'Resident Evil 2' and the Lost Art of the Video Game Demo

'Resident Evil 2' and the Lost Art of the Video Game Demo

5 years ago
Anonymous $L9wC17otzH

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/nepaab/resident-evil-2-demo-and-the-lost-art-of-the-game-demo

The zombies were banging at the door, and it creaked inwards with every strike, like it was about to give in. This was my punishment for running from enemies instead of standing my ground. Now, I didn’t have a choice. They were about to come through that door, and I only had 12 rounds of ammo left. I squared up, and took my aim. They burst through, blood streaking their old clothes and greasy hair, and lurched towards me. Blam, blam, blam—and just like that, they were down. Three rounds left. I became suddenly aware I’d been holding my breath, and exhaled.

The 30-minute “one-shot demo” for the upcoming Resident Evil 2 remake, released on Friday, is a tight experience that doesn’t let up. It’s also a reminder that in the age of “early access” and months-long beta tests that seem to endlessly inch towards becoming something truly enjoyable, like an asymptote never touching its axis, there is something pure about the humble, old school demo.