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Resident Evil 2, known as Biohazard 2 in Japan, is a survival horror video game by Capcom originally released for the PlayStation in 1998.

The second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game and is set in Raccoon City, a Midwestern mountain community whose residents have been turned into zombies by the T-virus, a biological weapon developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella. In their escape from the city, the two protagonists Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield encounter other survivors and are confronted by William Birkin, the mutated creator of the even more powerful G-virus.

Previously confined to an old mansion, the Umbrella corporation's legacy of fatal mutations has spilled over into nearby Raccoon City. The once peaceful town is now overrun with zombies and all manner of genetic mutations. New police recruit Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield; the sister of STARS agent Chris Redfield, find themselves in the middle of an experiment gone horribly wrong. The sequel to Shinji Mikami's breakthrough title, Resident Evil 2 provides two intertwining adventures for players to embark on.

After completing the game with either Chris or Claire, players can restart the title as the other character in order to gain a different perspective of the mysterious goings on in Raccoon City. In addition, certain actions taken by the player on the first playthrough will affect the second game. For example, if Leon were to take an automatic weapon out of a particular locker, that weapon would not be there when Claire finally makes her way to the room. Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin are two members of the supporting cast, and whose paths the player will cross on multiple occasions.

Gameplay remains untouched from the first title, requiring players to destroy any undead creatures that get in their way; obtain items in order to solve puzzles; ink ribbons to save their game; and ultimately, to get to the bottom of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the hellish nightmare that Raccoon City has become. Weapons and ammunition are scattered throughout the city, but the number of items that can be carried at once is limited, requiring players to make use of item boxes spread around the environments.

The main addition to the gameplay is the "Zapping System": Each of the two playable characters is confronted with different puzzles and storylines in their respective scenario.After finishing the "A" scenario with one protagonist, a "B" scenario is unlocked in which the events are depicted from the other character's perspective. Actions taken during the first playthrough affect the second scenario, for example in the availability of certain items.

After each game, the player receives a ranking based on the total time taken to complete the scenario, and the number of saves and first aid sprays used. Depending on certain requirements, bonus weapons and costumes are unlocked as a reward.

Additional minigames are available in the form of "The 4th Survivor", "The To-fu Survivor" and "Extreme Battle", three standalone missions featuring an extended cast of characters.