Resident Evil 2: 7 Ups & 3 Downs
1. Up: Modern Makeover Without Removing The Original's Core Quality
After 21 years and several console generations, Resident Evil 2's original story, characters, and gameplay components still work beautifully, albeit with a complete makeover in the visuals department. This is a game that is clearly from a time before now when simple, quality experiences were king. RE2 does not lose that.
The remake component works so well because it improves/updates in areas where it was necessary. Many companies make the mistake of changing vital art style aspects or gameplay mechanics in an effort to modernize an older title and it only leads to mixed bag experiences. The best kind of remakes should feel like the definitive version of a particular title. After experiencing both campaigns and beholding just what a superb achievement this game was, it's tough to think anyone would choose the original over this one.
In the end, this is a completely straightforward zombie game where you shoot, blow up, and run away from all kinds of zombies while embarking on a scare-filled journey to save the world. This is no Last Of Us zombie tale with in-depth characters and heavy doses of emotion. Instead, it's so beautifully simple, and I wouldn't want it any other way.