critical acclaim upon release. Its original PlayStation release holds an average aggregate score of 93% at GameRankings based on 25 reviews, and 89 out of 100 points at Metacritic for both the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 versions based on 13 reviews. The majority of reviews praised Resident Evil 2 for its atmosphere, setting, graphics, audio, and overall gameplay, but criticized its controls, voice acting, and certain gameplay elements. Computer and Video Games magazine's Steve Key and Alex Huhtahla praised the gameplay, puzzles, horror, graphics, audio, and the scenario system's replay factor. Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine's four reviewers agreed it was better than the original game, and said almost everything about the sequel is "flawless", including the gameplay, graphics, layout, level of detail, sound, frightful atmosphere, suspenseful story, and scenario system. They criticized the controls and menu system, but said the controls were an improvement over the original. The game tied with the PlayStation version of Point Blank for their "Game of the Month". GameFan magazine's three reviewers praised the gameplay, tension, environments, graphics, voice acting, and scenario system. Game Informer magazine's three reviewers praised the concept, graphics, sound, playability, and entertainment. PSM magazine praised the puzzles, monsters, and weapons. Next Generation called it "the must-own title of the year", saying it made leaps over the original game in terms of longevity and graphics while retaining the original's core appeal. IGN's Ricardo Sanchez said that the game's atmosphere was "dead on", and that "[the] graphics, sound effects, music, and level design all work together to create a spooky, horror-filled world". Ryan Mac Donald of GameSpot shared the opinion, and found the game to be "like a product out of Hollywood". He said that it was "more an interactive, cinematic experience than a video game". Writing for ComputerAndVideoGames.com, Paul Mallinson considered the atmosphere, story, and film-like presentation its most outstanding features, and though he found its plot to be "far-fetched", he said it was "kept down to earth by clever scripting and gritty storytelling". GamePro staff writer Mike Weigand called the narrative "engrossing and dramatic", and the dialogue "well-written" and "spell-binding". IGN's Sanchez, GameSpy's Brian Davis, and Eurogamer's Martin Taylor praised the "Zapping System" for adding to the story and increasing the replay value. Mac Donald said that the idea of actions in the first scenario affecting the second was "cool in concept", but underused. Resident Evil 2 was also praised for