Resident Evil 2 took gamers out of the Spencer Mansion and into the streets of Raccoon City. While the first game allowed players to control two former military soldiers, RE2 put us in the shoes of young adults. Leon Kennedy is a rookie police officer starting his first day of work. Claire Redfield, the youngest sister of the first game's Chris, is a college student. Both share the same objective: survive.
Resident Evil 2 holds a special place in many gamers hearts. After the Resident Evil 1 remake was released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2002, fans have hoped the same would happen for its sequel. Biohazard: RE2 or Resident Evil 2 finally arrived on January 25, 2019, or 21 years after its original release.
Capcom had to work hard to overhaul the original game. They listened to fans who were disappointed at the lack of survival horror elements in place of action co-op, which was introduced in Resident Evil 5. The remake takes fans and newcomers to Raccoon City for a more detailed look at how Umbrella changed this sleepy city in the mountains for good.
Resident Evil 2 also brought attention to new fans of the series. Some may have only known the series from the live-action franchise, which is loosely based on the games. Capcom ensured that old fans would be happy with the game by including hidden details missed by casual fans.
Are you wondering what details from the original series were included in the Resident Evil 2 remake? We've compiled a list of some things you may have missed. Be warned that there are spoilers for the entire game before you continue.
Remembering Resident Evil 1.5
During the development of the Resident Evil sequel, Claire was replaced with someone else. Elza Walker, a motorcycle riding college student, was the original female protagonist to work alongside Leon. The early game was known as Resident Evil 1.5.
Longtime fans know that Elza never made it into the game and Claire eventually inherited many of Elza's features. Capcom decided to release a bonus costume for Claire called the "Elza Walker" outfit. Not only is it a fashionable suit, but a fun bonus for fans who always wanted to see Elza in the game.
He’s Covered Wars, You Know
Resident Evil isn't the only zombie game from Capcom. They also released a series with a more humorous spin called Dead Rising.
In the game, Frank West is a photojournalist trying to escape a mall. He returns again as the main character in Dead Rising 4 but is forced to change his name from Frank West to avoid detection from authorities. At the beginning of the game, there's a poster advertising “Frank East: Freelance Photographer For Hire." It's easy to miss as you're running towards the Police Station.
A Dangerous Block Of Soybeans
The trailer at the end of the "One-Shot" demo featured two characters. One of those characters is tofu, a giant slab of the soybean treat, moving through the sewers.
Tofu's campaign is a parody of HUNK's campaign, but with a humorous twist. He doesn't have an important role in the series, but fans remember him fondly. Tofu was in the original game and was much more challenging to unlock. Gamers had to complete Leon and Claire's storylines three times in a row with an A ranking to unlock the bonus mode. Tofu would later appear in The Darkside Chronicles.
Still The Basketball Star
Resident Evil may be a serious video game franchise, but it has some light-hearted moments. Once inside of the S.T.A.R.S. office, you'll have access to the desk of Albert Wesker.
Players have to check Wesker's desk 50 times to access a photo of the young medic, Rebecca Chambers.
After checking Wesker's desk, you'll receive a roll of film that must be developed in the dark room. In the photo, Rebecca is wearing a basketball uniform and smiling at the camera. This Easter egg from the original was also included in the remake.
Back to Its Roots
The Resident Evil 2 remake trailer gave fans a hint of what was to come. The trailer was in the perspective of a mouse as it tried to survive the mayhem happening on the surface.
In the early start of the trailer, an original PlayStation was lying on the counter.
There's a controller plugged in along with a memory card inserted into the console. This is easy to miss and is a reference to the original Resident Evil 2 game, which was initially released on the PlayStation 1.
A Familiar, Yet Stylish, Costume
Resident Evil 2 takes place at night during a terrible thunderstorm. It's the perfect setting for an early 1900s black and white noir film. Claire and Leon both have alternate "Noir" themed costumes, along with a black and white filter.
The RE2 remake isn't the first game in the series to give Leon a classic black and white outfit. Resident Evil 4 also gave Leon a classic noir outfit but in the style of a gangster. To top off the look, he also wore a long white scarf and a fedora.
Blast From The Past
The Resident Evil remake gave Leon and Claire better versions of their original outfits. The outfits look great on screen, but some fans may miss the original designs. Leon's costume is mostly similar, but Claire's outfit has almost completely changed.
Though newcomers may not notice, there is a way to unlock the original outfits. Unlock Claire's original outfit by completing Leon's campaign and vice versa. Newcomers to the series may not have a preference, but old fans can enjoy the original costumes once again.
Not Just Children’s Toys
Claire's campaign not only features Chris' little sister, but a young girl named Sherry. Claire helps Sherry escape from the Police Department. Players have to switch back and forth between the characters at some points, including at an orphanage. The building contains the remnants of children's toys. Fans of the series may notice some familiar items.
The teddy bears and alligators are the same as the ones found in Resident Evil 7.
While the toys may be a reuse of textures or a nod to the newest game in the sequel, it's a small reference many gamers may miss.
An All-Star Cast
The S.T.A.R.S. team were the heroes and villains of the first Resident Evil game. Though they aren't directly featured in the sequel, there are many references to the group. Entering Albert Wesker's room in the S.T.A.R.S. office will give you the easiest to access S.T.A.R.S. reference. There's a framed photo of the group, before Medic Rebecca Chambers, joined the group. The second photo reference is in the darkroom during the "One Shot" demo. Being developed in the sink is the same team photo.
