Resident Evil had changed what horror games could be. In a way, they had created a new genre, where you were not running from monsters, but actively trying to hunt them down while solving puzzles. Could the sequel, Resident Evil 2, be able to maintain the dread and horror of the first game? The answer would be yes, and in 1998, Capcom got out of the mansion and started hitting the streets.
Only two months have passed since the events of the first game. A nearby city called Racoon City has paid the price for being so close to the outbreak of the T-Virus. The whole city has been turned into monsters, except for a few choice people. Leon S. Kennedy might be the only police office left in town and Claire Redfield is looking for her brother. You will play as both as they search the city and try not to be eaten alive.
The idea that an enclosed mansion and a city could be equally as scary does not seem possible at first. The mansion was enclosed, one place where you could not escape. Racoon city might be more open, but that also means a lot more enemies. They have a lot of places to hide as well, as anyone who encountered the Licker for the first time can tell you. You can run, and you will, but no place seems to be safe.
RE2 would also influence the story of the series for years to come. This is when we find out that Umbrella has no real interest in cleaning up the mess they made. At one point, you meet a person who tells you they are working on a new more powerful virus. Leon also encounters a women named Ada Wong, who is much more then she first appears. Some things set in motion in this game would happen in the next game, while others would occur years later.
The game was a smashing success and new games set in the universe would start to come out regularly. Most people fell in love with the series from this game. You might have heard that a remake is coming out this week. It might just do the impossible. Make Racoon City an even more terrifying place to escape from.
