Resident Evil 2, known as Biohazard 2 in Japan, is a survival horror video game by Capcom originally released for the PlayStation in 1998.
The second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game and is set in Raccoon City, a Midwestern mountain community whose residents have been turned into zombies by the T-virus, a biological weapon developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella. In their escape from the city, the two protagonists Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield encounter other survivors and are confronted by William Birkin, the mutated creator of the even more powerful G-virus.
Previously confined to an old mansion, the Umbrella corporation's legacy of fatal mutations has spilled over into nearby Raccoon City. The once peaceful town is now overrun with zombies and all manner of genetic mutations. New police recruit Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield; the sister of STARS agent Chris Redfield, find themselves in the middle of an experiment gone horribly wrong. The sequel to Shinji Mikami's breakthrough title, Resident Evil 2 provides two intertwining adventures for players to embark on.
After completing the game with either Chris or Claire, players can restart the title as the other character in order to gain a different perspective of the mysterious goings on in Raccoon City. In addition, certain actions taken by the player on the first playthrough will affect the second game. For example, if Leon were to take an automatic weapon out of a particular locker, that weapon would not be there when Claire finally makes her way to the room. Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin are two members of the supporting cast, and whose paths the player will cross on multiple occasions.
Gameplay remains untouched from the first title, requiring players to destroy any undead creatures that get in their way; obtain items in order to solve puzzles; ink ribbons to save their game; and ultimately, to get to the bottom of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the hellish nightmare that Raccoon City has become. Weapons and ammunition are scattered throughout the city, but the number of items that can be carried at once is limited, requiring players to make use of item boxes spread around the environments.
The main addition to the gameplay is the "Zapping System": Each of the two playable characters is confronted with different puzzles and storylines in their respective scenario.After finishing the "A" scenario with one protagonist, a "B" scenario is unlocked in which the events are depicted from the other character's perspective. Actions taken during the first playthrough affect the second scenario, for example in the availability of certain items.
After each game, the player receives a ranking based on the total time taken to complete the scenario, and the number of saves and first aid sprays used. Depending on certain requirements, bonus weapons and costumes are unlocked as a reward.
Additional minigames are available in the form of "The 4th Survivor", "The To-fu Survivor" and "Extreme Battle", three standalone missions featuring an extended cast of characters.
After the initial release for the PlayStation in January 1998, Resident Evil 2 was re-issued and ported to other systems on various occasions, often gaining new features in the process.
The first re-release was the Dual Shock Ver. that was modified to incorporate support for the vibration and analog control functions of the PlayStation's DualShock controller. Other additions included a new unlockable minigame called "Extreme Battle" and a "Rookie" mode enabling the player to start the main game with a powerful weapon that comes with infinite ammunition.The Japanese release also contained a "U.S.A. Version" mode based on the difficulty setting of the Western versions
STORY:
The game is set in the Midwestern mountain community of Raccoon City,] two months after the mansion incident of the first Resident Evil. Nearly all of the citizens have been turned into zombies by an outbreak of the T-virus, a new type of biological weapon secretly developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella.
Having just arrived in the city, Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer on his first day in the local force, and Claire Redfield, a college student looking for her brother Chris, make their way to the Raccoon Police Department, seeking protection from the mutated population.
There, they find out that most of the policemen have been killed already and that Chris has left the town some time ago to investigate the Umbrella headquarters in Europe. With no more motivation to stay, the two protagonists decide to split up to look for other survivors, and to flee from the city
CHARACTERS:
- Leon S. Kennedy: The male protagonist. A graduate from the police academy who has been selected for the Raccoon Police Department's newly established Select Police Force. He arrives late for his job after making the mistake of oversleeping, not leaving for Raccoon City until after sunset. He has a deep passion for the safety of others and wants to assist as much as possible and is very cautious. In the game, his main arsenal is comprised of a VP70 Handgun, an M1100-P Shotgun and a Desert Eagle, which are all upgradable with their corresponding parts. A handmade Flamethrower is also available for Leon, but cannot be upgraded and has no replacement ammo. His personal item is an oil lighter (which Claire has to procure separately).
- Claire Redfield: The female protagonist. A student and motorcyclist who arrives to Raccoon City in search of her brother, S.T.A.R.S member Chris Redfield (the protagonist of the first game). She is a very optimistic, outgoing, and strong minded young woman, and for a typical civilian survivor she is shown to be very self-confident, collected, and brave. Revealing herself to be somewhat of a mother figure as well after finding the wandering Sherry Birkin, Claire is seen to take the role of protecting the abandoned young girl very seriously. Her main weapons are a Browning Hi-Power, an M79 grenade launcher, a bowgun and Umbrella's experimental Spark Shot. Her personal item is a makeshift lockpick like that of Jill Valentine; Leon must find Small Keys to open the drawers Claire's lockpick unlocks.
- Ada Wong: An Asian-American woman who claims to be searching for her missing boyfriend, John. Ada is briefly playable twice in Leon's scenarios. She is equipped with only a handgun, ammo, and a first aid spray. She also holds a picture of herself with John.
- Sherry Birkin: A 12 year old girl who is hiding in the police station at the request of her parents. She is briefly playable in Claire's scenarios, twice. She is only equipped with one item, a First Aid Spray. Her personal item is a family photo of her and her parents.
Manufacturer's description:
First there was the disaster at the mansion lab. Umbrella Corp. developed the T-virus, a muta-genic toxin for use in biological weapons. After breaking loose, living things mutated into all sorts of decaying creatures. The case was eventually closed, but Umbrella's experiments were far from over.
CAN YOU SURVIVE THE HORROR?
Now it's the worst possible nightmare: a new virus runs rampant. All of Raccoon City is infested. Blood-thirsty zombies, hideous mutations now, overwhelm the community. When Leon and Claire arrive in town their nightmare is just beginning ... You now control their destiny.
If the suspense doesn't kill you... something else will.
Features:
- Third person perspective.
- 3D & 2D graphics
- Prerendered graphics
- SCI-Fi, Horror & Zombies themes.
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