'' ( for the PlayStation 2 initially released in 2003 . This game is the first in the '' Resident Evil '' series to feature online Multi-player support. However, online support was not available for Europe an and Australia n players.
The game is set in the timeline of '' Resident Evil 2 '' and '' 3 ''. The player controls one of eight Survivor s during a Viral Outbreak in Raccoon City . Although the game takes place in the same Resident Evil universe, some facts portray this game as semi-canonical.
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- - Kevin is a member of the Raccoon City Police Department . He has applied for membership in the S.T.A.R.S. unit twice, but both times he has been denied due to his slack and irresponsible nature. Kevin is also considered to be part of the R.P.D. Select Police Force unit. Kevin has his own M1911 pistol at the beginning of the game, and can increase Damage with the weapon by aiming before firing. His gun is slightly more powerful than the default Beretta 92FS , but uses custom ammunition, which is rather scarce in the game. Kevin can also kick enemies for a close-quarters attack.
- - Mark is a War Veteran who moved to Raccoon City after the Vietnam War . He later became a Security Guard . Like Kevin, Mark comes equipped with a gun, in this case a regular Handgun which can utilize the standard 9mm rounds that are found throughout Raccoon City ; furthermore, he is very handy with Melee weapons, and is able to ready his strike to cause more damage with them.
- - Yoko is a quiet reserved College Student with a mysterious past, seemingly linked to Umbrella Corporation . Yoko can hold double the number of possible items by utilizing her Backpack , and her capacity for Infection is the slowest of all the characters.
- - Alyssa is a Newspaper Reporter , who can pick locks by utilizing her Lockpick . She can also back step out of the way of attacks. By aiming for a longer amount of time, Alyssa can do more Damage with Handgun s. Some wonder if she isn´t in part responsible for some of the reporter memos and photos that are collected during Resident Evil 2 and 3.
- - Jim is a Subway Employee , who can avoid Zombie s by throwing himself onto the ground, playing dead (though viral infection speeds while playing dead). Jim is highly Superstitious , often flipping a Coin to see if his luck will change for the better. He can also determine the location of items in a room.
- - Bob is Mark's best friend and a fellow security guard. Bob was infected with the T-virus sometime before the situation in the city became uncontrollably chaotic. As a result of this, he is already on the verge of complete infection when the game first begins. The player is given the opportunity to assist Bob as the survivors attempt to escape J's Bar. If the player manages to assist Bob to the rooftop, he will explain that he can feel himself turning and that he can now only hope to die while he is still in control of his functions. Much to Mark's horror, Bob shoots himself in the head to ensure that he will not become a zombie. On the 'Very Hard' difficulty setting, Bob will be overcome by the T-Virus before he has the chance to prevent this from occuring. Assisting Bob to the rooftop may seem a futile effort, but doing so will result in the survivors receiving added firepower. After Bob's death, the player can pick up his Beretta 92FS . On the harder difficulties, this weapon is a valuable asset.
- - Will is the bartender at J's Bar. As he is carrying out his regular duties, a hunched and dirty figure enters the bar. Will confronts the figure, believing him to be drunk or injured, and receives a mortal wound to the jugular. Will throws his assailant from the bar and locks the door, collapsing to the floor seconds later. If the player attempts to assist Will when the scenario begins, the character will observe that Will is bleeding profusely and beyond assistance. When a group of zombies finally do break through the entrance, Will is so seriously incapacitated that he is unable to do anything more than watch in horror as the creatures slowly creep towards him. After Will is killed, he will return to life shortly afterwards and join the rest of the undead, pursuing the survivors through J's Bar.
