Fortunately for us, zombies are about as real as the Bogeyman or Bigfoot, so the likelihood of you being accosted by the brain-obsessed undead anytime soon is next to none. Despite their wholly fictitious origins, however, humans of a reanimated nature have steadfastly remained a horror icon for decades, their fear factor only diminishing in recent years. This year’s universally celebrated remake of Resident Evil 2, however, has somewhat reignited that spark.
Full credit goes to Capcom on that front, for its meticulous attention to detail in recreating Raccoon City from the ground up, and while zombies may be the stuff of legend, everything else contained within Resident Evil 2‘s narrative very much has a real-world counterpart. Were a viral outbreak on a citywide scale to occur, how would first responders handle the situation? Are museums commonly converted into police stations? Are Leon’s actions reflective of what an actual rookie cop would do at the onset of Armageddon?
So many questions, so few answers. Well until now, at least.
As part of a deep dive into the game’s universe, PCGamesN has taken to interviewing a bonafide cop and paramedic to once and for all separate fact from fiction. The verdict? Aside from the presence of undead, Capcom’s remake is often surprisingly accurate. According to Police Constable Jon Brown, old buildings being converted into police stations isn’t uncommon, especially when it comes to rural areas.
“They just look like big houses. They’re often adapted on the inside and can be confusing, with a lot of winding corridors that take you to places you aren’t sure where,” says Brown, also noting that the requirement of different keys to access different parts of a prescient is also commonplace.
As for Leon’s gung-ho attitude when first encountering the undead, however, Brown’s not so convinced. Pulling out a baton and attempting to diffuse the situation with non-lethal actions would be the first response, says Brown, though he gives a thumbs-up to Leon’s over-preparation for his first day by turning up armed to the teeth, as Brown reminisces.
“On my first day I had everything with me when I arrived too. You can actually get your shiny new kit from the head office before you start.”
There’s a wealth of further revelations to be found by hitting the link below, but just know this – dropping a heavyset mutant the size of Mr. X from a helicopter in mid-flight is a big no-no. No wonder the damn thing crashed into the side of a building, then.
Resident Evil 2 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, and you can see here for our own glowing review.