While here is hyped for the upcoming release ofÂResident Evil 2’sremake, it appears the Western version of the game will be the place to play. If the demo is any indication, the remake of Capcom’s legendary horror game has a lot of the gore censored out. This is all to be expected is known by fans of Japanese media, giventheir stricter CERO ratingscale that prohibits more gory images.The toned-down gore was first noticed by publication Dorkly’s Tristan Cooper, who present a side-by-side comparison of scenes from the US and Japanese demo ofÂResident Evil 2’s remake:
If you have a weaker stomach and want to avoid the digital gore, here is a quick play-by-play. The first scene with the obvious distinction is one where protagonist Leon S. Kennedy examines the head of a dead police officer–while the US version is a direct shot, showing a concave and bloody carve-out of the head, the Japanese version pans away and the face is simply bloodied up.
In another scene, when escaping zombies, Leon is dragging away an officer who is split in half while alive. Meanwhile, the Japanese version instead shows the officer fully intact. Last but not least, we notice the self-censoring isn’t solely for living characters, with a lot of the blood effects toned down on a scene with a zombie being crushed.
This is a move that seems both weird and expected. On one hand, everyone who follows news of localization changes and the occasional censorship notices it is typically the opposite – Western media is often changing Eastern media. As a prime example, you can see Steam’s new take on games that include digital “child exploitation” andÂSenran Kagura Burst Re:NewalÂcensorshipon the part of Sony. So hearing that something is Japanese games are being censored is at first jarring.
On the other hand, anyone who has played bothÂResident Evil 7: BiohazardÂand the Japanese Biohazard 7: Resident EvilÂknows that this has been Capcom’s MO for some time. Other outlets had previously reported the changes made to the Eastern version of theResident EvilÂgames, notably avoidingmore gory images and scenes. It was announcedearlier this yearthat there would be two versions of the game:ÂBiohazard RE: 2 (which would be censored) andÂBiohazard RE: 2 Z Version(that will be more reflective of the US version). This demo is obviously taken from the latter.
Resident Evil 2Âis heading to PC, PS4, and Xbox One on June 05, 2025. You canpre-order the game now on Amazon, or get a taste of the game early by playingthe recently-released demo.