- - Raymond is an R.P.D. officer that the survivors run into as they escape through the apartment building adjacent to J's Bar. A close friend of Kevin, Raymond is fearless and resourceful, he helps the survivors escape the dangerous street through an alley before he is killed by the pursuing zombies (or, on the 'Hard' difficulty, a giant infected insect called a Scissortail ). After Raymond's death, the player can then pick up his SPAS-12 , which is especially useful against the dangerous 'scissortail' opponents. Raymond was one of several officers largely responsible for evacuation operations throughout Raccoon City. His efforts were, for the most part, successful in the earlier hours of the outbreak, managing to have tens of dozens of citizens transferred to evacuation points before the situation collapsed into complete chaos.
- - Arthur is another R.P.D. officer charged with assisting in the evacuation of the public and the lockdown of the 'riot' zones throughout Raccoon City. When Raymond and Arthur are dispatched to handle the evacuation of downtown Raccoon City, where J's Bar is located, Arthur is killed by the zombies chasing down the terrified citizens that he is attempting to evacuate.
- Aaron is an R.P.D. officer who arrives on Main Street with a large contingent of fellow officers after the survivors destroy the area with explosives set up by several of his fallen comrades. Aaron manages to survive much of the incident, and ends up one of the last handful of survivors barricaded within the precinct alongside Marvin and Rita in ''''. He attempts to hold off the invading zombie hordes while the survivors search the precinct for puzzle pieces that will allow Rita to escape through a small vent system. Ultimately, he is overrun and killed by the zombies on the emergency stairwell before Rita can return with help.
- - Dorian is another R.P.D. officer assisting with the evacuation, and is in possession of a S.W.A.T. van to help facilitate this task. Dorian tries to relocate the survivors and several other citizens to a safer region, but is stopped by one of the many roadblocks set up throughout the area. After the destruction of Main Street, Dorian succeeds in accomplishing this goal when a large R.P.D. taskforce arrives to secure the area. Dorian's eventual fate is unknown, as it is never made clear whether or not he was killed or if he escaped Raccoon City before its destruction.
- , '''Eric''', and '''Harry''' - Elliot, Eric, and Harry are the three R.P.D. officers tasked with destroying Main Street (where hundreds of zombies have been halted by the emergency barricades set up to contain the most dangerous areas). After successfully placing the explosives at various locations throughout the crowd, Elliot and Harry attempted to cover Eric as he rigged the detonator switch for use. As the flood of zombies pushed forward, the barricades finally gave way and Elliot and Eric were overrun by the horde before the explosives could be detonated. Harry manages to retreat to the walkway, where he comes into contact with the survivors. The injured Harry asks the survivors to retrieve the detonator pieces and destroy Main Street, offering the player his '' to rescue the survivors from the overrun R.P.D. precinct in the ''Desperate Times'' scenario.
- - Monica is a researcher in the Umbrella Corporation 's underground laboratory located directly beneath Raccoon City. A cunning and treacherous individual, Monica murders one of her fellow researchers after he discovers her attempting to steal a G-Embryo from the laboratory, no doubt planning to sell the specimen to a rival competitor. It would appear that Monica and Yoko were colleagues at one time, as Monica recognises Yoko when she returns to the facility hoping to uncover clues to her identity. Seemingly harbouring resentful feelings towards Yoko, she threatens to kill her if she doesn't give Monica her Umbrella security card. Later, whilst attempting to escape the facility, Monica is attacked by an unidentified creature. Several theories have risen regarding the attack, most plausible of which is that Monica was attacked by the giant T-Virus infected moth inhabiting the facility, and is impregnated by the G-Embryo that she was attempting to steal, which manages to escape its containment capsule during the struggle. Another very possible theory is that Monica was attacked and impregnated by the mutated William Birkin , creator of the G-Virus and the facility's head-of-research. Regardless of the assailant's identity, Monica's body rejects assimilation with the G-Embryo, and the creature bursts from her torso, mutating into a much larger and stronger form and attacking Yoko and the other survivors as they attempt to escape the laboratory.
