There are horror games that make you jump, games that leave you uncomfortable long after the console has been switched off, and then there are those rare experiences that genuinely make you dread opening the next door. Resident Evil 2 belongs firmly in that last category. Capcom’s reimagining of its celebrated 1998 survival horror classic took a story fans thought they knew and transformed it into something remarkably fresh, visceral and frightening. Now, with the Deluxe Edition arriving natively on Nintendo Switch 2, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield’s nightmare is ready to follow players wherever they choose to play, whether that means settling down in front of a television or creeping through Raccoon City’s infected streets with the console in handheld mode.
The premise remains as grimly compelling as ever. A catastrophic biological outbreak has turned Raccoon City into a slaughterhouse, leaving rookie police officer Leon and college student Claire fighting to survive among the living dead. Leon has arrived to begin his new job, while Claire is searching for her brother, Chris Redfield, but their personal journeys quickly become secondary to the simple business of staying alive. What follows is a desperate struggle through ruined streets, claustrophobic corridors and locations where every shadow seems to conceal something that would very much like to tear you apart.
This Deluxe Edition includes the main game alongside a generous selection of costumes, bonus weapons and the original soundtrack option. For newcomers, it offers an opportunity to experience one of modern horror gaming’s finest achievements in a particularly complete package. For returning players, the prospect of revisiting this nightmare on Nintendo’s latest hardware is an appealing one, particularly if portable survival horror sounds like your idea of a good evening. The important question is whether this version preserves the atmosphere, technical quality and relentless tension that made the remake so memorable.
A City Falling Apart
Raccoon City is more than a backdrop for the bloodshed. It feels as though it has been torn apart in the space of a single, unimaginable catastrophe, with the outbreak’s consequences visible in the wreckage around you. Streets become dangerous passageways, abandoned buildings offer little reassurance, and even apparently safe rooms can feel temporary when you know what might be waiting outside. The environmental storytelling is particularly effective, allowing players to piece together the scale of the disaster through what they discover rather than relying entirely on lengthy explanations.
The Raccoon City Police Department is the heart of the experience and remains one of the most memorable locations in survival horror. Its imposing architecture, tangled corridors and locked doors create a labyrinth that gradually becomes familiar without ever feeling completely safe. A room that initially appears to offer little more than a place to search for supplies may later become an essential shortcut, while a corridor that seemed manageable earlier can become a nightmare when something begins pursuing you through it. The building’s interconnected design gives exploration a satisfying rhythm, with each discovery gradually opening up new possibilities.
That sense of place is reinforced by the game’s visual presentation. Lighting plays an enormous role in establishing the atmosphere, with darkness concealing threats and narrow beams illuminating just enough of a room to make you wonder what remains hidden. The sound design does equally important work, using distant noises, unsettling movements and the occasional silence to keep your imagination working overtime. Horror is often most effective when the game refuses to show you everything immediately, and Resident Evil 2 understands that principle beautifully.
Leon and Claire: Two Sides of the Nightmare
Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield offer distinct perspectives on the unfolding disaster. Leon begins as an inexperienced police officer arriving for what should have been his first day on the job, only to confront a situation no amount of training could prepare him for. Claire, meanwhile, arrives in search of her brother and discovers a city where familiar rules of survival no longer apply. Their circumstances differ, yet both are forced to make difficult decisions while navigating an environment that offers very few guarantees.
Their stories give the campaign a human centre, preventing the horror from becoming a succession of encounters with increasingly unpleasant creatures. Leon’s determination and Claire’s resourcefulness make them easy to root for, while their encounters with other survivors lend emotional weight to the wider tragedy. There is a particularly effective contrast between their individual struggles and the sheer scale of the disaster surrounding them. Neither protagonist feels like an unstoppable action hero, and that vulnerability is essential to the experience.
The dual campaign structure is also one of the game’s greatest strengths. Playing through Leon’s story and then experiencing Claire’s offers a different perspective on the outbreak, with alternative encounters, character interactions and variations that encourage a second visit. The A and B scenario structure adds replay value, although players should not expect every event to change dramatically between playthroughs. The real attraction lies in seeing the wider story unfold and in learning how the two journeys fit together.
For those who enjoy games with a strong narrative foundation, this is where Resident Evil 2 rises above a straightforward zombie survival exercise. It understands that the monsters matter, but the people attempting to survive them matter just as much. The result is a campaign that combines immediate danger with a compelling reason to keep moving forward.
Every Bullet Counts
Combat in Resident Evil 2 is deliberately uncomfortable, and that is a compliment. Zombies are not simply disposable targets that collapse after a few well-placed shots. They are resilient, unpredictable threats that can absorb punishment, stagger unexpectedly, and continue advancing when you desperately hoped they would stay down. The over-the-shoulder perspective gives you a clear view of the immediate danger, but it does not make every encounter easy or guarantee that your aim will save you.
Ammunition is precious, healing supplies are limited, and inventory space constantly forces decisions about what to carry. Should you spend bullets clearing a corridor, or attempt to slip past the creatures waiting inside it? Is that extra healing item worth taking up space that could be used for ammunition or a key object? These decisions create tension because they have consequences beyond the immediate encounter. A careless fight can leave you poorly equipped for a much more dangerous situation later, turning resource management into one of the game’s most important survival skills.
The ability to target enemies strategically adds another layer to the combat. Shooting a zombie’s limbs can help disable or slow it, offering an alternative to simply emptying a magazine into its head. Even so, a weakened enemy may remain a threat, and the apparent solution may cost more ammunition than expected. This uncertainty makes encounters feel dangerous without relying entirely on scripted scares.
