Resident Evil 2 (1998)
The classic PlayStation game, now playable directly in your browser via PS1 emulation. No downloads required!
💡 Tip: Click inside the game to capture keyboard. Connect a gamepad for authentic PS1 controls!
What Resident Evil 2 is
Capcom released Resident Evil 2 in 1998, and it is the game that turned a cult horror title into a franchise. You play either Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer arriving for his first shift, or Claire Redfield, searching Raccoon City for her missing brother. Both arrive on the same night, into the same collapsing city, and the game is built around the fact that their paths cross.
That crossing is the "zapping" system, and it is the reason this game has more depth than its runtime suggests. Finish one character's scenario and you unlock a second scenario for the other, running in parallel and reacting to what you already did. Items you took are gone. Doors you unlocked stay unlocked. Playing all four scenarios is the intended experience, not a bonus.
How it plays in your browser
This is the PlayStation release under emulation, with fixed camera angles and the tank controls of the era: you turn your character rather than steer them. It takes a few minutes to adjust if you have only played modern shooters, and it is a deliberate design choice - the camera is framing you, and the awkwardness is part of the tension.
Saving uses ink ribbons, a consumable you find in limited quantity. Combined with tight inventory space, this turns routine decisions into real ones: what you carry, what you leave in a storage box, and whether this is the moment to spend a ribbon.
Tips worth knowing
- You cannot outrun everything. Ammunition is finite, and running past a zombie is often the correct answer.
- Zombies that fall are not always dead. A body you did not confirm will get up behind you later.
- The storage boxes are shared - anything you put in one is available from any other, so there is no reason to hoard in your inventory.
- Start with Leon if this is your first playthrough. His scenario is the gentler introduction, and Claire B is the harder second run.
- Spend ink ribbons more freely than feels comfortable. Losing forty minutes to a save you did not make costs more than the ribbon did.
Frequently asked questions
Is Resident Evil 2 too scary to play at school?
It is a horror game with graphic violence, and it was rated Mature on release. It is not a good choice for a shared screen in a classroom.
How long does Resident Evil 2 take to finish?
A single scenario runs roughly two to three hours on a first playthrough. All four scenarios, which is the complete story, takes closer to ten.
Is this the 1998 original or the 2019 remake?
This is the 1998 PlayStation original, with the fixed camera angles and tank controls of that release.
Does it save between sessions?
Yes, through the emulator, as long as you return in the same browser on the same device. In-game saving still costs an ink ribbon.
More games like this
our Resident Evil 2 guide, DOOM, Metal Slug X. You can also browse the full games library or read the guides on the blog.