- - Hursh is a doctor at the ''Raccoon General Hospital'' and also one of George's closest colleagues. He is a good man who chose to stay at the hospital and treat the sick and wounded for as long as he was effectively able to so. The survivors encounter Dr. Hursh when they seek shelter inside, attempting to locate medical supplies. Dr. Hursh explains to the survivors that the hospital is no longer a safe place to stay and that they should escape as soon as he can find a way to repair the elevator. After successfully bringing the elevator back online, he is attacked by a creature appearing to be a giant cluster of leeches attached to legs. Dr. Hursh is dragged into the ceiling by the mass as the survivors try to comprehend what has just happened. It is later discovered by the survivors through research records and various memos that the Umbrella Corporation had been using a small laboratory in the basement of the hospital to conduct T-Virus research on living creatures, including leeches. Like many key personnel throughout Raccoon City, several of Raccoon General's doctors were on Umbrella's payroll and assisting with the research. When the outbreak began, the leeches, now with increased intelligence and a much more aggressive nature, were accidently released and managed to infest the body of a researcher, Dr. John Scott, to drain him of his blood. The leeches were then able to control the movement of the host body to pursue and hunt down other victims throughout the hospital. The leeches, operating together now as the 'Leech Man', used the ventilation system to hunt and attack doctors, nurses, and patients, each time draining the victim of his/her blood and utilising the body to hunt down its next victim. Eventually, Dr. Hursh becomes another victim of this leech entity, and his body is used to pursue the survivors throughout the hospital. The survivors finally manage to lure the 'Leech Man' into a laboratory with a controllable atmosphere using blood transfusion packs. Adjusting the rooms temperature, the 'Leech Man' is burned to death, exposing the lifeless corpse of Dr. Hursh beneath the mass of infected leeches.
- and '''Len''' - Two Raccoon Fire Department officers who are assisting the R.P.D. with the evacuation of the 'Apple Inn' and the surrounding area. As they scour the basement for survivors, the poorly maintained boiler explodes, killing them both. The survivors come across their corpses as Danny, another R.F.D. officer, attempts to re-establish contact with the pair via his tactical radio. Receiving the message to rendezvous in the lobby, the survivors must brave the danger of the collapsing building to escape the fire caused by the explosion. The player can choose to take Charlie and Len's identification tags to Danny, which will complete another task for 100% completion of the ''Hellfire'' scenario.
- and '''Gill''' - Two members of a group of firefighters beneath the exit overpass evacuating the wounded from the area. When the basement of the 'Apple Inn' explodes, Danny attempts to contact his friends, Charlie and Len, who were inside at the time. Danny rescues the survivors from the lobby of the 'Apple Inn' by destroying the jarred door blocking their escape route. Danny and Gill then return in the ''Decisions, Decisions'' scenario to evactuate the survivors from Raccoon University. Danny, Gill and the survivors escape in an R.F.D. helicopter moments before Raccoon City is wiped out when the US Government impliments 'Mission Code XX'.
- - Greg is an Umbrella researcher assigned to conduct various experiments using the Raccoon University as his base-of-operations. Greg creates a powerful creature similar in size and strength to the Tyrant model that he has named 'Thanatos'. When Umbrella begins to mass-produce the Tyrant B.O.W., Greg becomes furious with his employers doing so, believing that this would take away from the individuality and unique-ness of his subject. Like many Umbrella researchers, Greg views his creations as works of art, and not mass-produced weapons as the Umbrella Corporation intended. Greg becomes estranged from the company, refusing to help them in their endeavours. To further spite Umbrella, Greg helps a colleague at the university, Dr. Peter Jenkins, create a cure for the T-Virus , Umbrella's most prized viral-weapon. The Umbrella Corporation uses the outbreak in Raccoon City as the perfect cover to infiltrate Raccoon University, assassinate Greg, and recover a sample of DNA from Thanatos. However, Greg anticipates this action and releases Thanatos to eliminate the unit sent to carry out the mission. Thanatos wipes out the U.B.C.S. unit attempting to infiltrate the building, leaving only their cunning supervisor, Nicholai Ginovaef , to carry out the task alone. Greg seemingly harbours no real hostility towards the survivors, even attempting to enlist their assistance in helping Thanatos defeat Umbrella's forces. However, Nicholai assassinates Greg before any real details can be revealed. There is evidence that tied Greg to the experiments conducted at the abandoned hospital in the Arklay Mountains before its closure, with him being linked to the hospital's Administrator, Albert Lester. However, the degree of his involvement in said tests is unknown.
