Happy 20th Birthday Resident Evil 2, Here Are My 5 Favourite Moments
Released in January 1998 for North America and Japan (April for Europe), it’s quite crazy to think that Resident Evil 2 is celebrating its upcoming 20th birthday, but while we wait on further news regarding that Resident Evil 2 Remake, I thought I’d look back at some of my favourite moments from what is my favourite video game of all-time. Now of course an article such as this one is subjective and I can’t list every moment, so I’ll try my best to limit myself to the small number of five moments (otherwise this article would go on forever). So with said, here are my five favourite moments from Resident Evil 2.
Meeting the Licker for the First Time
I remember this moment so clearly, entering a corridor in the hallways of the Raccoon City Police Department to find a trail of dead cops. Naturally I thought to myself that they must have fallen victim to the plague of zombies that walk this city; however I was wrong, very wrong. At close inspection, these dead cops had been decapitated; surely a simple zombie couldn’t have done this? It was here to when we were treated to one of the most iconic cut-scenes in the entire series and introduced to one of its most iconic monsters, The Licker. I was terrified at first, then amazed at the detail of that spit drooling from its whiplashed tongue, and then I was terrified once again when this hideous creature dropped from the ceiling and chased me at great speed with the added fear that I would be decapitated within an instant!
Will Smith Zombie aka Marvin Branagh
Ok, I know his name wasn’t “Will Smith Zombie”, but back in the day, despite its pixelated era, I thought that Marvin Branagh had a striking resemblance to the man known to get “Jiggy with it”. When we first met Marvin in Resident Evil 2, his fate was already sealed after being bitten on the chest by a zombie, but that didn’t stop him from being quite welcoming to Lean S. Kennedy aka “the new guy” upon his first day on the job at the RCPD. Despite the best efforts of both Leon and Claire, Marvin refused to be helped knowing it was too late for him and urged them both to concentrate on the survivors that could be saved. Later in the game our path’s cross with Marvin once more, however by this time, he is now a member of the unfortunate undead legion. RIP Marvin Branagh aka Will Smith Zombie.
Meeting Ada Wong
Being shot at in the car park on the police department was perhaps not the welcoming of introductions by Ada Wong for our Leon. However, this moment would spark one of the most iconic and quite complicated relationships in the entire Resident Evil series. From the moment Leon met Ada, he was under her spell, knowing that there was more to this bad girl posing as a journalist for which was later revealed that she was a bad ass spy. Ada always appeared at the most opportunistic times and Leon was determined to uncover the real reason as to why she was here in Raccoon City. Ada may have come to a very dramatic end in the games conclusion, resulting in Leon frantically punching the floor, but this would be far from the last encounter with Miss Wong.
William Birkin’s Transformations
William Birkin was a key member of Umbrella Corp for around 20 years, always working his genius mind that would one day catapult him to one of Umbrella’s elite executives or so he thought. Towards the end of his days, after scheming with the villainous Albert Wesker and suffering yet another rejection in his pursuit for Umbrella’s power and respect, devoting his life towards the new and improved G-virus, Umbrella wanted to rip his life’s work and samples away from him, giving him no credit for his sacrifice. So in a last act in desperation, William uttered the words “Its sheer perfection. My precious G-virus. No one will ever take you away from me”, before injecting himself with his virus, transforming him into a relentless and hideous monster. A series of flashbacks provided some key moments in not only the lore of Resident Evil 2 regarding Mr Birkin, but also the entire series as we were given glimpse of his various manifestations before we were forced to do battle with the creator of the G-virus.
The Music
Whether it’s a video game, movie or TV series, a huge part of its story-telling power is provided by its soundtrack and perhaps nothing is more evident then what is heard in Resident Evil 2. We could pick out several musical pieces from the series, but when I think of my favourite moments in Resident Evil 2, they are always accompanied by a sample of its chilling soundtrack. From the moment you first enter the RCPD building, your first encounter with the Licker or William Birkin mutations, to the epic final boss battle or even wondering the lonely and eerie corridors, the soundtrack to Resident Evil 2 is among the greatest of its genre and will forever live-long in my memory.
Right that concludes my short list of a mere five favourite moments from Resident Evil 2 and I know that I’ve missed loads, including the giant crocodile, the extra scenarios and modes, right on through to those naked zombies and more! So let’s all celebrate the 20th birthday of the brilliant Resident Evil 2 and give us your favourite comments in the comments section below and on our social media channels.