History VideoGame / ResidentEvil2

* EasyModeMockery: Mildly; none of the content unlocked by completing the game with a good score (the Infinite Ammo weapons, Hunk & Tofu) or the Special Key to access the Extra Costumes is available on Easy Difficulty.

** G Birkin's growls can be heard after Claire meets Sherry. His growls is loud enough that it can be heard in Chief Irons' art room.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: In the S.T.A.R.S. office, there's a photograph of the entire team next to Wesker's desk. At the lower left corner is an unidentified character who is, for no apparent reason, packing a ''mortar''. He does not appear in any of the games and was even removed in later games using the picture.
* InventoryManagementPuzzle: Just like in the previous game, you can't pick up everything you see due to having limited amount of space on your person. New to the series are weapons that take up two inventory slots (the sub-machine gun, spark shot, flamethrower, Gatling gun, and rocket launcher), which means most players will put them away somewhere until they really need them since their ammo can't be refilled. Item boxes make a return to help the player store and retrieve items anywhere.
* ItsAWonderfulFailure: Dying may result in a brutal animation of your character getting graphically killed by whatever baddie did you in. Spiders are a notable exception. This is only true for the original [=PlayStation=] and PC version.

* JokeItem: The knife in the game is completely useless, doing pitiful damage, even to the weaker enemies in the game.

* RuleOfCool: The shotgun upgrade is [[GunsDoNotWorkThatWay implausible, to put it mildly]][[note]]The Remington 1100 is not a pump-action shotgun, and it is theoretically possible to turn a pump-action Remington 870 into a semi-auto, but it would require ''very'' extensive gunsmithing and metalwork, not just snapping on a different forend. It'd also be a pretty pointless modification, since you could buy a small collection of quality semi-auto shotguns for what you'd likely pay a professional gunsmith to make one such conversion.[[/note]], but that doesn't stop the Custom M1100 from being one of the coolest damn weapons in the game.
* RuleOfFunny: The Tofu Survivor qualifies as its makes it even funnier.

*** One of the files mentions how Ozwell E Spencer discovered the mother virus and research into it was passed on to James Marcus before he was fired and it was passed into William Birkin instead.

* SkippableBoss: The game has three. If either character uses the fuel tank to kill the alligator in the sewers in the A scenario, then the character in the B scenario doesn't have to fight it. Mr. X can be run away from in every one of his encounters except for the last. Leon gets an additional encounter with Birkin on the tram ride to the warehouse, where he smashes his claws through the ceiling. You can shoot him until he gives up, or you can just let Ada take care of it while dodging his attacks.

* TankControls: Almost every version of the game has these.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: In Claire B, Claire and Sherry go past [[spoiler:Chief Irons]], who is HalfTheManHeUsedToBe. While Claire has seen this before, Sherry should be terrified (they also have to descend the very manhole where he came from and spilled all of his blood).

** The puzzles are noticeably toned down compared to the first game. Here, the majority of the puzzles can be summed up as "find key or object to progress". There's also more emphasis on boss fights with Birkin being a RecurringBoss in both scenarios, while Mr. X is one in Scenario B only.

* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: Oversleeping saves the day yet again. Leon is the only remaining officer in the city who's not infected; the police headquarters couldn't hold up to a sustained siege and quickly fell to zombies, as the [[BerserkBoardBarricade barricaded doors and windows]] indicate. The Chief himself is holed up in his office and refuses to come out. We later learn in memos that the company knew the T-Virus was bound to spread into the water table and spent the last two months frantically destroying evidence. Chief Irons was ordered to keep a lid on the outbreak, which ultimately cost the lives of all of his officers.

* AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent: You temporarily take control of the player character's partner at certain points in the game. For Leon, you get to play as Ada Wong and for Claire, you get to play as Sherry Birkin. Ada carries a pistol and a first aid spray, while Sherry only carries a first aid spray. Sherry also runs slower than the adult characters, making it difficult to outrun the zombie dogs in the A scenario, but her shortness make it easier to dodge the zombies in the B one; they can't grab her, only spit, which is easy to avoid. Sherry also doesn't limp when severely injured, which makes her more likely to make a last ditch escape. However, it is up to the player to manually check her health in the inventory screen because her character model does not show damage.

