Resident Evil 2
North American box art.
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 4 (Playstation, Gamecube) Angel Studios (Nintendo 64, Dreamcast) Gearbox Software (PC port)
Publisher(s)	Capcom (Europe and PC version) Virgin Interactive
Designer(s)	Hideki Kamiya
Series	Resident Evil series
Platform(s)	PlayStation, PC, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube, Tiger game.com
Release date	PlayStation: January 21, 1998 January 29, 1998 May 8, 1998 PlayStation (Dual Shock version): August 6, 1998 November 11, 1998 Tiger game.com: November 11, 1998 Windows (PC): February 19, 1999 February 28, 1999 June 1999 Nintendo 64: October 31, 1999 January 29, 2000 February 9, 2000 Sega Dreamcast: December 22, 1999 April 28, 2000 December 15, 2000 Nintendo GameCube: January 14, 2003 January 23, 2003 May 30, 2003
Genre(s)	Survival horror, Third Person Shooter Science Fiction
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: M (Mature) BBFC: 15
Media	2 CD-ROMs (PS, PC), 512-megabit cartridge (N64) GD-ROM (DC), GameCube Optical Disc (GC) 1 DVD (PC)
Input methods	Controller, Keyboard

Resident Evil 2, known in Japan as Biohazard 2 (バイオハザード2, Baiohazādo Tsū^?), is a survival horror game by Capcom originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. It is the second installment in the Resident Evil series, and was later ported to the PC, Nintendo 64, game.com, Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo GameCube. Image File history File links North American PlayStation boxart for Resident Evil 2. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Capcom Production Studio is a developer behind Capcoms games. ... Rockstar San Diego (formerly Angel Studios) is one of the development studios under the Rockstar Games umbrella. ... Gearbox Software, LLC is a video game developer founded by Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob Heironimus in January 1999. ... For the original NASA meaning, see capsule communicator. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Virgin Interactive was a successful and influential British video game publisher. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... Hideki Kamiya ) is a video game designer employed by Capcom and Clover Studio, best known as the creator of Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe. ... This article is about the video game series. ... In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. ... For other uses, see PlayStation (disambiguation). ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... The Nintendo 64, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendos third home video game console for the international market. ... The Dreamcast , code-named White Belt, Black Belt, Dural, Dricas, Vortex, Katana, Shark, and Guppy during development) is Segas last video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... 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A third-person shooter is a computer game in 3-D where the camera view is outside and usually behind the main player character. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. ... The ESRBs logo. ... The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is the organisation responsible for film classification (see Motion picture rating systems and History of British Film Certificates) within the United Kingdom. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... The Megabit is a unit of information storage, abbreviated Mbit or sometimes Mb. ... Cartridge for the VIC 20 homecomputer In various types of electronic equipment, a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e. ... GD-ROM is the proprietary optical disc format used by the Sega Dreamcast. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ゲームキューブ; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the 128-bit era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... Silent Hill: Origins, a forthcoming survival horror title by Konami. ... For the original NASA meaning, see capsule communicator. ... For other uses, see PlayStation (disambiguation). ... This article is about the video game series. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... The Nintendo 64, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendos third home video game console for the international market. ... The Game. ... The Dreamcast , code-named Dural, Dricas and Katana during development) is Segas fifth and final video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ...

Gameplay

Resident Evil 2 follows the same gameplay mechanics as its predecessor. The game's graphics are composed of polygonal character models and items superimposed over pre-rendered graphics, using fixed camera angles. The player must travel through a variety of locations, solving puzzles and fighting numerous mutated creatures, in order to complete the game. The player can arm themselves with a variety of firearms, although ammunition is limited. The game features an improved graphics engine over the previous game, allowing for more zombies to appear on screen.^{[citation needed]} In addition, the player can now determine their character's health based on their animation and body language. A character in the 'caution' stage of injury will cover their stomach with his or her hand, while a character on the verge of death will limp. The game over screens are more gruesome this time, featuring the player's character being devoured by the creature that killed him or her. Resident Evil, known in Japan as Biohazard ), is a survival horror video game by Capcom and is the inaugural title and 1st installment in the Resident Evil series. ... Polygons are used in computer graphics to compose images that are three-dimensional in appearance. ... Pre-rendered graphics, in computer graphics, is a video footage which is not being rendered in real-time by the hardware that is outputing or playing back the video. ... For other uses, see Game Over (disambiguation). ...

