Way to make every good point you could have made irrelevant with a single sentence.
This right here. I can respect someone's opinion, but saying something like "It's like playing the N64 version" borders on hot garbage and destroys any respectability the OP's opinion may have had. (Not that it had much to begin with, honestly.)
This is one of those threads where there are so many things to address that you don't know where to start, and it might as well be a troll post for all the sense it makes.
Correct.
On a broader level, it's a phenomenon of internet forums:
- Ideas are expressed poorly
- emotion wins over reason/analysis
- hyperbole is the name of the game
The OP meets all 3 of those criteria.
What's to like about this game, OP asks? Well, a 1998 classic has been changed to:
- Modernize gameplay: As amazing as the original 1998 is (to this day), the gameplay is arguably outdated.
- Modern over-the-shoulder camera with great view. As stated by the original game designers, the fixed camera was not their choice and was mostly a technology limitation. After having 6 mainline entries (1, 2, 3, CV, Remake, and 0) with fixed camera, it was time to move on. Whether the haters acknowledge it or not, RE4 (over-the-shoulder) saved the series.
- Modern aiming and shooting. As a huge fan of the original fixed-camera games (RE2 original is one of my favorite games of all time. See: my avatar), you probably don't want to "free aim" -- it's an absolute nightmare, it does not feel good. And I would argue that the free aim, while bad in 1 through CV, actually takes a step back with Remake and 0. Completing "True Survival" in Remake was one of my least pleasant experiences due to the clunkiness of the free aim.
- Weapons and feedback: All weapons in RE2 remake are an improvement over the weapons in the classic games (with some minor exceptions). The weapons here feel really good to use, including Leon's shotgun and (especially) Claire's Grenade Launcher.
- Movement/traversal: Although I'm personally a big fan of the "tank controls" of the past, they probably wouldn't fly with most gamers in this day and age. Moving here feels really good, and attention was paid to Leon's and Claire's weight, handling, etc.
- Modernize graphics: I don't know what game the OP played, but the "Resident Evil 2" (2019) that I played looks fantastic. This is the best Leon and (again, especially) Claire have ever looked. I know neo-Claire gets some hate around parts of the internet, but she looks great. (Although admittedly, she does have a bit of a creepy, borderline "Mass Effect Andromeda meets the Joker" look in a couple of cases, but it's very limited to a couple of scenes). Their looks have been modernized: Leon's police uniform (before and after the gunshot wound) look great, and Claire (and even Sherry!) look great, too. Like the 1998 look more? Well... the game gives you the option to use the 1998 outfits for both characters! (And I mean the "wearing the old outfit with modern graphics" thing, not the literal 1998 models in the game). Zombies look great. All versions of Birkin look fantastic and better than the original. Mr. X (both standard and "final boss" form) also look great. Fuck... everyone looks great here, including secondary characters (Ada, Annette, Sherry, Chief Irons, Ben, Marvin, etc...)
- Locations: The Remake version of the RPD is a sight to behold, but the real shining star is the remade lab ("NEST" as it's known in this game).
- Modernize voice acting and script: Voice acting here is absolutely fantastic and is better than the 1998 original. Fantastic job by everyone. Dialogue is a bit more natural and less dorky/campy than the original game. (Although admittedly the "campy dialogue" is part of the original's charm.)
- Great boss battles: Again, huge fan of the 1998 original here. But the boss battles aren't great in that game. Most boss battles consist of: Run to some safe distance away from the boss -> shoot -> win. (The only boss that doesn't fully apply to in the original game is the final Mr. X). In this Remake, bosses at least involve some form of strategy, especially the final bosses (G4 Birkin for Claire, and final Mr. X for Leon). G3 Birkin is one of the best Resident Evil boss fights I've experienced in a while. I'd say G1 Birkin also involves some strategy for new players, but once you find out about the knife... yea....
- Fun extras: Hunk and Tofu come back with a vengeance (the gameplay and, my god, those soundtracks for both of them...). Tofu even got expanded with extra Tofu characters. The 4 extra "ghost survivors" campaigns. The costumes. Etc...
But the game is not without blemishes. It has less puzzles (and less interesting puzzles) than the original game. The story has some serious inconsistencies. The B scenarios might as well not exist. Those are valid criticisms and you'd get no pushback from me on those.
But in general, as someone in this thread already said, do the positives
far outweigh the negatives? In my opinion, yes.
Now, one argument I would make (and would be ready to defend) is that, as much as I absolutely love and adore the Remake of 1, in some key ways,
that game is overrated.
