As with the beloved 1998 original, the Resident Evil 2 remake presents you with a key decision right off the bat: will you start as Leon or Claire? To the uninitiated, this might seem like an arbitrary selection, one that won’t make too much of a difference in the long run.

However, your choice will have a sizable impact on your experience. Although there is a decent amount of overlap between the two campaigns, they branch off in some major ways, featuring heavily altered puzzles, unique set-pieces, and separate character interactions.

In order get the “True” ending you will need to finish both of them, so you don’t have to worry too much about making the wrong decision. That being said, I thought it’d be fun to compare the two and rank them accordingly. To make this judgment, I’ll be looking at the four areas where they deviate the most: Story; Weapons; Boss Encounters; and Level Design.

Story

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Let’s not beat around the bush, the narrative is hardly Resident Evil’s strong suit. With the exception of RE:7. the writing quality in this franchise ranges from marginally self-aware (the fourth one), to endearingly-inept (the first one), to just plain awful (the sixth one). The original RE:2 fits snugly within the middle camp, thanks to its hokey plot and cheesy one-liners, and the remake admirably tries it’s hardest to elevate things.

It does this by taking the premise a bit more seriously, inflecting proceedings with a comparatively grounded tone and making the characters feel a tad more realistic. Emphasis on all the qualifiers in that sentence by the way. Because make no mistake, the story remains the weakest aspect of RE:2, even with the slicker execution.

Picking the best narrative is therefore rather difficult, as they’re both quite flawed, especially when it comes to developing relationships. For example, the hurried romance between Ada and Leon blossoms over the course of approximately 10 minutes, and in that period the pair only ever discuss plot machinations or deliver expository dialogue. They don’t really get to know each other or share any meaningful moments, yet we’re expected to care about them all the same. Likewise, Claire becomes unreasonably invested in Sherry’s welfare after a solitary meeting with the child.

Despite this, her plot is still the strongest because it has the tighter, more relatable focus, chronicling a straightforward and personal mission to reunite with a family member. It’s certainly more engaging than Leon’s far-fetched investigation into Umbrella, as it doesn’t get bogged down in all the silly espionage claptrap, jettisoning the out-of-place spy organizations and elaborate corporate intrigue. Maybe it’s just me, but I always felt like that juvenile nonsense detracted from the horror, so I’m glad whenever it’s downplayed.   

Additionally, Claire is so darn likable and easy-to-root-for too. She deals with her circumstances by deploying sardonic humor, displays genuine warmth towards Sherry, and frequently remarks on how disgusting everything is. In other words, she is portrayed as a believable human being, rather than a one-note action hero. Leon, on the other hand, has an aloof demeanor that makes him feel kind of detached and oddly bland.

Verdict: Claire is the more affable protagonist and her intimate narrative feels appropriate for this kind horror title.

Weapons

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 More so than any other criteria here, this one is subject to personal taste. After all, Leon’s firepower has a blunt quality that’s appealing for those who like close quarters combat, with the Shotgun, Magnum and Chemical Flamethrower all providing a high damage output. Meanwhile, Claire’s arsenal feels more tactical and precise. The submachine gun is ideal for dismembering zombies and the grenade launcher allows you to switch back-and-forth between acidic and incendiary rounds, in order to exploit the weaknesses of each opponent.

In the end, it all comes down to your individual playstyle. Do you like to tackle combat with caution and pick enemies off from a distance, or do you prefer to get up-close-and-personal with heavy artillery?

Speaking for myself, I felt like I got the most out of the SMG and became quite reliant upon it for clearing rooms. There’s just something incredibly satisfying about how accurately it cuts through undead limbs, making it an ammo-efficient tool that I sorely missed when playing as Leon. And whilst his weapons might ostensibly be more powerful, I honestly favored the grenade launcher anyway. It’s a dependable life-saver, especially when it comes to dispatching Lickers, as a single flame round can be enough to take them out of the picture.

So I guess I lean slightly towards Claire but, to reiterate, this is a divisive topic (I’ve even seen some fans assert that her weapons are next-to-useless). And you know what, that’s a good thing. It means that, no matter how you choose to play, Capcom has something to suit you.

Verdict: For the sake of argument, let’s call it a draw.

Bosses

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The deck is stacked against Claire in this round, as she only encounters different iterations of the exact same boss. Granted, each time she fights G he takes on a new form, but they’re all visually similar and the strategy never evolves past ‘’Shoot the big pulsating eye’’.

Leon on the other hand, has varied enemies to contend with. Sure, he goes toe-to-toe with Birkin on a few of occasions himself, but he also takes on a Giant Alligator and has a final showdown with Mr. X. The former is an enjoyable, Crash Bandicoot runner segment – which makes for a nice change of pace – whereas the latter is an electrifying climax that surpasses every other confrontation in the game.

The Tyrant has a sophisticated move-set, your arena is restricted and claustrophobic, and you’re trying to hit a super-speedy target under pressure. A tense and worthy conclusion to RE:2, finally getting to obliterate that dickhead is also very cathartic after everything he put you through.

Verdict: Leon not only has more boss fights than Claire, but they’re more diverse and memorable.

Environments

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This is the single biggest difference between the two campaigns and it’s where the gap in quality is most pronounced. After escaping from the RPD, each character goes down a diverging path, taking them to an exclusive location that their counterpart will never set foot in. Following this, they then reconvene in the sewers.

For Claire, this means embarking on a perilous journey through the streets of Racoon City – including some familiar spots from the PSone game- before taking an atmospheric tour of a shady orphanage. It’s one of the absolute highlights and features brand new material that wasn’t there in the 1998 version. There’s some creepy backstory to unpack, an intense stealth sequence, and a clever (albeit brief) escape room puzzle to solve. It’s top-notch stuff, showcasing a perfect blend of nostalgic callbacks and exciting original content.

That’s a high bar to meet. So, what does Mr. Kennedy have to offer then? Well, he gets an extended stay in the fucking Sewers of course!  Here the drabbest part of the game gets stretched out even longer and, to rub salt in the wound, you also have to play as Ada using that bloody EMF device. Yay!

Verdict: This one was a no-brainer: Claire. Even when you’re in the police station, she gets access to more striking rooms, like that taxidermy gallery.

Overall Winner: Speaking as a RE:4 fanatic who automatically selected Leon, I have to admit that Claire offers the superior playthrough. Her final boss fight might not be as climactic, but in most other respects she comes out on top. Having said that, each campaign is phenomenal and you really ought to experience them both.

Which was your favorite campaign in Resident Evil 2? Let us know below.