* AttackOfTheTownFestival: Played with. An entire precinct was planning a party for the rookie, Leon, joining the force, and party hats and lemon lime soda bottles are still visible in some of the deserted offices.

* BlandNameProduct: Tons, one of which (the "Cool Soda" vending machines) got replaced in later versions for being a bit too close to infringing on Coca-Cola's likeness.

* GameFavoredGender: In contrast to ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil1'', here, it's the ''male'' character, Leon, who is the "easier" gender to play as. Both characters have equal inventory space this time, with the option to upgrade one character with an extra two spaces. This means that Leon's greater health pool, and his access to the shotgun[[note]]weaker than the Grenade Launcher, but ammo is more plentiful[[/note]] and the unique Custom Parts, which allow him to upgrade his pistol, shotgun and magnum, makes Leon a flat-up easier playthrough. Claire's unique access to the grenade launcher and its DepletedPhlebotinumShells, the Bowgun with it's specialized ability to kill lickers, and the [[LethalJokeWeapon Sparkshot]] just doesn't compare.

* {{Gorn}}: The death of Brian Irons (in either scenario with Claire) and Ben (in Leon's A scenario). This was also the game that made zombies getting shotgunned get possibly cut in half.

** Though this time around auto aim was included from the very beginning (though you still have to switch to the control scheme that has it), movement is still rather clunky compared to later games, as RE2 lacks 180 degree turns and requiring a button press to go up and down stairs.

* BareYourMidriff:
** All the female zombie models are the same, a short brown haired woman with a shredded tank top [[FanDisService showing their rotting stomachs.]]
** Claire's bonus outfit from the [=PS1=], PC, Dreamcast, and [=GameCube=] versions has a red tank top or tube top under her jacket that shows her stomach.
** A photo of Rebecca can be found in Wesker's desk that shows her in a green sports bra and shorts with a basketball. To find it, you need to check Wesker's desk 50 times.

** In a semi-hidden room, you can see a large containment tube that looks as if something destroyed it from the inside -- and an empty weapons briefcase nearby...

%%* AloofAlly: Ada always gives off this feeling.

* ContinuityCameo: Rebecca appears in a photo in Wesker's table in the RPD. Apparently, she's not just smart, but also enjoys (or used to enjoy) playing basketball.

* DullSurprise: Claire and Sherry at some points.

* ScareChord: Used if you didn't use the camera to see Mr. X coming. His theme shoots up when you leave picking up a necessary key.

%%* ShapeshifterBaggage: Birkin abuses this.

* SpecialEffectsEvolution: This game shows a lot of budget and polish compared to the first game. Moving backgrounds, higher enemy variety and onscreen numbers, more and better quality fmv's, onscreen transformations, even Claire's ponytail show off the much better graphics.

** The 1999 PC port of the game received an updated re-release in 2006, but it never ended up ported outside of Japan. The PC port by [=SourceNext=], which came on a single DVD (as opposed to two CD-[=ROMs=]), combined both Leon's and Claire's games into one (like the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube ports), fixed many of the compatibility issues that Windows XP or higher had with the original PC release, and showed all of the CG cutscenes at full uncompressed quality.

* YouAllLookFamiliar: While there are much more variance of models used for zombies compared to the first game (which only had at three models: green jacket, white lab coat, and naked), there's only a handful of zombie models that will repeat very quickly. Female zombies only have one model.

* EasterEgg: Wesker's desk seems to have nothing but clutter, but if you search it ''[[GuideDangIt fifty times]]'', you'll find a roll of film. Develop it to get a photograph of Rebecca in a basketball uniform.

* OneCastMemberPerCover: The game has Leon's model on disc 1 while Claire's model is on disc 2., and the order you play the discs determines which routes you play. Playing disc 1 first plays Leon's A route and Claire's B route while playing disc 2 first plays Claire's A route and Leon's B route.

