Resident Evil 2 is a 2019 survival horror game created and published by Capcom. It is a remake of the 1998 game Resident Evil 2. The game was first released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in January 2019. Later, it was made available for Amazon Luna, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch in 2022. Versions for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS were released in December 2024. Players control two characters: Leon S. Kennedy, a new police officer, and Claire Redfield, a college student. Together, they try to escape Raccoon City during a virus outbreak that turns citizens into zombies and other creatures.

Capcom thought about remaking Resident Evil 2 after the 2002 remake of the first Resident Evil game. However, the producer, Shinji Mikami, wanted to focus on developing Resident Evil 4 (2005) instead. In 2015, Capcom announced the Resident Evil 2 remake. The first trailer and gameplay footage were shown at E3 2018. The game was built using the RE Engine, which was also used for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

Resident Evil 2 received praise for its visuals, gameplay, and how closely it followed the original game’s story. It won the Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year and was nominated for the Game Award for Game of the Year. By August 2025, the game had sold 15.8 million copies, making it the best-selling Resident Evil game. It was followed by remakes of Resident Evil 3 in 2020 and Resident Evil 4 in 2023.

Gameplay

Resident Evil 2 is a survival horror game where players control characters in a third-person perspective. Unlike the remake of the first game, which updated the original experience, this remake changes the gameplay and story to suit modern players. The game takes place in Raccoon City, a fictional mountain city in the Midwest, during a zombie outbreak. Players can choose to play as Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield. Their choice affects the weapons, areas, items, subplots, and supporting characters. Leon teams up with Ada Wong, a mysterious federal agent investigating the Umbrella Corporation, while Claire teams up with Sherry Birkin, the daughter of an Umbrella executive being chased by a monster. Each character faces a different final boss.

Players can explore the environment freely while collecting resources like healing items, bullets, and key items needed to solve puzzles and advance the story. The game uses the RE Engine to create a realistic 3D environment, replacing the original game’s tank controls with a more flexible system similar to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Players can move in any direction, rotate the camera, switch between walking and sprinting, and shoot while moving. However, standing still while aiming tightens the crosshair, improving accuracy. Many areas are dark, requiring players to use a flashlight, which adds to the horror atmosphere.

As players explore, they encounter zombies and other dangerous creatures. Leon and Claire each have unique weapons: Leon uses a shotgun, magnum, and flamethrower, while Claire uses a grenade launcher, submachine gun, and a "Spark Shot" stun gun. Players can also find knives, grenades, and stun grenades as sub-weapons. If an enemy pins the player, they can use a sub-weapon to escape, though this reduces the weapon’s effectiveness. Zombies in this game are stronger than in the original version, requiring more bullets to defeat and able to chase players into different rooms. Enemies react to damage in real time, with limbs sometimes being blown off. If players take too much damage, they lose health, shown by a heart rate monitor in the inventory. If health drops too low, the player dies and must restart from their last save point. Healing items like herbs and first aid spray can be used to recover health.

The inventory has eight slots for storing items and equipment. Players can find hip pouches to increase storage space. Items can be examined in a 3D model viewer, which helps identify their purpose or combine them to create new items, such as mixing gunpowder for bullets or herbs for stronger healing blends. Safe rooms are areas where enemies cannot enter. They contain item boxes for storing extra supplies and typewriters for saving progress. On Hardcore difficulty, players can save as often as they want, but the number of saves is still tracked.

Players often encounter the Tyrant, a powerful bio-organic weapon (B.O.W.) designed to hunt survivors. The Tyrant cannot be killed, only temporarily stunned or weakened. It follows players through the environment, except in safe rooms, forcing players to use stealth to avoid it while searching for items and solving puzzles. Both Leon and Claire have sections where their supporting partner becomes playable: Ada can use an EMF gun to disable electronics, while Sherry can crouch to fit through small spaces and focus on stealth. Completing the game unlocks the "2nd Run" for the other protagonist, which changes item locations and includes the true final boss and ending. The remake includes difficulty modes—Assisted, Standard, and Hardcore—that affect the number of items, enemy strength, and whether the game autosaves or requires ink ribbons to save.

Two bonus modes, "The 4th Survivor" and "The Tofu Survivor," return. "The 4th Survivor" is unlocked after completing the "2nd Run" and follows special agent Hunk as he navigates sewers to reach a rescue helicopter. "The Tofu Survivor" replaces Hunk with a block of tofu that only uses knives. The remake adds new characters to this mode with unique weapons. Completing in-game objectives, or "Records," rewards players with concept art, 3D models, or special weapons with unlimited ammo or durability.

