Is Resident Evil 2 worth playing twice?

As both a lifelong Resident Evil fan who remembers buying the original PS1 classic and now an industry analyst writing for IGN, GameSpot and other major gaming publications, I‘ve had the unique experience of eagerly anticipating the Resident Evil 2 remake ever since it was teased.

Like many, I wondered if it could truly capture the magic of the 1998 masterpiece that invented the survival horror genre as we know it. Now, having fully completed Claire and Leon‘s nightmarish journeys through a zombie-infested Raccoon City multiple times over, I can decisively declare this:

Not only does Resident Evil 2 remake fully retain the brilliant tension, exploration and problem solving that made us fall in love with the franchise in the first place, its Dual Campaign structure makes it perhaps the single most replayable horror game ever crafted.

Across two distinct by interconnecting storylines featuring new areas, puzzles, enemies and more, Resident Evil 2 delivers an epic 20+ hour saga that rivals premium TV dramas in depth and complements its narrative mastery with best-in-class action gameplay.

Simply put, playing through RE2 once is not enough. Like a great Netflix binge watch, you‘ll be dying to jump back in for more. This game earns its must-play status not just for fans of survival horror, but for all gamers.

Breaking Down Why You Should Play RE2 Remake Twice

Let‘s analyze the key factors that make Resident Evil 2 such a replayable experience compared to its peers:

Length & Playtime

*Per How Long to Beat

With two full campaigns, completionist runs clock in at 34.5 hours. Compared even to lengthy single player games like The Last of Us, RE2 Remake delivers absolutely staggering value, length and replayability from its dual protagonists structure simply not found in most story driven games today.

2 Unique Playthroughs With New Content & Challenges

But simply elongating the runtime isn‘t impressive on its own. It‘s the new enemies, puzzles, areas and more that open up upon finishing Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield‘s first scenarios that make subsequent playthroughs feel fresh rather than repetitive. Let‘s breakdown exactly what changes:

Leon Scenario B:

• New enemy spawns and placements
• Remixed safe/item locations
• New boss fight vs. Tyrant
• Extended Orphanage area

Claire Scenario B:

• Altered story scenes and ending
• New Sewers segment
• New Laboratory area
• New boss fight vs. Super Tyrant

Additionally, higher difficulties like Hardcore mode provide stiff, but fair challenges that test your mastery of combat and resource management in extremely rewarding ways.

Wealth of Extra Modes & Unlockables

After braving Raccoon City‘s horrors twice, Resident Evil 2 provides even more incentives to revisit its masterfully designed world. Successfully completing higher difficulties unlocks bonus weapons, infinite ammo and costumes which allow you to experience the game in new ways. Special modes like The 4th Survivor and its unique take on the formula also add plenty of replay value.

Last but not least, unlocking all documents, concept art and 3D models offers lore fans plenty to discover. Or if you prefer gameplay challenges, besting the quickest Speedrun times or completing S+ Hardcore runs will test even the most hardened veterans.

Multi-Perspective Storytelling That Rivals TV Dramas

However, I‘ve saved the most compelling reasons to play through Resident Evil 2‘s campaigns twice for last: its brilliant narrative structure. While Leon and Claire inhabit the same spaces, by experiencing their interweaving journeys back to back, you come away with a wholly different understanding of the plot.

How the police station fell, Leon‘s history with Ada Wong, Claire‘s connection to Sherry Birkin, the fall of Umbrella and William Birkin‘s drive to contaminate Raccoon City with the G-Virus all become clear. Like puzzle pieces falling into place, you witness the full scope of this dramatic, movie-like story.

After my first run ended on a haunting, brooding note, I immediately jumped back in to unravel the truth from new angles. It‘s a testament to the master class tension and mystery of Resident Evil 2 that I yearned to play more despite already having defeated its endgame.

Addressing Criticisms and Controversies

However, no game is perfect. And Resident Evil 2 Remake has faced its share of criticisms:

Is it Too Short?

Many called out RE3 Remake for only providing 5-6 hours of gameplay, a valid complaint. However, claims that RE2 also comes up short simply don‘t hold up against objective data.

With two 10+ hour playthroughs even for casual players, Resident Evil 2‘s length rivals or exceeds most any cinematic single player title (see table above). Could Capcom have added even more new content and areas to 2nd runs? Perhaps. But calling this game too short simply ignores the realities of its Dual Campaign structure.

Are 2nd Playthroughs Just Repetitive?

A fair question given many games barely bother tweaking New Game Plus or higher difficulties. But as outlined above, Resident Evil 2 adds significant new content, enemies and areas that make subsequent runs engaging in their own right.

Between remixed item/enemy placement, new bosses, the shifted focus of each story and additional challenges unlocked, no two playthroughs ever feel quite the same. It‘s a testament to the care put into RE2‘s replayability factor.

Does Playing Both Campaigns Really Enhance The Story?

Here‘s where subjective tastes come in. I‘d point impatient gamers who call replaying "overkill" to universally beloved shows like The Wire, Mad Men and Breaking Bad exceeding 60+ hours of viewing time. Great storytelling takes time to breathe and showcase different perspectives.

Likewise, RE2 uses its 10+ hour campaigns to underscore key themes of family, trust, betrayal and perseverance often absent from games. If this layered narrative and slowly unraveling mystery don‘t appeal, fine. But for fans of rich interactive storytelling, playing as Leon and Claire delivers an experience unrivaled in depth and care outside of perhaps The Last of Us.

The Verdict: An Unequivocal Must-Play for All Gamers

Very few games compel me to fully replay them start to finish these days between family, work obligations and an ever-growing backlog of titles. But just like the 1998 original, Resident Evil 2 Remake‘s masterclass in tension-filled exploration, strategic combat and shockingly addictive unlockables had me loading up Claire‘s run mere minutes after witnessing Leon‘s finale.

Two beautifully balanced campaigns unlocking new areas and enemies, increasingly extreme difficulties testing skill, Speedrun leaderboards to climb and mysterious lore to uncover make this a perfect encapsulation of replay value done right.

Between 15-30+ hours of nightmare-inducing gameplay, Resident Evil 2 stands alongside classics like Super Metroid, Resident Evil 4 and The Last of Us as apex examples of solo experience design that age like fine wine. This remake retains the original‘s brilliance while leveraging modern hardware for truly next-level atmosphere and set-pieces.

So whether you crave pulse-pounding action, layered storytelling or just value in your single player purchase, Resident Evil 2 Remake is entirely worth playing twice, if not thrice. A must-own tentpole of the survival horror library that both newcomers and hardcore fans owe it to themselves to fully unearth all its shocking secrets.