The main addition to the gameplay is a two-scenario system. As in the original Resident Evil, the game offers two playable characters, each with their own scenario. However, after finishing one character's scenario (referred as the "A" game) and saving the data, a second scenario (the "B" game) is unlocked in which the same series of events are depicted from the other character's perspective. Actions taken by the player during the first scenario affects the player's surroundings during the second scenario. In addition, one character also has access to one area in their B game that they normally would not have access to. There are four scenarios, with two for each character.

Similarly to the original game, the player is awarded with unlockable weapons and other bonuses after completing a scenario under certain requirements. A ranking system has been implemented in which the player is graded based not only on the amount of time taken to complete the game, but also on the number of times the game was saved and the number of first-aid sprays used. Several hidden minigames can also be unlocked as well, the "The 4th Survivor", its spoof/harder version "The Tofu Survivor" and in the Dual-Shock version, an Extreme Battle minigame.

Plot

The game is set on September 29, 1998. Zombies have infested Raccoon City. A biological weapon known as the T-Virus^[1] was released into the sewer system. Rats then spread the virus to the city's population. is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Raccoon City was a fictional midwestern city depicted in the Resident Evil series of survival horror games created by Capcom. ... T-Virus and G-Virus samples from Resident Evil 2. ...

Two people make their way to Raccoon City: Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer on his first day on the job, and Claire Redfield, a college student looking for her brother, Chris Redfield. Leon and Claire find themselves fighting against hordes of creatures in their search for survival. Leon Scott Kennedy is a video game character from the Resident Evil survival horror series. ... Claire Redfield is a leading video game character appearing in the Resident Evil series of survival horror games. ... Chris Redfield is a character in the Resident Evil video game series. ...

Cast

See Characters in Resident Evil 2. // Main article: Leon S. Kennedy Main article: Claire Redfield Main article: Ada Wong Sherry Birkin (voiced by Lisa Yamanaka) is a 12 year old girl who serves as Claires partner in the game. ...

Development

Resident Evil 2 began development in 1996 shortly after the original game and was originally scheduled for a March 1997 release.^{[citation needed]} However, as the game was approaching its release date, the developers were dissatisfied with the resulting product. Rather than releasing a game they were unhappy with, the developers took the risk of developing the game again from scratch. This scrapped version of the game was later dubbed Resident Evil 1.5 by Capcom. This prototype version of the game starred Leon S. Kennedy from the finished game and Elza Walker, a prototype of Claire Redfield. Like Claire Redfield, Elza was a motorcyclist and college student, with the only difference being her appearance and the fact that Elza had no ties to any established character from the previous games. Other supporting characters from the released game also appeared in Resident Evil 1.5. For example, Marvin Branagh, a minor character who gets killed off early in Resident Evil 2 played a major role in the prototype, helping Leon and Ada escape. Also, a scenario was planned where Annette Birkin was also supposed to be infected with the same G-cells her husband had been. The settings of the game were also significantly changed, with the police station in the original prototype having a more contemporary design. 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elza Walker was the female lead in the original version of Resident Evil 2. ...

There were dozens of sketches done for the main boss of the game, G, and there were even final bosses planned before him, entitled "Zeiram" and "Gorgoda".^{[citation needed]} When they were scrapped, their designs were incorporated into G's, however, little remains of their original appearance. Some of the sketches of G differ so drastically from the used version that they appear as if they could be entirely different creatures.^{[citation needed]}

The actual finished version of Resident Evil 2 was preceded by a demo version of the game that came bundled with Resident Evil: Director's Cut. Resident Evil, known in Japan as Biohazard ), is a survival horror video game by Capcom and is the inaugural title and 1st installment in the Resident Evil series. ...