"The Ghost Survivors" is a free bonus mode available from the start. It features "what-if" scenarios where side characters who die in the main story survive. Players control these characters to reach specific areas, similar to "The 4th Survivor." Unlike that mode, "The Ghost Survivors" includes special zombie types, zombies with backpacks that can be looted, and resupply machines where players choose one of three items. This mode has a "Training" difficulty with more starting items and Assisted mode benefits, but it does not track completion time.

• "No Time to Mourn" follows Robert Kendo, a gun shop owner who must reach a rescue helicopter. His mode includes poison zombies that release toxic clouds after dying.
• "Runaway" follows Katherine Warren, the mayor’s daughter, who must save her boyfriend, Ben. Her mode includes "Pale Heads," zombies that are faster and can regenerate health.
• "Forgotten Soldier" follows Ghost, a special ops agent, who must escape a lab before it explodes. His mode includes the Tyrant and zombies wearing bulletproof armor.
• "No Way Out," unlocked after completing the main story, follows Sheriff Daniel Cortini. He must survive zombie attacks in a gas station and kill 100 zombies (70 in Training) to be rescued by Leon. His mode includes all special zombie types from previous modes.

"The Ghost Survivors" has its own set of Records, which unlock cosmetic hats. While these hats do not affect gameplay, one hat, the cat ears, gives players infinite ammo.

Synopsis

On September 29, 1998, two months after the Spencer Mansion Incident, rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy travels to Raccoon City to begin his first job at the Raccoon City Police Department. At a gas station near the city, Leon meets Claire Redfield, who is searching for her brother, Chris Redfield. The gas station and the rest of Raccoon City are soon filled with zombies after a strain of the T-virus contaminates the city’s water supply. Leon and Claire reach the police station but must separate when a truck crashes and explodes. They later find the station overrun by zombies. Leon meets an infected police officer, Lieutenant Marvin Branagh, who shows him a hidden passage before dying from his injury. The player finds the passage and fights William Birkin, a scientist who mutated due to the G-virus, before escaping.

In the parking garage, Leon is attacked by zombie dogs but is saved by Ada Wong. Ada claims to be an FBI agent searching for a sample of the G-virus, which William Birkin developed with his wife, Annette. Meanwhile, Claire discovers paperwork showing her brother left Raccoon City weeks earlier to investigate Umbrella overseas. She meets Sherry Birkin, the young daughter of William and Annette, and decides to protect her.

After investigating Umbrella, news reporter Ben Bertolucci is locked in a cell by corrupt police chief Brian Irons, who hides Umbrella’s crimes. Ben tries to convince Leon to free him but is killed by the Tyrant, a bioweapon created by Umbrella. Leon and Ada escape to a gun shop owned by Robert Kendo, where they find Robert and his infected daughter, Emma. After Robert puts down his daughter and commits suicide, Leon agrees to help Ada retrieve the G-virus sample to expose Umbrella. Leon and Ada kill a mutated alligator in the sewers and meet Annette, who shoots Leon before fleeing to Umbrella’s underground lab, NEST. Leon recovers, and he and Ada kiss before heading to NEST.

Meanwhile, Sherry is taken to the Raccoon City Orphanage by Irons. William injects Irons with a G-embryo, which kills Irons. William attacks Claire and infects Sherry, hoping her body will accept the G-virus. Claire finds Sherry and retrieves a G-virus vaccine from NEST, which Annette gives to Sherry. Leon finds the G-virus sample and meets Annette again, who reveals Ada plans to sell the sample. William kills Annette, and Ada tries to take the sample from Leon but falls into a pit as NEST collapses. Leon defeats the mutated "Super Tyrant" with help from Ada, who gives him a rocket launcher before leaving. Leon, Claire, and Sherry escape on a train, where William attacks them one last time. The train separates, and William is destroyed as NEST collapses. Leon and Claire promise to continue fighting Umbrella.

In No Time to Mourn, the player controls Robert Kendo, owner of the gun shop. After his wife and daughter die from the T-virus, Robert loses hope and plans to kill himself. In an alternate version, Robert receives a radio call from a friend who arranges a helicopter rescue. Robert says goodbye to his daughter, reaches the helicopter in the sewers, and escapes Raccoon City safely.

