Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition

The premise

In September 1998, a virus turns the people of Raccoon City into zombies. Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie cop on his first day, and Claire Redfield, a student looking for her brother Chris, are trapped in the city. You play their two over-the-shoulder campaigns, mostly in the police station (the RPD), then in the sewers and Umbrella’s labs. You manage ammo, solve puzzles and flee Mr. X, a trench-coated monster who stalks you through the corridors. Pure Nintendo notes he now reacts to footsteps and gunshots instead of appearing at set points. Each character has two scenarios (A and B), which encourages replaying the story.

A highly praised remake

All four reviews praise a faithful remake that modernises the 1998 game. Nintendo Life ranks it among the series’ best and calls it a “must-play”. TechRadar calls it a survival horror masterpiece. Nintendo Life’s only regret is the shortened intro on the way to the police station. Alongside the campaigns you get The 4th Survivor, Ghost Survivors and The Tofu Survivors modes.

What the Deluxe Edition includes

According to the eShop, the Switch 2 version includes the game, seven costumes for Leon and Claire (including the PlayStation-inspired “98” outfits), three Samurai Edge handguns and the original soundtrack. On Steam, PlayStation and Xbox, the Deluxe Edition contains the Extra DLC Pack (five costumes, one Samurai Edge and the original soundtrack). TechRadar points out there is no new content for those who already own these extras elsewhere.

The Switch 2 version

This is where this version shines. Nintendo Life finds it at least as good-looking as the 2019 PS4 version, without the PS5’s ray tracing, with a 60fps target hit almost all the time. TechRadar and Switchaboo also report stable performance, docked and handheld. Flaws are minor: fuzzy hair, more visible in handheld (Nintendo Life, Switchaboo), and choppy animation on distant enemies (TechRadar). Unlike Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition, there is no gyro aiming or mouse control, which Nintendo Life, Switchaboo and TechRadar regret.

Price and platforms

As of 11 November 2026, Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition costs €39.99 on the Nintendo eShop (Switch 2). The Deluxe Edition costs €49.99 on Steam, the French PlayStation Store (PS4 and PS5 version) and the French Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC). The base game alone (€39.99 on those stores) and separately sold add-ons are not listed here. The Switch 2 boxed version, announced for 29 January 2027, and resellers were not checked.

Who is it for?

Horror fans who want to play one of the best Resident Evil games on the go: all four reviews consider this port a great success. Those who already own it elsewhere will find nothing new, and players hoping for gyro aiming will be disappointed.