Regional Differences

In Japan, where Resident Evil 2 was titled Biohazard 2, the game was released a week after the North American release. The game was made easier for the Japanese market with changes in item and enemy placement, increased firepower for weapons and the auto-aiming feature turned on by default.

In addition, the game over scenes are less violent and edited in the Japanese version, as zombies and other creatures do not devour or eviscerate the player's character on-screen like they do in the North American and PAL versions. For other uses, see PAL (disambiguation). ...

Dual Shock Version

Several months after the original release, a second version of Resident Evil 2 was released known as the Dual Shock Version. As the title suggests, the game was modified to incorporate support for the vibration function and analog control of the Dual Shock controller. The main addition is a new unlockable minigame, Extreme Battle. The objective is to reach the police station from the underground laboratory and retrieve four anti-biohazard bombs located throughout the station. There are four playable characters (including Ada Wong and Chris Redfield) and three difficulty settings. The Extreme Battle became a standard feature for subsequent versions of the game. Dual Shock 2 The Dual Shock is the name for the PlayStation/PlayStation 2 game controller included with both consoles. ... Ada Wong is a recurring video game character appearing in the Resident Evil video game series. ... Chris Redfield is a character in the Resident Evil video game series. ...

There are also some minor additions, such as ranking screens for the Hunk and Tofu minigames, a Rookie difficulty setting for the main game (as well as a "USA version" mode in the Japanese version, based on the North American version's default setting) and a new cheat code that grants the player unlimited ammo for all weapons.

Other platforms

Like the original game, Resident Evil 2 was released on other platforms after its initial success on the PlayStation. The first of these ports was a PC version titled Resident Evil 2 Platinum in 1999. It features all the additions from the Dual Shock Version and added a new gallery mode featuring illustrations, renders and in-game character models, as well as a new Hard difficulty setting for the main game. The Sega Dreamcast version, released the same year, features these additions, along with the added benefit of viewing the character's health in a VMU. In Japan, the Dreamcast version (where it was titled Biohazard 2 Value Plus) was bundled with a demo of Resident Evil Code: Veronica and also contained assorted music from several Resident Evil soundtracks released in Japan. A stylised illustration of a personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... The Dreamcast , code-named Dural, Dricas and Katana during development) is Segas fifth and final video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... Sega Dreamcast VMU The VMU, initialism of Visual Memory Unit (called VMS, Visual Memory System in Japan or Virtual Memory Unit), is a memory card peripheral for the Sega Dreamcast. ...

A Nintendo 64 version was also released in 1999, ported by Angel Studios (currently Rockstar San Diego). While it was the only port of the game that did not feature the Extreme Battle mode, it did contain some console-exclusive features. The most prominent was a series of additional in-game documents known as the "EX Files" that connected the plot of the game with the other games in the series (including the then-unreleased Resident Evil 0). Other features include an item randomizer, violence control (allowing players to change the color of the blood), first-person controls and new unlockable outfits replacing the ones from the previous versions. A Hunter from the first Resident Evil is also given a cameo appearance. The game supported the Rumble Pak and Expansion Pak. The N64 version is notable due to the compression techniques that the developers were forced to use in order to fit two CD-ROMs worth of data onto a single 64MB cartridge. The Nintendo 64, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendos third home video game console for the international market. ... Rockstar San Diego (formerly Angel Studios) is one of the development studios under the Rockstar Games umbrella. ... Resident Evil 0 or Resident Evil Zero, known in Japan as Biohazard 0 (バイオハザード０), is a survival horror game that was developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo GameCube and released in 2002. ... A Nintendo 64 gamepad with the Rumble Pak attached. ... The 4MB Expansion Pak The Expansion Pak is a RAM add-on for the Nintendo 64 game console, released in 1998. ...

