I know there are rumors about how B scenarios weren't originally planned and were perhaps scrapped together towards the end of development, but it's still really disappointing how they are almost identical. What's even more disappointing is how some scenes are exclusive to the A scenarios, so playing through both doesn't actually show you everything. You effectively have to play through the game 4 times to see all the cutscenes. You could say this is faithful to the original in that way, but it's definitely a case where they could have surpassed the original in design, by having the B campaign be completely unique, albiet shorter and sweeter.

Then there is the weird handgun issue, which both B scenarios have. They introduce a new ammo types for new handguns that, while seemingly have slightly higher damage output, aren't much different and on top of that, gunpowder does not make the new ammo type. So while you technically can use gunpowder to craft more handgun ammo, it will be ammo for the old 9mm, which is worse than the new one(s). It creates this weird scenario where you never want to use gunpowder to craft one of the three different combinations, and you have to rely solely on .45AE pick-ups, which you cannot craft.

The other problem is continuity. Why do you fight all the same bosses? Scenario A happens first in the timeline, and you killed them all the first time through. Why are all the puzzles reset? Why are all the doors locked? It's like scenario A never actually happened. They could've really had something here, where what you do in scenario A directly effects scenario B. Maybe you pick up some ammo or board a window, and in scenario B the ammo isn't there anymore, and zombies can't get through the boarded window. Maybe something breaks and now isn't usable for the second character, so you have to figure out a whole new way to solve a problem.

I just find the whole thing really disappointing. I was coming off of my first playthrough hot, having never played the original RE2 and absolutely loving this remake to death. Only to be soured by my slow realization that the B scenario is not actually new content, just remixed content of all the things I just did. Again, I know there is a good chance a B scenario wasn't even originally planned, and maybe it was something cobbled together last minute, but it really makes me wonder what could have been.

The B scenario is my only real complaint with this game. The A and B scenarios are mutually exclusive - I would much rather have seen the game delayed in service of an entirely separate scenario that intertwines with the first one better, instead of four different slightly different scenarios that all happened in some form because of events in later games, but not exactly as shown because they didn't have the budget or time or whatever to do Claire's story correctly.

...but also, I had a lot of fun playing through the same content a second time, which speaks to how well made the product we got is.

I never played the original RE2, but am almost done with Leon B and having fun with it. It's definitely more of a new game plus mode than a second half of the story, though, and I'll agree that having 7 gunpowders in my item box and not wanting to use them feels super weird.

With all the free/paid dlc support coming in, there's a (small) chance that maybe they flesh out 2nd runs more in the future, but honestly I'd be okay with the game as it is, cause it turns out the game's good enough to be worth replaying anyways.

In a perfect world they would've figured out a way to combine RE2 and RE3 into one cohesive story given they happen around the same time. That or expanded on Claire's scenario a bit more allowing them to flesh out Ada's without it being buried away in one of the fringe installments of the series. Ada and Wesker need a game of their own.

Yeah I was really disappointed by the 2nd run. If I had known it was going to be what it was, I would've just done my first playthrough as Claire instead of Leon and called it there.

It's not too much different than the original's scenarios other than the fact there were four of them that were slightly different instead of two. Though I could understand wanting improvement from the past, technically it's holding true to the original. Would have been cool to have a completely different run though.

I was definitely a bit disappointed when I started doing many of the same exact things in the A run, but I still think it was a worthy addition and I am glad I played thru it.

Yep, literally the only meh thing about the game. I wish they made sense story wise but they just don't.

I've played both full runs of the game and I can confirm the only thing you gain from doing reverse scenarios after beating your original A and B is that you get new dialogue with Marvin from the character you chose

And what you gain from a full A/B run is a unique little area at the beginning, a new handgun ammo type, and a bonus boss battle and ending. In other words, if you want to see all the scenes, just do an A/B run and then a reverse A run

I was honestly a little surprised that the Tyrant (I refuse to call him Mr. X, lol) shows up in the A route in this game; that was basically the whole hook of the B route in the original game. I can definitely see how the B route feels a little hollow in this game as a result.

Never played the original, but I feel exactly the same way. I started B yesterday, and was not expecting it to feel so shallow.

I was pretty hyped at the start of the B point but fell off hard after clearing the police station.