Resident Evil 2 Demo Guide: Tips On How To Make Your Short Time Count

We're only two weeks away from the release of Resident Evil 2's remake, and Capcom has released a demo for its upcoming reimagining of the classic survival horror sequel. However, there's a bit of a catch: Once you start up the game, you'll only have 30 in-game minutes to play. Once those minutes are up, your time with the RE2 demo will end.

Releasing on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, the One-Shot demo is a great way for players to get accustomed to the tense survival horror experience that RE2 offers. Playing as Leon S. Kennedy during the worst first day ever, you'll explore the overrun RPD Station to learn just what happened to Raccoon City and its residents. While there's plenty of zombies and puzzles to find in this small slice of the game, the greatest obstacle you'll face in this demo is time itself. With this in mind, we've come up with some tips, details, and points of interest to help you make those 30 minutes count.

After completing the demo for the first time, you'll be treated to a new trailer detailing what's to come in the final game. In addition to Leon's story, the other protagonist Claire Redfield will have her own narrative to dive into. In the trailer, we get to see the ever-mysterious Ada Wong face off against Annette Birkin and other threats in Raccoon City. Furthermore, we also get a peak at the post-game missions featuring fan-favorite Hunk, and the the ridiculous and too bizarre to hate Tofu--a sentient and walking hunk of coagulated soy armed with a knife.

The demo will be able from today till January 31. We've put together a handy explainer about the upcoming Resident Evil 2 remake, detailing all its changes and what to expect in the full game. With the release of the game fast approaching, be sure to check back with GameSpot for more updates on Resident Evil 2, along with our final review.

For starters, it's important to know that you can actually finish the demo. The 30 minutes are for total playtime, and not for the amount of time in one playthrough. So, potentially, you can clear through the demo multiple times. The playthrough will always finish once you return to the lobby after reaching the station's library on the third floor. You'll receive a radio message from Marvin Branagh, the surviving lieutenant of the RPD, and he'll ask you to return the lobby. Once you head back, you'll see another cutscene, and the demo will finish. So if you want to take your time and explore, make sure to avoid heading to the lobby once Marvin calls.

Just like in the original Resident Evil, you may get the urge to open the large front doors to escape the clutches of the ravenous undead. While the first game strongly discouraged you from doing so, the demo will totally let you explore the space outside. The rainy front courtyard of RPD Station also happens to be one of the demo's most visually stunning areas. At the front gates, you'll find several zombies attempting to break in. Though returning fans may be curious to see if they can find the famous Brad Vickers zombie from the original game, you won't be able to explore all of the space, as it is locked off in the demo. Though keep in mind, you can only exit the front doors prior to meeting Marvin. After that, the doors will be blocked off.

Throughout the demo, you'll see several cutscenes detailing Leon S. Kennedy's struggle for survival in the overrun RPD Police Station. While these offer up some chilling and incredibly gory moments, they also eat up a lot of time. If you don't want to waste any of your precious time with the demo, you can press Start during the cutscenes and skip them with the X or Square buttons (Xbox One or PS4 respectively).

Leon can upgrade to the shotgun by raiding the police station's armory. To get access to the storage in the armory, you can find the Weapons Locker Key in one of the rooms in the Licker hallway. Shortly afterward, you'll enter a space where a zombie is beating on a vending machine. To the left is the police armory, and inside towards the back is a storage locker where you can insert the key and acquire the shotgun and ammo. There are also numerous small lockers nearby that have ammo, spare knives, and gunpowder for you to use. To access them, use the broken keypad to the front of the aisle, that's missing the 2 and 3 input keys, and type the numbers on the corresponding lockers to open them. Unfortunately, access to the other lockers isn't possible in this demo.

As it goes with most survival horror games, you'll need to pick your battles--and since time is limited, this is especially true with the One-Shot demo. Though you'll get plenty of ammo and resources, sometimes it's best just to fire off a quick headshot with your pistol to stagger the zombie and run past them as they attempt to regain their footing. The zombies in RE2 are far more lethal and resilient than in past games, and it can be especially easy for them to overwhelm you when you least expect it.

Since this was supposed to be Leon's first day, his fellow officers planned a special celebration for him. Unfortunately, the viral outbreak had to go and ruin it. Still, you can find the welcome party in the station's office, located just across the hall from the armory. The signs and balloons are still up, and you can see that RPD planned to make Leon's first day on the job memorable--and they certainly succeeded in some form. Interestingly enough, the final game will offer up a special side-objective tied to this for Leon to complete, which is unfortunately not available in the demo. So be sure to head back to this area in the full release to take part in the minor event, but if you're confident in your time management it's worth having a peek at it during the demo too.