Resident Evil: Outbreak

Overview

Resident Evil: Outbreak (known in Japan as Biohazard: Outbreak) is a survival horror game developed by Capcom Production Studio 1 and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 in Japan (on December 11, 2003), North America (on March 31, 2004), and Europe (on September 17, 2004).

A spin-off of the Resident Evil series set during the events of both Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, players control one of eight survivors of the T-Virus outbreak (each with their own special abilities) as they co-operate to survive the zombie-infested Raccoon City. While all versions support single-player (with A.I. companions), both the Japanese and North American versions of the game feature online multiplayer for up to four players.

A year later, Capcom made five additional scenarios and released them a year later as a sequel in the form of Resident Evil: Outbreak - File #2. The original game's servers were discontinued on December 31, 2007 (in North America) and June 30, 2011 (in Japan).

Gameplay

The game was played much like previous Resident Evil titles, but with a more dynamic character and a slightly more novice-friendly control scheme. Offline play was available, which usually added two specific AI partners to interact and assist your chosen character throughout each scenario. The online play allowed for play with three others, with each of the players choosing one of eight possible characters. Each player is subject to the virus meter throughout any of the scenarios. The virus meter measures the character's susceptibility to the rampant T-Virus that's overtaking the remaining Raccoon citizens, and continually rises as time goes on. While this does inhibit the exploration factor, it does ensure that all players are on track and all striving to complete each scenario in time. Healing items can effectively stall the meter for a short time, and as it culminated, players would be killed. Players who die are reanimated in the form of computer-controlled zombies which then attack the other players; watching yourself become a zombie is the game's equivalent of a 'game over'.

The foundation of the game is based on progressing through the five scenarios, one by one. Each scenario allows the players to investigate more of the T-Virus outbreak, and are all canonical to the overall mythos. Some environments and locations are taken expressly from the second and third games, with only passing references in other situations.

Much of the replayability of the game involved a mesh of altering the difficulty level and utilizing the Checklist system. The available difficulty levels in the game challenged players by limiting supplies drastically with each step up, and even changing the amount of weapons available. Experiencing certain events and satisfying certain conditions allowed players to complete each scenario's Checklist, which would eventually unlock "Infinity Mode"--a mode which allowed gameplay to run undeterred with unbreakable weapons and unlimited ammunition.

Online Play

The network mode of the game featured broadband-only access for up to four players taking on the undead. Some of the more obvious exclusions from online play was the lack of voice chat functionality and text chat in-game. Some believed the lack of these added a more engaging aspect to the game, while others claimed it was an obvious mistake to not include the features. It should be noted that text chat was still available in pre-game chat rooms and lobbies.

After creating an account and logging into the game, two options were available: Scenario Mode and Free Mode. Scenario Mode is considered a matchmade process, where the scenario and players are chosen at random and would begin at the first scenario of the game. Free Mode allowed players to join lobbies in order to organize players and play under their own specifications.

The North American online servers for the game ceased operation on December 31st, 2007.

Characters

The game featured eight characters, each with diverse capabilities and uses. Every character began with a unique starting item, as well as having special physical abilities.

Kevin Ryman

Age: 31

Height: 182 cm

Weight: 96 kg

Occupation: Raccoon City Police Officer

Personal Item: Special .45 Automatic Pistol

Special Abilities: Kick, Take Pot-Shots

Overview: The most well-rounded of the lot, Kevin begins with a powerful handgun and has more speed and agility than his companions. He is able to take a more-than-average amount of physical damage, making him the most flexible character.

Mark Wilkins

Age: 52

Height: 185 cm

Weight: 101 kg

Occupation: Security Guard

Personal Item: Mark's Custom Handgun

Special Abilities: Guard, Full Swing

Overview: A fifty-two year old Vietnam War veteran with an enduring spirit, Mark is the slowest character of the eight but is able to take more physical damage and deal it out more effectively than the others. As the most powerful character, Mark often finds himself fending off enemies as others regroup and assess the situation from supporting roles.

