Ever since I played Capcom’s 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2, I’ve been eagerly waiting for the original to come to PC. With the seminal survival horror series jumping between genres over the last three decades, it’s been hard to easily find and play the trilogy that started it all. The remakes of RE2 and RE4 are excellent, the first-person adventures of Ethan Winters are a return to form, and Resident Evil 9 anticipation is at a fever pitch. Amidst all that, however, GOG is slowly releasing the original Resident Evil trilogy on PC, and RE2 is finally almost here.
You could play 1998’s Resident Evil 2 on PC back in the day, but it never came to digital storefronts. The entire fixed-camera trilogy required your rig to have a disc drive and for you to scour the internet looking for old copies of each game, but that’s about to change. The very first Resident Evil is now on GOG, and we finally have a release date for Capcom’s beloved sequel.
This version of Resident Evil 2 isn’t a remaster or remake, but a straight port of the original PC version with some modern bells and whistles. The survival horror game is compatible with Windows 10 and 11, has new rendering options, better audio and cutscenes, improved key bindings, and full support of modern controllers. If you’ve never played through Leon Kennedy’s worst, and first, day on the job, this will be the best way to do so.
I’m very much of the opinion that Capcom’s revamped Resident Evil 2 is a remake done right. The presentation may have been modernized, as we jump from a fixed camera to an over-the-shoulder shooter, but the original RE2’s design philosophy remains intact. You’re always scrounging for resources, mapping out the game in your head, and working to solve puzzles while dodging zombies you forgot about two hours ago. That said, the original is still entirely worth it.
You can play the RE2 remake with a fixed camera thanks to a mod, but nothing beats the classic. Corridors are tighter, ammo is weighty, and the pre-rendered backgrounds and soundtrack create a gloomy atmosphere unlike any other. Plus you can try to take on Mr. X with tank controls, which makes every move count.
Oh, and the 4th survivor and Tofu challenge modes are available right from the start if you want to push your understanding of RE2’s mechanics to the limit straight away.
GOG’s Resident Evil 2 PC re-release comes out on Tuesday August 27 at 1am PST / 4am EST / 9am BST / 10pm CEST, and 7pm AEDT. You can buy the trilogy bundle for $24.99 / £20.99 right here, or pick up each game individually as they release.
If RE2 has you taking a trip back in time we’ve got all the best old games you need to check out, alongside some incredible survival games that channel the tension.
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