Then there are the larger threats, which can transform an already stressful exploration section into something approaching panic. Mr. X, the imposing Tyrant who relentlessly pursues Leon and Claire during key sections of the game, is particularly effective because his presence changes how you approach familiar surroundings. Suddenly, the route you were comfortable using becomes a potential trap, and the sound of approaching footsteps can be more frightening than an entire room full of ordinary zombies. He is not merely another enemy to defeat; he is a constant reminder that you are not always in control.
Puzzles, Exploration and the Pleasure of Getting Lost
For all its violence, Resident Evil 2 is as much a game about thinking as it is about shooting. Progress often hinges on finding keys, deciphering clues, unlocking mechanisms and working out how apparently unrelated objects fit together. The police station’s layout encourages careful exploration, with locked doors and blocked routes gradually forming a mental map of the building. Returning to an area with the right item can be deeply satisfying, especially when it opens a shortcut that makes future journeys less dangerous.
The inventory system adds a welcome layer of decision-making. Every item has a potential purpose, but limited space means carrying everything is rarely practical. Players must decide what to take, what to store and when to make room for something that might prove essential. This can occasionally become fiddly, particularly when several objectives compete for attention, but it reinforces the sense that survival depends on preparation as much as courage.
There is a wonderful rhythm to this design. You explore, discover a new obstacle, search for a solution, then venture back through familiar territory with a clearer objective and perhaps a little less ammunition than you would like. Just when you begin to feel comfortable, the game introduces a new complication or reminds you that the building is not nearly as safe as you thought. It strikes an elegant balance between methodical problem-solving and sudden, violent uncertainty.
The Deluxe Edition: More Than Just a Costume Collection
The Deluxe Edition includes the main game and a collection of extras that add nostalgia and cosmetic variety. Leon receives the Arklay Sheriff, Noir and ’98 costumes, while Claire can wear Military, Noir, Elza Walker and ’98 outfits. These costumes offer alternative looks for the two protagonists, with the classic ’98 designs providing a particularly appealing nod to the original game. They do not fundamentally alter the campaign, but fans who appreciate the series’ history will likely enjoy the chance to change the characters’ appearances.
The weapon selection includes three versions of the Samurai Edge handgun: the Albert, Jill and Chris models. These bonus weapons add a little extra flavour for players who want to personalise their experience, although the main attraction remains the carefully balanced survival horror campaign rather than the equipment extras. The Original Version Soundtrack Swap is arguably the most interesting inclusion for long-standing fans, allowing them to revisit the remake with music from the 1998 original. It is a lovely acknowledgement of the game’s history, connecting the modern reimagining with the soundtrack that accompanied the original nightmare.
The wider package also includes additional modes such as The 4th Survivor, The Ghost Survivors and The Tofu Survivor. These provide alternatives to the main campaign, offering reasons to return after completing Leon and Claire’s stories. They are particularly welcome for players who enjoy mastering the game’s combat and movement systems, although their appeal varies depending on whether you prefer focused challenges or the more deliberate exploration of the main adventure.
Taken together, the extras make this a generous edition. They will not persuade everyone to buy the game a second time, especially those who already own it elsewhere, but newcomers receive a substantial survival horror experience with plenty to discover beyond the main story.
Nintendo Switch 2: Horror in Your Hands
The move to Nintendo Switch 2 gives Resident Evil 2 an appealing new dimension. Survival horror is particularly well suited to handheld play, as the smaller screen and more personal way of holding the system can make exploration feel even more intimate. Creeping through a dark corridor with headphones on, checking every doorway and listening for movement, becomes a very different experience when the game is literally in your hands. It is an excellent match for a title that relies so heavily on atmosphere and the player’s relationship with the immediate environment.
The native release is also an important distinction from cloud-based versions of games, where the experience can depend on connection quality and streaming latency. Running locally on the hardware means the game does not rely on a constant cloud stream, making it a more practical option for playing away from a reliable internet connection. That is a meaningful advantage for a portable system, particularly when precise aiming and responsive controls matter during combat.
The supplied description highlights a performance target of 60 frames per second, along with improved visual presentation, lighting and faster loading. These are appealing ambitions for a game built around responsive combat and detailed environments, but the final experience depends on how consistently the Switch 2 version delivers across both handheld and docked play. Without independently verified performance measurements, it would be premature to claim that every scene maintains a locked 60 frames per second or that image quality is identical to that of more powerful platforms. What matters most is whether the port preserves the responsiveness, atmosphere and visual clarity that make the original so effective.
If those qualities are maintained, Switch 2 owners have a compelling way to experience the game. The ability to move between television and handheld play without losing access to the full adventure is a major attraction, especially for players who value flexibility. Few games make better use of a darkened room and a good pair of headphones than Resident Evil 2, and the prospect of carrying that experience around is genuinely appealing.
A Modern Survival Horror Classic
What makes Resident Evil 2 endure is not simply its zombies, weapons or occasional moments of startling violence. It is how those elements work together to create an experience in which even ordinary actions can feel consequential. Opening a door means stepping into the unknown. Picking up an item might solve a problem later, but it could also leave you without space for something immediately useful. Hearing footsteps behind you can turn a routine journey into a desperate scramble for safety.
The Deluxe Edition brings together a superb campaign, two protagonists with complementary stories, memorable environments and a selection of additional content that encourages repeated visits. The Nintendo Switch 2 version adds the convenience of native portable play, potentially making this one of the most appealing ways to enjoy Capcom’s modern classic on the move. Its horror remains effective because it trusts atmosphere and uncertainty rather than constant spectacle.
There are minor caveats. Inventory management can feel restrictive, combat occasionally frustrates when enemies refuse to stay down, and the scenario structure is not as radically different between characters as some players might hope. Those are small blemishes on an otherwise exceptional experience, and in many respects they are part of what makes the game work. Survival should feel difficult, and victory should feel earned.
