Two protagonists, two interlocking playthroughs, one burning city. Mikami handed it to a first-time director.
Resident Evil 2 was directed by Hideki Kamiya — his first game as director, at age twenty-six, after a previous version of the game had been scrapped mid-development and rebuilt entirely. The Zapping System gave two protagonists — Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield — interlocking playthroughs where the choices and events of one scenario affected the other. Raccoon City, burning and abandoned, expanded the franchise's scale from a mansion to a world. The game sold over 6.5 million copies, making it the best-selling entry in the series at the time. The 2019 remake used a third-person over-the-shoulder camera and sold over 12 million copies — becoming the highest-selling game in the franchise.
— inspired by Shinji Mikami
About this game
Resident Evil 2 (1998) is the apex of the original PlayStation survival horror genre — a cinematic, dual-campaign action-horror game set in Raccoon City during a zombie outbreak, with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield as playable protagonists whose stories interlock. Directed by Hideki Kamiya (who would go on to create Devil May Cry and Bayonetta) and produced by Shinji Mikami, it sold over 4.96 million copies and its influence on the genre's vocabulary — limited inventory, typewriter saves, specific camera angles — defined survival horror for a decade.
Key Features
Two interlocked campaigns: Leon A / Claire B (or vice versa) — completing one unlocks conditions for the alternate scenario, with certain items and events carrying over between plays. The iconic G-Virus storyline and the recurring Tyrant/Mr. X pursuing the player through the police station. Inventory management using a grid-based case system with a limited number of slots. Typewriter save system using finite ink ribbons. The scenarios were designed with a '2nd Run' concept: Leon's and Claire's campaigns reference and overlap each other.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Resident Evil 2's development was troubled — an initial version directed by Hideki Kamiya was scrapped partway through and rebuilt from scratch (the scrapped version, nicknamed 'Resident Evil 1.5', has since been partially recovered by fans). The rebuild took 21 months with a team of approximately 50. Producer Shinji Mikami made the controversial decision to require a near-complete restart when the first version was deemed insufficiently innovative. The result was one of the PlayStation's best-selling games and the commercial and creative peak of the original trilogy.
Tricks & Tales
The scrapped original version of RE2 — known as 'Resident Evil 1.5' — featured a different protagonist (Elza Walker instead of Claire) and a fundamentally different story. Fans have recovered significant portions of the prototype. Director Hideki Kamiya's next project after RE2 was Devil May Cry, which originated as a Resident Evil project before spinning off into its own franchise. Composer Masami Ueda led the soundtrack team alongside Shusaku Uchiyama, Shun Nishigaki, and Naoshi Mizuta.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Released simultaneously in Japan and North America (January 21, 1998), then Europe (February 1998). All versions are functionally identical.
Maintenance Tips
Standard PlayStation disc care. The game is a dual-disc set — ensure both discs are undamaged. Uses a memory card for save data.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Resident Evil 2 copies regularly.
Will this Japanese PlayStation disc work on a North American or European PlayStation?
No. The PlayStation enforces regional lockout through the disc region code and the console BIOS. Japanese discs (NTSC-J) will not play on North American (NTSC-U/C) or European (PAL) consoles without modification such as a mod chip or swap method. Playing Japanese PlayStation software requires a Japanese console or a modified unit. The disc format itself is standard CD-ROM — the incompatibility is entirely software-enforced.
Do I need a memory card to save progress?
Yes. The PlayStation has no internal save storage. A PlayStation Memory Card must be inserted into the console's memory card slot to save game data. Without a memory card, all progress is lost when the console powers off. Each memory card holds 15 blocks; check the game manual for how many blocks this title requires. Official Sony memory cards are recommended for reliability over third-party alternatives.
How should I inspect and care for a PlayStation disc?
Examine the data side (shiny underside) under light. Light surface scratches are generally readable; deep scratches running radially from the center outward are more damaging than circular ones. To clean, wipe from the center outward in straight radial strokes with a soft lint-free cloth — never in a circular motion. If the console struggles to read an otherwise intact disc, the PlayStation laser may need cleaning or adjustment, which is common in aging PS1 hardware.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Resident Evil 2
A short checklist for buying a used PlayStation disc wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Check the disc for scratches
Deep scratches on the playing surface cause freezes and read errors. Light surface marks are usually fine.
Ask for a clear photo of the disc's underside. A seller who tested it will confirm it loads and plays through.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is a Japanese PlayStation disc. The PS1 is region-locked, so a Japanese disc needs a Japanese console or a region-free setup.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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Saves use a memory card — no battery to worry about
PlayStation games save to a separate memory card, so there is no in-cartridge battery to fail.
Just make sure you have a memory card with free blocks for your saves.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Resident Evil 2 sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
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