The Nintendo GameCube version, released in 2003, is identical to the PlayStation's Dual Shock Version in terms of content, featuring only a minimal set of improvements such as skippable cut scenes and a higher framerate for the game's FMV sequences. The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

An LCD game based on Resident Evil 2 was also released for the short-lived game.com in late 1998. Two versions of the game.com game were scheduled to be released, one starring Leon and the other with Claire, but only the former saw release. An aborted port for the Sega Saturn was also planned that utilized the 4MB RAM included with X-Men vs. Street Fighter.^{[citation needed]} Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... The Sega Saturn ) is a 32-bit video game console, first released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America and July 8, 1995 in Europe. ... RAM redirects here. ... X-Men vs. ...

In 2006, it was re-released on the PC platform in Japan under the Biohazard 2 name. It had full XP support and uncompressed FMV sequences. However, this version still has yet to be released outside of Japan.

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Reception

Resident Evil 2 received positive reviews from most publications. Resident Evil 2 was a commercial success and the PSX version alone has sold over 4.96 million copies since its release, making it the best selling game in the series. ^[2]

Music

The Biohazard 2 Original Soundtrack is the original soundtrack CD for Resident Evil 2, and was composed by Masami Ueda, Shusaku Uchiyama, and Shun Nishigaki. It does not contain every track written for the game however. The remaining tracks were included in the subsequent release of the Biohazard 2 Complete Track album on August 21, 1998. The Biohazard 2 Original Soundtrack was composed by Masami Ueda, Shusaku Uchiyama, and Shun Nishigaki for the video game Biohazard 2, known as Resident Evil 2 outside Japan. ... Masami Ueda is a composer of video game music. ... Shusaku Uchiyama is a composer of video game music. ... Shun Nishigaki is a composer of video game music. ... The Biohazard 2 Complete Track album was composed by Masami Ueda, Shusaku Uchiyama, and Shun Nishigaki for the video game Biohazard 2, known as Resident Evil 2 outside Japan. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

Novelization

A novelization of the game titled Resident Evil: City of the Dead was written by author S.D. Perry, as the third book in her series of Resident Evil novels. The narrative is based on the Leon A/Claire B scenario, with Leon fighting the mutated Birkin for most of the story, while Claire fights the Tyrant (Mr. X). The book downplays most of the puzzle-solving elements from the game and focuses more on the interaction between the characters. There are also added scenes in the book involving the supporting characters such as Ada, Annette and Chief Irons. The ending is slightly altered, in which the survivors of S.T.A.R.S. Exeter pick up Leon, Claire, and Sherry, as opposed to the "walk into the sunset" scenario. S.D. Perry is a novelist living in Portland, Oregon. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about the video game series. ... “Horror story” redirects here. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... Pocket Books is the name of a subdivision of Simon & Schuster publishers. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... ISBN redirects here. ... A novelization (or novelisation in British English) is a work of fiction that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work. ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ... S.D. Perry is a novelist living in Portland, Oregon. ... This article is about the video game series. ... Leon Scott Kennedy is a video game character from the Resident Evil survival horror series. ... This article or section may need to be cleaned up and rewritten because it describes a work of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. ... A puzzle undone, which forms a cube Puzzle cube; a type of puzzle For other uses, see Puzzle (disambiguation). ... Ada Wong is a recurring video game character appearing in the Resident Evil video game series. ... Annette Birkin (early conceptual illustration). ...

City of the Dead was written before the release of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and as a result has contradictions in areas. Of note, the novelization gave Marvin's then unknown surname as Branagh, which was corroborated in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

References

External links

• (Japanese) Biohazard 2 PlayStation version site
• (Japanese) Biohazard 2: Dual Shock Ver site
• (Japanese) Biohazard 2 Value Plus site
• (Japanese) Biohazard 2 Nintendo 64 version site
• (Japanese) Biohazard 2 GameCube version site
• European Resident Evil 2 site
• Resident Evil at Wikia
• Review of Biohazard 1.5 from The PlayStation Museum
• Site dedicated to Biohazard 1.5