Overview (2)

Dive into Resident Evil 2 (Remake)! Understand gameplay, resource management, difficulty levels (Assisted, Standard, Hardcore), and ranking systems. Get ready!

Hey there! So, you're diving into the Resident Evil 2 Remake, huh? Awesome choice! This isn't just a fresh coat of paint on a classic; it's a whole new beast. They've ditched the old clunky stuff, but kept all those signature Resident Evil quirks, like those handy item boxes and the way you can mix herbs to make 'em even better. Seriously, the game engine is gorgeous, making the environments look stunning even with all the spooky darkness.

Now, about the gameplay itself. Even though it's a horror game, think of it more like an action-adventure with some brain-teasing puzzles. The real challenge here is managing your supplies. You'll almost always feel like you're short on ammo, so you've gotta be smart about what you carry and what you leave behind. The shooting feels great, but don't get cocky – enemies are tough, and you're pretty fragile. Honestly, sometimes running is a better option than fighting. If you try to take down every single zombie, you'll eventually get yourself into a tight spot with no bullets!

You get to play as two different characters, and each has two scenarios, an 'A' and a 'B'. The 'A' scenario for one character and the 'B' for the other kind of go together, and then there's another pair that tells an alternate story. This really adds to the replay value, especially since the game isn't super long. Your first run might take about eight hours, but by your fourth, you'll probably be zipping through in three!

When it comes to difficulty, you've got three main choices:

• Assisted: This is the chill option. Enemies are weaker, and you get some aim assist. Plus, if you get low on health, it'll auto-regenerate a bit after a minute. You can take a good beating before it's game over.
• Standard: This is where things get interesting, in my opinion. It's a solid challenge where you'll need to manage your resources and try to avoid damage, but it rarely feels unfair. You can usually take two hits and still be standing, though some attacks will put you straight into the danger zone.
• Hardcore: This is for the brave! Enemies are way tougher and more aggressive. You'll have even less inventory space (only 14 slots compared to 20 on Standard), and most hits will send you straight to the Danger level. The biggest kicker? You can only save using Ink Ribbons, which are super limited. I found enough in the 'A' scenarios, but the 'B' scenarios can be brutal with how few you get – I definitely cursed not being able to save more often! On top of that, there are no checkpoints. Having to replay a tough section over and over? Not my idea of fun, but that's Hardcore for ya.

Oh, and there's a sneaky dynamic difficulty system. If you're really struggling, the game might subtly make your weapons hit harder or make enemies a bit weaker. Conversely, if you're just breezing through, it might ramp things up a notch.

Once you finish a scenario, you get ranked. The main thing they look at is how fast you finished. The time limits for the top ranks are a bit more forgiving on the 'A' scenarios than the 'B' ones. Here's a quick look at the time limits for Standard and Hardcore difficulties:

Pulling off an S-Rank on Standard difficulty nets you the Samurai Edge pistol with infinite ammo for all your future runs – super handy! And if you're good enough for an S-rank on Hardcore, you'll unlock the LE 5 SMG, also with infinite ammo.

There's also an S+ rank. If you hit the S-rank time requirement and save three times or less, you'll get S+. Achieving S+ on Hardcore unlocks some seriously powerful bonus weapons: the Gatling Gun for Claire and the ATM-4 rocket launcher for Leon. Just a heads-up though: using infinite weapons like the Samurai Edge or LE 5 means you can't get S+ rank. So, basically, by the time you unlock those super weapons, you won't even need them anymore!

The walkthroughs themselves are super detailed for all four scenarios. The guide assumes you'll start with Leon's 'A' scenario. It'll point out all the collectibles and won't give you puzzle solutions until you've found the clues. If you start with Claire's 'A', you'll run into spoilers and miss out on finding the Mr. Raccoon figures because that walkthrough assumes you've already found them and know the safe codes. After Leon 'A', you can go with Claire 'A' or 'B'. The guide takes you through Claire 'A' because the 'B' scenarios are way tougher. Finishing both 'A' scenarios means you'll find the last Mr. Raccoon figure right at the start of your chosen 'B' scenario, unlocking the Infinite Combat Knife. This little beauty is a lifesaver for dealing with the serious ammo shortages you'll face in the 'B' scenarios.