Resident Evil 2 with rose tinted glasses

For those of you that played RE2 when it first came out, or soon after, how do you view the game you played after 15 or so years? Reason I ask is I never got to play this game back then, so I wanted to know some reactions you guys have now.

Really painful to look at, still plays about as well as any other tank control style classic game. Just ugly. Wish it had gotten a REmake style facelift before they went full on action.

I actually think it holds up pretty well, it was the best of the bunch before 4. It has its flaws of course but its still playable and enjoyable.

Honestly though, it likely was their best RE game of all time before REmake hit the shelves. (That game absolutely needs a HD re-release on digital platforms)

@Randolph: I would kill for a re2 remake.

I played it in 2011, the graphics look good for PS1 hardware, especially the backgrounds.
The game is basically a slow paced action-adventure focused on a lot of exploration and puzzle solving, with zombie mashing in between. The controls are infamously clunky, but you can get used to them.

I played it when it came out on N64. Absolutely loved it then and I still think highly of it. It's aged as well as any game from that time period, and it's still one of the best survival horror games ever made. The best RE game.

This is the game Capcom should have remade instead of RE5. This is the game Capcom should have remade instead of RE6. This is the game should remake.

Obviously it's not as pretty as it was then, but I'd still consider it the best Resident Evil game. Or maybe slightly behind the remake of the original, which was awesome. But like others stated, the controls weren't exactly stellar. Granted, that's never been a strong point in RE games.

I had it back then and I still love it to this day. Every year or so I play through it and I always find it to be a incredibly enjoyable experience. I think it holds up extremely well especially given the fact that it's a style of game they really don't make anymore. Survival horror at least to me has incredible replay value since it's always a lot of fun to try and get through the game using as little ammo and resources as possible.

Graphically it's more on the higher end of the PS1 era graphics, even so it still may turn off newer gamers. If it does then that's just their loss and they don't deserve a game as awesome and majestic as RE2.

It was great back in the day but when I tried to play it again a few years ago I found that graphically the game was so hideous to look at that I simply could not replay it again.

It's a brilliant Resident Evil game that's for sure, it still holds up in that regard. Sure the controls feel clunky nowadays but it's still an enjoyable experience! I'd love for them to do a HD remake though, that'd be grand.

Much of it is nostalgia. If you play Resident Evil 2 now without any prior memory, you'll find it to be really dated. Still not a bad game.

Unsurprisingly, Randy manages to nail it right off the bat.

I loved RE2. And it remains my favorite of the RE experiences I've had over the years. But I'm one of the people who preferred the old tank style controls to the newer over-the-shoulder style. The tank controls were archaic to some, but they allowed for the creepy Romero style camera angles to try and build the tension. And that was part of the core experience in those older RE games. I liked it, though I can't say how well it's aged. It's been years since I played any RE game, let alone RE2.

2 was also the first RE game that I played. I'd missed the first one and only played it after the second one was out. Like Randy, I'd really hoped they would give it the REmake treatment that the original received, but I guess that one didn't sell as well as they'd hoped at the time. C'est La Vie I guess.

RE was my favourite childhood game - started playing when I was 6 (when it released). My older brother being the delightful bastard he is got me RE2 on release day; and at the time it was mind blowing (for 8 year old me at least!) Spent many a happy day plowing through with my friend and brothers; by far and away the best resi for me.

At the time no other game had such an atmospheric, believable world. The classic CG backgrounds gave the games an individual look, feigning detail that wasn't technically possible for the hardware. This obviously led to static camera angles which to some are nothing but a hindrance; though the more appreciative would see it for the classic Romero vibe the game was clearly shooting for. it's this that arguably lets me still enjoy them all today.

I usually like to blast through RE 1 and 2 in particular (occasionally 3, though not for a while) once or twice a year, especially since I got the trilogy on Vita!

In conclusion to this intoxicated, semi-coherent post - Resident Evil 2 is my favourite game of all time. Only issue being, few share my opinion - likely because they didn't play it in its day, and didn't appreciate the experience quite as it should have been.

RIP survival horror.

I got many nice memories attached to this game as well. While it's true that the cgis weren't great but they were a novel concept back in the day. 180 degree rotation was a pain unless you change the settings in the main menu to controls C. I guess those are my only complaints with the game other than that, I like it. I think it's the last zombie game where the word zombie is used to describe zombies? What's with everyone trying to come up with stupid variations when it's not making the game/book or film very different? The level design was awesome. The introduction to the the lickers was one of the scariest scenes I've ever seen in a video game. The multiple customs and unlockable characters (which are now a DLC thing) made it very rewarding, multiple scenarios also. It was nice and simple. It has a cheesy zombie flick from the eighties vibe to it but I liked it.

It was fairly unplayable even by 90s standard, but iIt sure as heck has aged better than Silent Hill.

A delight. Games like that never age, they just get better. After playing any modern gaming and playing RE2 all over again is remembering what is quality.