Resident Evil 2 Remake vs. Resident Evil 7
Round 3: The Horror Factor
This is going to be very subjective, especially considering the fact that both RE2 and RE7 are dealing with different types of horror.
Resident Evil 7 is a lot more schlocky, featuring the kooky Baker family that loves eating bugs and guts for dinner. The game relies heavily on the gross-out factor, featuring disgusting imagery and symbolism that just make you feel so incredibly creeped out.
RE7 isn’t afraid to cross some lines, most notably with Marguerite, who’s notorious for having a nasty bug hive on her lady parts. Or Jack, who loves showing you his brains every time you meet. The Bakers look like they haven’t showered in weeks —nay, months— and, honestly, that alone is enough to make me gag.
Resident Evil 7 is very over-the-top with the way it handles horror, and its obvious Evil Dead inspirations are always a delight to watch. This is a very good horror game.
Resident Evil 2 is a little different. It’s a much more serious game that leans into the gore factor instead. With that brand new, good-looking RE Engine, Capcom has managed to sneak in insane amounts of detail into the game, such as the way zombies will get their skin and limbs ripped off when you shoot or knife them.
The game never shies away from showing the player copious amounts of blood and dismembered bodies, and we certainly wouldn’t recommend playing this game if you have a strong aversion to explicit violence and gore.
Both games excel at delivering the tension as well, though I’d argue that Resident Evil 2’s “unkillable enemy” formula works a little better with Mr X, compared to RE7’s Jack.
Winner: Resident Evil 2. Again, RE2 takes the win by a very slight margin, and honestly, this factor is highly dependent on your personal tastes anyway.