Cindy Lennox

Age: 24

Height: 175 cm

Weight: 64 kg

Occupation: Waitress

Personal Item: Herb Case

Special Abilities: Duck

Overview: Cindy is a waitress at J's Bar, which is where the first scenario--Outbreak--is set. The most actively evasive of the characters, Cindy is able to dodge attacks with her Duck ability as well as outrun them with her higher than average running speed. Her Herb Case allows her to act as a field medic to injured players, and support them in combat.

David King

Age: Unknown

Height: 185 cm

Weight: 92 kg

Occupation: Plumber

Personal Item: Tool Box

Special Abilities: Lug Wrench Throw, Continuous Knife Attack

Overview: A mysterious visage shrouds David King's presumably violent past. His skill with a knife is no coincidence, surely, and his ability to improvise item combinations via his tool box shows he is quite industrious.

George Hamilton

Age: 39

Height:179 cm

Weight: 79 kg

Occupation: Doctor

Personal Item: Medical Set

Special Abilities: Tackle

Overview: The top surgeon at Raccoon City Hospital, Dr. Hamilton is a kind person who is able to easily gain the trust of all he comes across. The Medical Set he keeps in tow allows him to easily mix different herbs for healing items that can be distributed to partner characters, making him essential for survival.

Alyssa Ashcroft

Age: 28

Height: 176 cm

Weight: 62 kg

Occupation: Raccoon Times Journalist

Personal Item: Lock Picking Kit

Special Abilities: Back Step, Take Pot-Shots

Overview: Always resourceful when it comes to collecting stories, Alyssa employs her journalistic traits with her in-game tactics. With her Lock Picking Kit, she is able to grant quick access to previous inaccessible areas in order to bypass certain passages and uncover supply depots. She has an offensive side as well, with her sharing the "Take Pot-Shots" ability with Kevin. Her defense is more oriented toward evasion than anything due to her ability to quickly back step from enemies.

Jim Chapman

Age: 24

Height: 176 cm

Weight: 70 kg

Occupation: Subway Attendant

Personal Item: Coin

Special Abilities: Playing Dead, Item Search

Overview: The overwhelming nature of an outbreak of the undead is too much for some to handle, and Jim is no exception. He is friendly enough but eager to express his fear through cursing the rising dead. Through his Playing Dead ability, he is able to cower in fear from enemies, even though it's at the cost of his infection meter.

Yoko Suzuki

Age: 20

Height: 160 cm

Weight: 58 kg

Occupation: Raccoon University Student

Personal Item: Backpack

Special Abilities: Escape

Overview: Yoko is adept with computers and puts this trait to use in due time. Her most enduring feature, though, is her ability to carry four extra items via her backpack. Should she find herself in a swarm of enemies, she can escape by quickly stepping away.

Scenarios

The game was comprised of five base scenarios, each fully fledged stories of their own. They all were composed of differing environments, some of which were new to the series and some of which had been featured in past installments.

Outbreak

The scene is set with all of the eight primary characters present at J's Bar in downtown Raccoon City. Suddenly, things go awry when the threat of the T-Virus epidemic becomes clear and patrons begin to feast on one another. It's up to the survivors to work together to escape the bar and find shelter.

Below Freezing Point

The group now finds themselves in the underground laboratory from the climax of Resident Evil 2. A mysterious woman by the name of Monica with a previous connection to Yoko is here ahead of the group. She steals Yoko's access card, forcing players to take an alternate route to escape from the laboratory.

The Hive

After seeking refuge at the hospital, everything seems to be fine--at first. A doctor by the name of Hursh Walks introduces himself to the survivors and offers his help, but still expressing his desire to leave. After attempting to activate the elevator, he is attacked and killed by a monstrous enemy the group never expected: The Leechman. Their only option is to proceed through the hospital and into the sewer...

Hellfire

Firemen are attempting to dowse a fire at a local hotel. The group has found their way in, but now must find their way out of the hotel, while avoiding the dreaded Lickers, and something even more horrible than they ever imagined; it seems the infection has spread far wider than they ever expected.

Decisions, Decisions

Everything comes to a head as the group finds their way to Raccoon City University, where they hope to learn the truth behind the virus. What has drawn them here is a letter from George's old comrade Peter Jenkins, who says he has "vital information" on the crisis that only he can understand. An old face from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis appears, and it seems their activities during that game were not quite as limited as it once seemed...