Resident Evil 2 releases on Friday, January 25, on PC and consoles, and we think it’s a terrific horror game for longtime fans and franchise newcomers. What you get at launch, however, won’t be the entire game, as Capcom is planning to release a free DLC mode for all players.
Announced in a developer livestream event and detailed on the forum ResetEra, the free mode The Ghost Survivors will be available as a free post-launch update, though it does not have a final date yet. The mode will let you play as multiple characters, and it will feature an in-game shop and randomized elements. The mode will be made available as “volumes,” with the first of three featuring Robert Kendo, Katherine, and a USS member as playable characters. Kendo is featured near the midsection of the Resident Evil 2 story in one of its most emotional scenes.
Capcom is no stranger to offering free DLC for the Resident Evil series. Its Not a Hero expansion for Resident Evil 7 was free for everyone and allowed them to play as longtime series staple Chris Redfield. It was a nice bonus after playing the main game, which featured an entirely new cast of characters seemingly not related to the rest of the franchise in any way.
Resident Evil 2 also includes an extra mode you can begin after completing the game and it’s a variant on a mode from the 1998 game. The 4th Survivor puts you in the boots of an Umbrella employee blasting their way through the most dangerous areas of the campaign, and stands in stark contrast to the resource-focused gameplay of the rest of the game. It’s the perfect way to blow off some steam once you see the final credits roll — if you don’t want to immediately start playing the whole thing again.
Resident Evil 2 will be available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. If you pre-order the game, you will have access to weapons based on Redfield and Jill Valentine’s pistols from the first game, and the Deluxe Edition also includes a special Albert Wesker pistol and several alternate costumes for Leon and Claire.
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