A Familiar Partner
Longtime fans of the series know that Ada was working with Wesker in Resident Evil 2. According to the Umbrella Chronicles, Wesker didn't help Ada and expected her to complete the mission on her own.
While Ada begins to find herself wanting to spend more time with her new friend Leon, Wesker is always there to remind Ada of what must be done. Some fans may not recognize who she’s talking to, but Umbrella Chronicles revealed that she’s been in close contact with Wesker before the events of the second game.
At Least It’s Not Moving
Resident Evil 7 features another house of horrors. Instead of wandering through a mansion, you're trapped in a house in Dulvey, Louisiana. Not only are your immediate surroundings creepy, but so are some of the objects inside. The main house features several mannequins. They appear to follow Ethan around, which makes one wonder if they're still alive. All of the mannequins are missing arms.
The creepy mannequin makes another appearance near the East Storage Room. It's under a light that makes it appear bigger from a distance.
Hope You Weren’t Hungry
Resident Evil 3 took place before and after the second sequel. After the outbreak in Raccoon City, the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service was deployed to stop the t-virus. Captain Mikhail Viktor was part of the small team, along with Carlos Oliveira and Nikolai Zinoviev.
Though the status of a Resident Evil 3 remake is still unknown, there's a reference to the Captain in the remake.
After leaving the parking garage and opening the shutters, you're faced with a bright yellow and red sign that says "Mikhail’s Pierogis."
One Bizarre Reference
The Resident Evil sequels not only featured references from past games but also from other popular media. The original game had a locker nameplate with the name "JoJo." This name was a reference to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, a series that ran from 1987 to 2004. The nameplate was located above Marvin Branagh, who was close to transforming into an infected monster.
The nameplate is once again included in the RE2 remake on a locker. Many fans may recognize the anime reference but miss its history in the Resident Evil series.
Check The Date
Video games can have different release dates, depending on their location. Resident Evil 2 was initially released on January 21, 1998, in North America but not until the 29th in Japan. During the game's prologue is a reference to the original Japanese release date.
A sign on the door has a telephone number that states "1998-01-29." This is obviously a date and not your standard phone number. Very few found this Easter egg before rushing inside the gas station to begin the game.
Who Is Chasing Who?
Resident Evil 3 took page during different moments of the second game. Jill Valentine attempts to escape Raccoon City while being pursued by a creature known as "Nemesis." While exploring the RPC, Leon and Claire will find giant holes in the walls, as if someone is pursuing something.
These holes have mostly been caused by the beast chasing Jill or other S.T.A.R.S. members through the building.
Many of the holes in the wall head directly towards the main S.T.A.R.S. office.
Here’s Hoping For An Outbreak Remaster
Resident Evil Outbreak was the very first entry in the series to feature multiplayer. Gamers could choose from a variety of characters to cure their t-virus infection and escape Raccoon City. Two games were released in the series.
File #2 introduced officer Rita Phillips who worked alongside Marvin Branagh. Once Leon heads to the police officer's wing, he'll find Rita's nameplate on her desk. Rita's name has an additional use. It's part of the letters used to open the combination locks on Leon's desk.
He’s An Important Part Of The Team
Lieutenant Marvin Branagh first appeared in the original Resident Evil 2. He didn't report around for long before he fell victim to the t-virus.
Marvin's role is much more significant in the remake.
Marvin helps Leon and Claire navigate the police department and urges them to get out alive. Marvin was also a secondary character in the multiplayer game Resident Evil Outbreak File #2. The importance of Marvin is brought out more in the remake, including a poster than names him as the Officer of the Year.
Plagued The Streets For Decades
Mr. Raccoon is the mascot of the Raccoon City Zoo.
He is introduced in the Resident Evil Outbreak series.
The friendly mascot once again returns in the RE2 remake. There are fifteen statues total that are scattered between Leon and Claire's campaigns. Don't expect to collect them all in one character's playthrough.
Finding all the figures may seem like a chore, but there's a major prize: the Combat Knife Infinite Bonus Weapon. Gamers can also claim the "Complete Vermin Extermination" achievement.
A Photogenic Chicken Heart
Brad Vickers was part of the elite S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team. Vickers was known as "Chickenheart" to his teammates and left them behind at the start of Resident Evil 1. Vickers would once again make an appearance in Resident Evil 3, where he met his end in front of his S.T.A.R.S. teammate Jill Valentine.
Vickers appeared in the original RE2 as a zombie if you didn’t pick up any items on the way to the police station. In the remake, there's a small cameo of Vickers outside of the police station, after acquiring the bolt cutters. The poster promoted a job fair for the R.P.D. on Monday, October 27, 1997.
Learn The Shop Owner’s Motivations
Capcom plans on releasing new content for the Resident Evil remake in 2019. The Ghost Survivors will feature three playable characters, including Robert Kendo, owner of the Kendo Gun Shop. Kendo isn't a newcomer to the series. The shop has appeared in many games in the series, including RE2, RE3, and Operation Raccoon City.
Fans always felt remorseful that they couldn't do more to help him in previous games, but The Ghost Survivors may give players more insight into who he is and why he wasn't able to leave Raccoon City.