Resident Evil 2 Beginner Tips
It’s Better to Play as Leon First, Probably
So Resident Evil 2 gives you the choice to play as either Leon or Claire at the start of the game. The main scenarios are mostly the same for the first half of the game, with some bigger diverging paths in the second half. Both characters will be dealing largely with the same puzzles, but there are certain areas that only one character will have access to.
From a story perspective, it doesn’t matter who you start with, as you’ll need to play them both to get the full picture. But if you’re new to the game and want a slightly easier start, definitely go with Leon first.
Leon and Claire start with completely different weapons, and I’ve found that Leon’s weapons are just more versatile and easy to use than Claire’s. He’s got a good handgun that reloads quickly and comes with a decent magazine size. You can even upgrade its capacity very early on in the game. Leon also gets access to the iconic shotgun, which is pretty much a fantastic weapon for any given situation.
On the flip side, Claire starts with a five-bullet revolver, and it has a much longer reload time compared to Leon’s Matilda. You can get a nice reload upgrade for it early on in the game, but the limited capacity is definitely an issue. Claire also doesn’t get access to the shotgun; instead, she’ll receive the grenade launcher, a much more powerful weapon that comes with some downsides. It can only hold one round at a time, and its reload speed isn’t fantastic either.
The grenade launcher in Resident Evil 2 also comes with two types of ammo: flame and acid rounds. These are great offensive options, but the different ammo types also means that it’s slightly trickier to manage Claire’s inventory space.
The late-game weapons for both characters are also different, and without spoiling anything, I’d also say that Leon’s selections are just easier to handle than the ones that Claire will get. Overall, Leon is just an easier and more straightforward character to play, and he’s a good pick for any Resident Evil 2 newcomer. Use him to get yourself acquainted with the game, then play Claire.
