Game Review: Resident Evil 2 – Ghost Survivors DLC (Xbox One X)

The first batch of DLC for Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 2 is out now. Called Ghost Survivors, it focuses on the untold stories of Resident Evil 2. ‘What if’ scenarios surrounding three protagonists: Robert Kendo, the gun store owner, Racoon City mayor’s daughter Katherine Warren and an unnamed Umbrella soldier.

Hyper gauntlets emphasising action and intensity over horror, the DLC is completely free.

That alone makes it a must play for everyone who has already experienced the main game. You can read our review here and watch our video review below.

However, there’s more that makes Ghost Survivors a worthwhile play. For starters the hypothetical scenarios are interesting. How about the idea that Robert Kendo didn’t end his life after his daughter dies and instead tried to escape the city? Or that Katherine killed police chief Brian Irons and escaped to meet up with her secret lover? What if another special forces soldier was sent in to get the G-virus?

Choose your scenario and get ready for an intense time-attack as you get from A to B as fast as possible. All while fighting through hordes of zombies, mutants, traps and new enemy types.

Each scenario has a star-rating for difficulty and each will challenge in their own way. Easy these are not; your skills are going to be put to the test. You’re going to have to use strategy to ensure you have enough ammo and health items to survive.

You begin with a few weapons and ammo and will quickly find yourself running out. You have nowhere enough to take on the hordes that come at you constantly so running and dodging is key too.

To help you progress there are item dispensers where only one item can be taken so choose wisely. As well as zombies that wear backpacks filled with supplies. Although these are often in enemy filled areas meaning you might have to risk damage to get to the supplies.

Expect to die a few times until you learn the best way to tackle each scenario. It’s trial and error but exhilarating when you finally manage to push through to the end. Everything here is earned as you just don’t have the supplies to take down everything that comes your way.

The new enemies in each scenario force seasoned Resident Evil 2 players to think differently too. Robert Kendo has to deal with zombies that explode with poison gas. Katherine has to fight off ‘Pale Heads’ that regenerate unless taken out with powerful weapons and the special forces soldier will come up against armoured zombies.

These offer a little bit of variety to enemies and they certainly make things more challenging. However, it would have been nicer to see enemies from the original that didn’t make it into the remake pop up here.

A small complaint for free DLC that offers plenty more for players to sink their teeth into. Once you have mastered the three scenarios, a fourth one is then unlocked that will really test your skills. It’s uncomplicated and straight-forward, well worth a look for fans of the main game.