Resident Evil 2 (1998 game)/errors

Summary	Plot	Gameplay	Development	Marketing	Reception	Credits	Gallery	Translation errors	Further notes

Translation of Resident Evil 2 was handled by Takuya Shiraiwa; edited by Dan Okada, and overseen by Erik Suzuki. A number of alterations or errors were made during this process, of which this page will list.

File errata

Chief's diary

In the Sept 23 entry, the Japanese version has Chief Irons refer to Umbrella as "those guys at Umbrella" (アンブレラの奴等, Anburera no yatsura). However, as "yatsura" is an impolite form of address, Okada chose for him to more directly call them "imbeciles".

For the Sept 26 entry, Chief Irons' decision to kill the survivors was simply in response to them still being alive. In the localization, he describes a vague but ominous "change of heart" that led to his decision. The description of Edward's killing is slightly changed for the localization. Irons refers to him in the Japanese version as "that guy Edward" (エドワードの奴, edowādo no yakko), suggesting an unfamiliarity; this was made into "Ed". Furthermore, the localization inserts the descriptions that Edward died in a pool of his own blood, and Irons writing less than an hour after the killing. The final line was also altered. In the Japanese version, Irons directly states his intention towards the mayor's daughter by saying "I will definitely stuff that beautiful body in order to take a closer look" (あの美しい体はぜひ剥製にしてじっくり眺めたい。, Ano utsukushī karada wa zehi hakusei ni shite jikkuri nagametai). In the English version the line is instead "I'm going to enjoy my new trophy. Yes, frozen forever in the pose I choose to give her."

City pamphlet

The localization refers to the City Guide as "City Guide No. 12", suggesting that there are a number of guides like this.

Dario's Note

The file's name was changed from "Testament of the great novelist" to fit with "Dario's Memo", the Resident Evil 3: Nemesis version of the same file.

Film B

Ben Bertolucci is the photographer, though the name has been replaced with the original character, "R. Lambert", who only appears in this file.

Film D

Translated, the text should read "Expected new face". In the localization it reads "RECRUIT".

Mail to the chief

Birkin estimates a team of 2–3 to be in the city before admitting that he isn't sure. In the localization, Birkin simply admits not being sure, without attempting to count.

Mother Virus Report

This file, known in the Japanese version as "Research history on the Progenitor Virus" (始祖ウィルスについての研究経緯, Shiso wirusu ni tsuite no kenkyū ikisatsu), is instead titled "Mother Virus Report" in the English version. A similar translation of Progenitor Virus' kanji name occurred with Resident Evil CODE:Veronica, and in one instance in Resident Evil 0.

Dr. James Marcus, referred to in the localization as "J. Marcus", is described as being unenthused with research, and was eventually fired by Umbrella for his "erratic behaviour" (常軌を逸した行動, jōkiwoisshita kōdō). In the localization, he is simply said to have abused his power.

Operation report 1

In the 26 September entry, David describes in the localization how more people were killed than injured. In the Japanese version it just says there were many dead and injured after a zombie attack. In the localization version, David describes a new mission set on rescuing survivors and preventing the outbreak going beyond the city. In the Japanese version he is talking about specifically rescuing survivors in the building, alluding to them abandoning the police station entirely.

Rebecca's Report

Rebecca reports the MP vehicle was on fire, though the localization only reports the vehicle being found. Billy Coen is mistakenly referred to as an Ensign. This is due to the Naval rate of Ensign and the Marine rank of Second Lieutenant using the same Kanji, Shōi (少尉). The MP bodies' disappearance in the original script is theorized by Rebecca to be due to Zombificiation, while the localization merely says they're missing.

Rookie files

The localization added an additional hint to help players solve the first Valve Handle puzzle ("The water tank on the roof has ruptured in the past."), which was absent from the original script.

Secretary's diary A

The secretary estimates Chief Irons' art collection to be worth "millions, even tens of millions" (何百万、何千万も, Nan hyaku man, nan sen man mo). This was lowered to "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in the localization. When referring to the nude portrait, the secretary directly describes the individual as a woman, while the localization leaves the sex ambiguous. In the Japanese version of this file, there is also an extra page only containing the date. This was to suggest the secretary did not have the chance to write an entry.

Sewer manager fax

Angelica Margaret is a Chicago employee visiting to maintain research equipment. The localization suggests she is the sewer facility's permanent chief of maintenance, working at the sewer facility as its "Chief of Maintenance", ignoring that Umbrella USA's Chicago employees are also scheduled to visit.

Watchman's diary

In the original script, the file is actually named "George's Diary", alluding to George Scott being listed as watchman for September 28 on a whiteboard in the game. The localization replaced his name with his occupation. During localization, Thomas' place of work was changed from the "treatment plant" (処理場, shori-ba) to a "scrap yard" or a "disposal yard".

Cutscenes

Speaker	Localized line	Why was it wrong?
Brian Irons	"In case you haven't already figured it out, the monster that's been tearing my precinct apart is yet another product, of the G-Virus...the ultimate bio weapon!"	Chief Irons is supposed to be talking about a "G", William Birkin, running amok around the police station. However, the localizer added in the term "ultimate bio weapon", which is exclusive to the Tyrant.