In Runaway, the player controls Katherine Warren, the mayor’s daughter. She is invited to the orphanage by Irons to see her boyfriend, Ben, but is attacked and killed by Irons. In an alternate version, Katherine grabs a knife, kills Irons, and frees Ben from his cell. The two embrace, but their fate is unknown.

In Forgotten Soldier, the player controls Ghost, a soldier killed by William Birkin after his mutation. In an alternate version, Ghost survives and reaches NEST before it collapses. He finds the G-virus sample after Ada falls and escapes on a cable car. Ada stops him and takes the sample, leaving Ghost’s fate unknown.

In No Way Out, the player controls Daniel Cortini, a sheriff who investigates a gas station after reports of zombie attacks. He is killed by a zombie and turns into one. In an alternate version, Daniel kills the zombie but gets trapped in the station as it is attacked. Leon saves him, and they travel to Raccoon City together. Their fate remains unknown, though it is suggested Daniel might take Claire’s role in the story.

Development

After the 2002 remake of the first Resident Evil game for the GameCube, Capcom thought about making a similar remake of Resident Evil 2, which was originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. However, the series creator, Shinji Mikami, wanted the team to focus on developing Resident Evil 4 instead. In August 2015, producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi shared a video confirming the remake was approved and under active development. He ended the video by saying, "we do it." More details were not shared until Sony's E3 2018 press conference, when Capcom released the first trailer, gameplay footage, and removed the word "Remake" from the title. Hideki Kamiya, the director of the original Resident Evil 2, had long encouraged Capcom to create a remake. Hirabayashi explained the team aimed to capture the original game's spirit and used feedback from Resident Evil 6, a game he also produced.

To meet modern standards, the team changed some character designs to fit a more realistic setting. For example, Leon no longer wears large shoulder pads, which were part of his original, simple 3D model. While the team wanted to make the game modern and easy to play, they focused on creating a scary, tense atmosphere. The game uses the RE Engine, the same system used in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017), which helped update the gameplay. Producer Tsuyoshi Kanda noted the challenge of making zombies seem frightening, as they had become common in media since the first Resident Evil game in 1996. To hide enemies without fixed camera angles, the team used room layouts, lighting, and smoke. The new camera system changed how sounds were used in the game, as sounds could no longer come from a single fixed point. Some character models are based on scans of real people, such as Leon S. Kennedy, who resembles Eduard Badaluta, Claire Redfield, who resembles Jordan McEwen, and Marvin Branagh, who resembles music producer Patrick Levar.

The game includes a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Because Capcom chose non-union voice actors, the original game's actors did not return for this version. The game was censored in Japan and received a "CERO D" rating, as well as an uncensored "Z rating."

Release

Before the game was released, a demo called the 1-Shot Demo was made available on January 11, 2019. This demo was available on all major platforms and had a strict 30-minute time limit, ending automatically when the timer reached zero. The demo begins with the player controlling Leon Kennedy at the start of the game and ends with a movie-style trailer promoting the full release. The 1-Shot Demo was downloaded over 4.7 million times worldwide. Although some players disliked the 30-minute timer, the same demo was later released as the R.P.D. Demo without the timer and included an Easter egg related to the upcoming Resident Evil 3 remake.

Resident Evil 2 was released on January 25, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One worldwide. The game includes improvements for PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X, offering either 4K resolution or 60 frames per second. A collector's edition was available for console versions, which included a Leon S. Kennedy figurine, a hardcover art book, a R.P.D. renovation poster, and a digital soundtrack.

On December 12, 2019, a final update was added to the Resident Evil 2 remake. This update introduced a letter written by Jill Valentine, the protagonist of Resident Evil 3, to Leon Kennedy. The letter is found at Kendo's gun shop after Leon and Ada escape from the police station. Reading the letter unlocks an achievement called "Chasing Jill."

Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S were announced on March 2, 2022, and released digitally on June 13, 2022, along with upgrades for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017) and Resident Evil 3 (2020). These versions include visual improvements such as ray-tracing and high-framerate modes. The PlayStation 5 version supports haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Players with PlayStation 4 or Xbox One can upgrade for free, and a free upgrade patch for the Windows version was released at the same time. A version for Amazon Luna was announced on May 26, 2022, and released on June 9, 2022. A Nintendo Switch cloud version was released on November 11, 2022. Versions for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS were released on December 10, 2024.

In October 2022, Capcom Japan and Universal Entertainment released a Pachislot game for casinos called PACHI-SLOT BIOHAZARD RE:2. The outcome of battles depends on a roulette result. The game also includes bonus modes where players must defend themselves from enemies.