* RareGuns: Leon's [=VP70M=] is a very rare pistol in reality. Production stopped at around 3,000 units due to poor sales and practically every branch of the German military rejecting it, and by the time of the game's setting, it had been discontinued for just one year shy of a full decade.

* OneHitKill: Even after a full healing, first-form Birkin can instantly kill Leon or Claire with a charged-up one-hit power attack.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Sherry doesn't carry weapons when you play as her and she runs slower than the adult characters, but she makes up for it by having almost double the health of the main characters and lacking a limping animation if she's injured.

* BadassAndChildDuo: [[BikerBabe Claire Redfield]] and [[TheCutie Sherry Birkin]]. While not the [[GenderInvertedTrope typical gender]] or age layout, as the badass in question is a nineteen year old girl, they still fit the trope well.

* BikerBabe: Our introduction to Claire sees her riding a Harley into town. Her end result screen also shows her and Sherry riding a massive hog. Her alternate costume is even more evocative of this trope, with Claire being dressed like an outlaw biker from TheSeventies complete with the hippie headband and the denim jacket with flames printed on the sleeves.

* DyingDeclarationOfLove: In Leon's B scenario, [[spoiiler:after getting thrown into a console, Ada tells Leon she fell in love with him and [[LastKiss kisses]] him before succumbing to her injuries]]. [[spoiler:Subverted as it turns out she's NotQuiteDead]].

* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Ada seemingly suffers one, though she does return to give Leon the rocket launcher.]]

* EasyModeMockery / HardModePerks: Mildly; none of the content unlocked by completing the game with a good score (the Infinite Ammo weapons, Hunk & Tofu) or the Special Key to access the Extra Costumes is available on Easy Difficulty. In the case of the latter even the notification that it exists doesn't appear.

-->'''Leon:''' (in Leon B) Hey! It's up to us to take out Umbrella!
-->'''Claire:''' (in Claire B) Chris... I have to find you.

* ShapeshifterBaggage: Birkin abuses this.

* RuleOfCool: The shotgun upgrade is [[GunsDoNotWorkThatWay implausible, to put it mildly]][[note]]The Remington 1100 is not a pump-action shotgun, and it is theoretically possible to turn a pump-action Remington 870 into a semi-auto, but it would require ''very'' extensive gunsmithing and metalwork, not just snapping on a different forend. You could buy a small collection of quality semi-auto shotguns for what you'd pay a professional gunsmith to make such a conversion.[[/note]], but that doesn't stop the Custom M1100 from being one of the coolest damn weapons in the game.

* RuleOfCool: The shotgun upgrade is [[GunsDoNotWorkThatWay implausible, to put it mildly]][[note]]The Remington 1100 is not a pump-action shotgun, and it is theoretically possible to turn a pump-action Remington 870 into a semi-auto, but it would require ''very'' extensive gunsmithing and metalwork, not just snapping on a different forend[[/note]], but that doesn't stop the Custom M1100 from being one of the coolest damn weapons in the game.

* SecretFinalCampaign: Completing both scenarios (i.e. as both Leon and Claire) unlocks a mode [[spoiler:where you play as an Umbrella operative named HUNK. It's effectively a challenge mode where the player must complete a portion of the game with limited ammunition and healing items, and no save points.]]

** In the remake, Marvin instructs you to find the pieces of a puzzle that'll lead to an underground passage hidden beneath the main hall's statue, just like he does in the ''Desperate Times'' scenario of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak''.

* EverybodysDeadDave: Aside from Leon, Claire, Ada and Sherry, ''everybody'' in Raccoon City is dead. The small group of survivors met outside that quartet end up gruesomely dead as the game progresses. The remake upgrades this with a number of doomed police officers that Leon will meet just in time to watch them get killed, including one man he almost manages to pull to safety under a partially opened fire-door... only for zombies to rip his legs off from the other side in a gruesome tug of war.

* EyesDoNotBelongThere: One characteristic of the G-Virus is the eruption of tumor-like eyeballs all over the host's body. Birkin sprouts one on his shoulder in his first form, gains more from his third form on, and in the ''[=REmake=]'', Lisa Trevor, herself a host of the "Progenitor Virus", the precursor to G, has one on her back.