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The Nightmare Returns: ‘Resident Evil 2’ Turns 20

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In case the recent coverage hasn’t clued you in, today marks 20 years since Resident Evil 2 lurched onto the PlayStation. And in a rare case of a sequel improving upon the original, RE2 surpassed the original game in almost every aspect. In fact, before Capcom reinvented the series with Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 2 was the highest-selling entry in the series (over six million copies on the PS1 alone). Of course, longtime fans of the series know that RE2 originally started out much differently.

Now before you jump on me and say that we’ve done this article before regarding Resident Evil 1.5 (which we have), consider this next bit an addendum. And who doesn’t love more Resident Evil 2 talk?

Fans probably know the story by now: After the success of Resident Evil, Capcom decided to immediately begin work on a sequel a month after the first game’s release in 1996. Director Hideki Kamiya and producer Shinji Mikami were back to helm the game, but soon found themselves at odds with what the sequel was going to be like. Mikami wanted to end the series at two games, whereas Kamiya was, well, Kamiya (anyone who follows his Twitter knows he’ll block users for asking repeat or “stupid” questions).

Around 80% of this version of RE2 was completed before a new writer came in, and the entire project was scrapped. Many of the assets and features had to also be scrapped. Among them, the feature of having visible damage appearing on your character from attacks (which would have been revolutionary at the time), as well as a much different layout of the RPD building. As a way of compensating fans, Capcom released an enhanced version of the original game called Resident Evil: Director’s Cut in September 1997, which was also initially bundled with a playable demo of RE2.

Once RE2 was released, it was a massive hit. Backed by a $5 million advertising campaign, upon its release, the game sold 380,000 copies and grossed US$19 million. It actually generated more revenue than all but one film that weekend (James Cameron’s Titanic), and broke sales records held by Final Fantasy VII and Super Mario 64. Subsequent re-releases and ports followed, including a DualShock version for the PS1 to take advantage of the then-new DualShock analog controllers.

Possibly the most unique feature of the game is the “Zapping System”, where depending on which scenario you play and complete first, unlocks the other character’s second scenario, in which the events of the game are depicted from the other character’s perspective. For example, if you complete Leon’s first scenario (Leon A) and save that data, you unlock Claire’s second scenario (Claire B). Items taken or left in either Claire A or Leon A will affect the other character’s B scenario.

One huge improvement over the original RE is the graphics. No longer do we have the same-looking zombies patrolling a mansion. We now have zombies of all sorts (including some naked ones), and the number of zombies onscreen was upped to seven. To offset the inevitable shock value of the zombies, fans were introduced to The Licker (in a memorable way to boot), which is still terrifying even now. Instead of the visible wounds feature, Claire and Leon were made to limp slowly upon receiving heavy damage.

Music was also boosted. No longer did we have the pithy MIDI sounds of the original. Now the soundtrack was helmed by Masami Ueda, Shusaku Uchiyama and Syun Nishigaki. The trio worked on conveying “desperation” as the underlying theme, and it definitely reflected it. If you have a chance, track down “Bio Hazard Orchestra Album”, which has notable tracks (including the save room music) being performed by the New Japan Philharmonic.

Of course, being that it’s the 20th anniversary, the talk of that announced remake back in 2015 remains high. Capcom has been teasing something over the past week, whether it’s just the 20th anniversary of Resident Evil 2, or it’s the impending reveal of the actual remake. No one’s said anything directly as of yet, but regardless, there’s something on the way.

Writer/Artist/Gamer from the Great White North. I try not to be boring.

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

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Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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