In 2025, Bandai Namco announced an arcade version of Resident Evil 2, called Resident Evil 2: Arcade (previously known as Resident Evil 2: Dead Shot). In Japan, it is called Biohazard RE:2: Arcade. This is a rail shooter where players use light guns to aim at the screen and shoot enemies. It features realistic recoil gun controllers, 2-player co-op, air blasts, floor vibration effects, and 3D surround sound. The game is scheduled for release in 2026, though no official date has been confirmed.

Resident Evil 2 includes downloadable content (DLC) packs. These include five DLC costumes for Leon and Claire: Leon has a sheriff outfit and a noir outfit, while Claire has a military outfit, a noir outfit, and a motorcycle suit worn by Elza Walker, the protagonist of the original game's development build. The noir outfits allow players to use a black-and-white filter. There are also three variations of the "Samurai Edge" handgun, based on models used by Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Albert Wesker in the first Resident Evil game. The Chris and Jill models were included as bonus items for players who pre-ordered the game. Additionally, the "Original Ver. Soundtrack Swap" allows players to replace the soundtrack with the original.

On February 15, 2019, Capcom released the original models for Leon and Claire from the 1998 release as free DLC. A third bonus mode, The Ghost Survivors, includes four missions: "No Time to Mourn," "Runaway," "Forgotten Soldier," and "No Way Out." This mode focuses on side characters who die in the main story and shows alternate, non-canon scenarios where they survive. "No Time to Mourn" involves Robert Kendo, the gun shop owner, who must survive after putting down his infected daughter. "Runaway" follows Katherine Warren, the mayor's daughter, who avoids being killed by Chief Irons. "Forgotten Soldier" features Ghost, a special ops agent who survives G's assault. "No Way Out" involves Sheriff Daniel Cortini, who must survive a zombie attack at the beginning of the game. This mission is unlocked after completing the other three.

Reception

Resident Evil 2 received "universal acclaim" for its PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions and "generally favorable reviews" for its Windows version, according to Metacritic, a website that collects reviews from critics. OpenCritic reports that 97% of 205 critic reviews recommend the game. Critics praised its scariness, gameplay, and how closely it follows the original game. The website’s consensus states: "Resident Evil 2 is a gold-standard for how to do a remake, combining the original's nostalgia with modernized and fresh gameplay to bring an awesome experience for players old and new. This may be the best Resident Evil game ever released."

Ben Reeves of Game Informer wrote that "Resident Evil 2 not only looks great, it plays well, and it forces you into a series of dark encounters that are a total rush." Keith Stuart of The Guardian wrote that it was "a reminder of how beautifully crafted survival horror games were in their heyday." The Daily Telegraph’s Tom Hoggins described the game as a "thrilling return to the legacy of the 1998 original."

IGN’s Daemon Hatfield originally gave the game an 8.8 in his review, later raising it to a 9.0 after learning about an unlockable second playthrough that presents the story from another perspective. He stated in his review that "Capcom did a fantastic job of resurrecting all the best parts of the classic Resident Evil 2 and making it look, sound, and play like a 2019 game."

Chris Carter of Destructoid called the game "A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage." Aoife Wilson of Eurogamer described it as "a masterly reimagining of a modern classic." Polygon’s Michael McWhertor wrote that Resident Evil 2 showcases "the very best of survival horror." Similar praise was expressed by Heather Alexandra of Kotaku, who wrote that the game "provides some of the best moments in the franchise." Alessandro Fillari of GameSpot said that with Resident Evil 2 "the classic survival horror franchise embraces its past in a new, exciting way."

Three million copies of Resident Evil 2 were sold in its first week of release, and four million in its first month, with more than one million on Windows. It became Capcom’s second biggest launch on Steam after Monster Hunter: World from 2018. Resident Evil 2 debuted at number two on the Japanese charts with 252,848 retail sales, after Kingdom Hearts III. As of March, it was among the top 20 bestselling video games in Japan with more than 352,000 sold copies. Resident Evil 2 also topped the UK charts, becoming Capcom’s biggest UK launch since Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017) in physical retail sales, and was the UK’s best-selling game in January 2019, despite being available for only two days. By December 2019, the game had sold over 5.8 million copies, overtaking the sales of the original Resident Evil 2. It had sold over 10 million copies by July 2022, and 13.9 million copies by March 2024. By April 2025, it had sold 15.8 million copies. By January 2026, it had sold 16.871 million copies.