Resident Evil: Outbreak

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Resident Evil: Outbreak
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 1
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Composer(s)	Tetsuya Shibata Mitsuhiko Takano Kento Hasegawa Etsuko Yoneda
Aspect ratio	4:3 (SDTV)
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	JP December 11, 2003 NA March 31, 2004 EU September 17, 2004
Genre(s)	Survival Horror Third Person Shooter Science Fiction
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Mature PEGI: 16+
Media	DVD-ROM
Input methods	DualShock 2

Resident Evil Outbreak, known as Biohazard Outbreak (バイオハザード アウトブレイク^?) in Japan, is a single player game with online playability for the PlayStation 2 initially released in 2004. This game was the first in the Resident Evil series to feature online multiplayer support, although online support was not available for the PAL versions of the game. Outbreak was produced by Tsuyoshi Tanaka, and depicts a series of episodic storylines in Raccoon City set during the same general time period as Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Outbreak was followed by a standalone expansion entitled Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2.

Gameplay

Scenarios

The player chooses a scenario, difficulty level, and a character. The difficulty level is tied to what enemies and items the player encounters as they progress through the scenario. The game has five scenarios, each of which has an event checklist consisting of special actions that the player must perform to reach 100% completion. Upon doing so the player will unlock "Infinity Mode" in which all the player's weapons never break or run out of ammunition.

Each scenario also has "SP" items. These are invisible items hidden throughout the level, and are randomly generated on two paths. There are twenty scenario items for each scenario, and twenty items specific to each character hidden across the five scenarios. If acquired, these items unlock new costumes and the option to listen to their ad-libs.

Multiplayer

Players could connect to the internet servers using a broadband connection and a network adapter. Account registration and login was required. Once players connected and logged in, they could then choose between Free Mode and Scenario Mode. Free Mode took place in a lobby and allowed players to create their own games, scenarios, and difficulty level. Scenario Mode would choose the scenario and players automatically. When a player first started online, they would begin on the Outbreak scenario and progress from there. If the player wished to stop playing, they could save their data and start off from the scenario they were up to at the time. If the player had beaten a scenario, they acquired a star by their name.

On December 31, 2007, Capcom shut down the US servers for Outbreak.

Plot

The beginning of Outbreak is set a couple of days after the initial outbreak of the T-virus in Raccoon City, moments before the crisis erupts into complete chaos. The game starts with the eight characters at J's Bar, unaware of what is happening until a lone zombie wanders into the bar and attacks one of the employees named Will. After that the characters must make it through the city. The game ends in the final moments of the same incident, with the player attempting to escape Raccoon City before the US government launches a missile strike to eliminate the threat posed by the T-virus. The player controls one of eight characters, or numerous supporting characters who can be selected in their place. Gameplay events transpire across various regions of Raccoon City and span over a period of several days.

Development

Resident Evil Outbreak was originally known as Biohazard Online. Developer Capcom released various pieces of media under this name in 2002, including pictures featuring the eight main characters wandering around the Arklay Mountains and a trailer demonstrating the ad-lib system and character communication.^[1]

The title was later changed to Network Biohazard and information was given that the game was to include over twenty scenarios. The final title became Biohazard: Outbreak (Resident Evil: Outbreak outside Japan) with the number of scenarios reduced to five.

Reception

The game received above average reviews and sold 1.45 million copies.^[2]

Scores:

X-Play: 2/5

Famitsu: 36/40

GameSpot: 7.2/10

IGN: 7.6/10

Sources

External links

• Resident Evil: Outbreak at MobyGames
• Official UK site
• Capcom-Unity