it. TikTok user lake_skywalker posted a hilarious video that shows what the game would look like if it was faithfully recreated in real life. It accurately captured the sound design of Leon frantically running through the police station, the fixed camera angles, and the awkward motion when trying to make him turn. It even included the loading door animation.
Lake_skywalker also has other TikToks on Resident Evil 2 that further showcase how far video games have come. Immediately when someone thinks of a remake of a classic game, graphics is typically the first thing that comes to mind. However, the real-life recreation highlighted other outdated aspects the original title had.
Oddly enough though, looking back, part of the charm of Resident Evil 2 was those outdated mechanics. The sound of Leon’s or Claire’s clacking footsteps echoing through the halls as they traverse through the game gave a sense of unease, especially with the limited movements and fixed perspectives.
At the end of the day, fans would still be hard-pressed to not prefer the Resident Evil 2 Remake, but even now, over two decades later, it’s still clear to see why the original resonated with so many people back when it was released. It’s a classic, and despite the spoofs that are and will continue to be made about it, Resident Evil wouldn’t be the same without that original that was released back in 1998.
Resident Evil 2 Remake is now available for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One