Players excited for Capcom’s upcoming Resident Evil 2 will get to play 30 minutes of the gory remake thanks to a one-shot demo. Resident Evil 2 is often considered to be the best of the series, but it went through a notably troubled development. Producer Shinji Mikami actually scrapped the first version of the game midway through development, as he felt it was too dull. This version – dubbed Resident Evil 1.5 - featured different creatures, environments and more weapons, but the game underwent a radical facelift once it was scrapped.
Resident Evil 2 was released in 1998 to great acclaim, and fans have been clamoring for a remake for years. Capcom finally caved and announced one in 2015, but little was heard of the project until E3 2018. The Resident Evil 2 remake retains the same characters and setting as the original, but the visuals and gore have been given a major overhaul. The tone of the game will also be darker and more grounded, but it will contain plenty of new surprises for seasoned players too.
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While some fans were upset the game wouldn’t feature the original fixed camera perspective of the original Resident Evil 2, reactions to the remake have been overall quite positive. Now Capcom has revealed players can experience a one-shot, 30-minute demo for the game ahead of launch. The 30-minute limit is strict too because once the timer is up, the demo expires for good. Whether or not gamers reach the end of the demo intact, they’ll be treated to an exclusive new cinematic trailer for the game.
While it’s a little odd to release a demo this close to Resident Evil 2’s launch, it will certainly help whet appetites for the remake. The move also recalls the 10-minute demo that was released prior to the launch of the original Resident Evil 2, which led to fans constantly replaying the preview over and over in hopes of making it a little further before time ran out. At this point, it feels like a given anyone planning to buy the game has already made up their minds, but a 30-minute demo should help spread positive word of mouth too.
Resident Evil 2 is already on track to be a success, and reports suggest a Resident Evil 3: Nemesis remake is already in development. The Resident Evil movie franchise is also being rebooted, with Johannes Roberts recently coming on as director. Unfortunately, it was also confirmed James Wan isn’t attached as a producer on the reboot, despite earlier reports stating he was.
More: Resident Evil Movie Reboot: James Wan Is No Longer Producing
Resident Evil 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC from January 25th.