Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Capcom’s spectacular, two-disc sequel to its groundbreaking 1996 survival horror hit is a massive triumph of mood. Bigger and better than its predecessor, sure, more explosive undoubtedly, but what makes it such an enduring horror classic is its precise and remarkable cultivation of atmosphere. The Raccoon City police station lobby, with its gloomy shadows and that statue fountain at its center, is that rare video game location that feels indelible, so powerfully absorbing that it’s almost as if I’ve actually been there. Put on the game’s safe room music and I feel transported back in time, electrified by the delicious tension between my temporary safety and the knowledge that I have to take a deep breath, calm myself, and head back out into its world of terrors. – Carolyn Petit
