History ShoutOut / ResidentEvil2

* Leon's name itself is a reference to ''Film/LeonTheProfessional''. This is further driven home by the moniker of his signature sidearm, ''Matilda'' (named after the film's young female protagonist). The VP-70 was likely chosen as his weapon of choice as another reference to ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', where the same pistol serves as the USCM's sidearm.

* Birkin's forms seem very reminiscent of the mutating creature in ''Film/TheThing1982''. His final form is similar to the ''Film/TheBlob'', specifically the 80s remake.

* On the street where the B Scenario starts you can see a [=DeLorean=] DMC-12 crashed near one of the buildings, a clear reference to the ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' trilogy.

* Leon's "Lightning Hawk" gun is a shout-out to another Capcom game. A synonym of Lightning is, after all, Thunder, and you get Thunder Hawk....or [[VideoGame/StreetFighter T. Hawk for short]].

* Leon's name itself is a reference to ''Film/LeonTheProfessional''. This is further driven home by the moniker of his signature sidearm, ''Matilda'' (named after the film's young female protagonist).

** Claire's gun isn't the only one with an obtuse and punny name, as Ada's pistol is called the Broom Hc. This seemingly odd name for a gun makes sense when you realize that it's Mauser HSc, made by the same company that made the Mauser C96, a gun also known as "the Broom Handle", thanks to it's distinctive grip.
* In the remake, Chris's desk has a couple of [=CDs=] that can also be found in VideoGame/DeadRising.

* A locker nameplate can be found in the police station with "[=JoJo=]" written on it, a reference to the manga series ''Franchise/JojosBizarreAdventure''. This one is carried over from the original game.

* Birkin's forms seem very reminiscent of the mutating creature in ''Film/TheThing1982''.

* In the first floor, west wing, there's a hallway with boarded-up windows; at one point in the game, zombie arms will reach through the gaps in these boards and try to grab your player, a sequence inspired by the climatic zombie attack in [[Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968 the original Night of the Living Dead]]. It also doubles as a MythologyGag, since there was intended to be a sequence where the player has to navigate through a jail with the cells full of zombies reaching out through the bars in ''Resident Evil 1.5'' before it was cancelled.

* Leon's name itself is a reference to Film/LeonTheProfessional. This is further driven home by the moniker of his signature sidearm, ''Matilda''.

** A hallway in the jailhouse, lined with holding cells containing disturbingly long-armed zombies reaching out through the bars, was clearly inspired by a scene from ''Film/TheSerpentAndTheRainbow''. The final game does have a similar first floor hallway where zombies reach through the boarded-up windows.

* In the hallway outside the room where you get the bronze gear, one of the boards covering up a window has [[Literature/TheShining REDRUM]] written on it.

* The name of Leon's handgun in the Remake is "Matilda", a reference to ''Film/TheProfessional'', where the main characters are named Léon and Mathilda. It's also StealthPun, since Leon's partner, Ada, is a reference to ''Film/{{Nikita}}'', and Léon from ''The Professional'' was based off of the character Victor the Cleaner in ''Nikita'', both of whom were played by Creator/JeanReno, and both films were directed by Creator/LucBesson.

** Leon's starting handgun is also based on the H&K VP70M, which as its in-game description notes, was a commercial failure due to numerous factors, including a notoriously heavy trigger pull. Its primary claim to fame, and likely why it's in this game in the first place, is that it was the standard sidearm for the Marines in ''Aliens'' because it looked "futuristic."

* A locker nameplate can be found in the police station with "JoJo" written on it, a reference to the manga series ''Franchise/JojosBizarreAdventure''. This one is carried over from the original game.

** The prototype also had an ''Aliens'' shout-out when Leon says "That's just f***ing great" after being left behind by a fleeing police helicopter, quoting Pfc. Hudson after the evac dropship crashes.

* In the remake, when Sherry is being chased by Irons she locks a door to keep him out only for Irons to ax the door down in a clear reference to ''Film/TheShining''.
** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzQc8-pB7k4&feature=youtu.be&t=30s Heeere's Brian!]]''
* The game makes a reference to its original self with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jOgYNpbZFo&feature=youtu.be&t=4m43s this help wanted ad]].

* Sherry Birkin throwing the jar of acid at [[spoiler: Chief Irons]] to escape is very similar to what Fiona can do to Riccardo in the videogame ''Videogame/HauntingGround'', a lesser known Capcom survival horror game which shares certain elements with ''Resident Evil''. The acid also only burns the left side of [[spoiler: Irons']] face, making him look a bit like ComicBook/TwoFace.
* Leon's "Lightning Hawk" gun is a shoutout to another Capcom game. A synonym of Lightning is, after all, Thunder, and you get Thunder Hawk....or [[VideoGame/StreetFighter T. Hawk for short]].

* Try yelling "Smile, you son of a bitch!" as you dispatch the giant croc in the [[YourHeadASplode recommended fashion]]. Just feels ''right'' somehow, [[Film/{{Jaws}} don't it]]?

* Sherry Birkin throwing the jar of acid at [[spoiler: Chief Irons]] to escape is very similar to what Fiona can do to Riccardo in the videogame ''Videogame/HauntingGround'', a lesser known Capcom survival horror game which shares certain elements with Resident Evil.
** The acid also only burns the left side of [[spoiler: Irons']] face, making him look a bit like ComicBook/TwoFace.

* Sherry Birkin throwing the jar of acid at [[spoiler: Chief Irons]] to escape is very similar to what Fiona can do to Riccardo in the videogame [[Videogame/HauntingGround]], a lesser known Capcom survival horror game which shares certain elements with Resident Evil.