- - Peter has been a close friend of George Hamilton from a young age, both having attended the same schools as children. A researcher and lecturer at the prestigious Raccoon University, he assisted in the creation of '''Daylight''', a serum capable of purging the T-Virus from the body. Although Greg provided all of the ground-breaking details, Peter never questioned how this was possible, but eventually grew suspicious of Greg's vast wealth of knowledge on a virus that had seemingly only recently been discovered as a result of the outbreak. Peter leaves a note for George at the temporary shelter set up inside the R.P.D. precinct's basement parking garage. In his note, Peter reveals that he must speak with George as soon as possible and requests that he make his way towards Raccoon University as soon as he can. When George and the survivors arrive, Peter is found dead at his desk, with a note detailing the creation of the 'Daylight' serum, also stating in the same note that he was afraid for his life as a result of information he had acquired. Precisely how Peter died remains a mystery, although it seems likely that Peter uncovered the truth about Greg's past and was possibly planning to reveal this information to George and the survivors. It would seem likely that Greg murdered him.
- '''''. Nicholai makes an extended cameo appearance in ''Decisions, Decisions''. While on a mission to collect a blood sample from Thanatos, he successfully assassinates rogue Umbrella researcher, Greg Muller, although he fails to retrieve the blood sample. Nicholai then destroys Raccoon University using C4 to cover up any evidence of the Umbrella Corporation 's research. Unlike other non-playable characters, he cannot be used as a skin for any of the character models, since his only appearances were in FMV sequences. His appearance is one of several reasons why fans continue to debate the validity of the ''Resident Evil: Outbreak'' series to the canon storyline, as it would seem difficult that Nicholai could move so freely throughout Raccoon City with so many objectives and encounters.
(''Biohazard Outbreak'' in Japan ) was originally known as ''Resident Evil Online''. 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 .
The title was later changed to ''Resident Evil Network'' and information was given that the game included over twenty Scenario s. The title was changed again to ''Resident Evil Outbreak'' with reduction in the number of scenarios to five.
''Resident Evil Outbreak'' received low Rating s from various Website s and Gaming Magazine s for it's use of an ad-lib communication system. As opposed to using a USB Headset or Keyboard , players would use an ad-libbing system which consisted of ten key Phrase s and a button which shot out lines depending on the Situation (E.g. Announce the status of the player).
Several of these Phrase s include:
- ''Help''.
- ''Come On''
- ''Wait''.
- ''Yes''.
- ''No''.
- ''Thanks''.
- ''Go''.
The player can select Item s from their teammate's Inventor y and request it, or ask them to use it. While some people preferred this type of system, many Despise d it with people claiming the phrases would not cover enough during Gameplay .
The ad-libs themselves only covered the Basic s. (E.g. if a character was using a stronger weapon on a weaker Enemy , the player has no option telling the player ''Stop using it''. The player could only Shout various phrases such as ''No'' or ''Wait'' hoping the player would understand. The system was also criticized on how the ad-libs were integrated into the Control Scheme , with the player often removing their fingers from the controls to give these Command s.
can be played on either DVD or through a Hard Disk drive. DVD mode loads everything off the DVD-ROM and is the only way to play if a PS2 hard drive is not available. HDD mode installs around one gigabyte's worth of files onto the hard drive so that the game loads characters, items, textures and such off the Sony Hard Disc Drive while sounds are spooled from the DVD-ROM.
The DVD-ROM version takes a long time to load; the average loading screen is well over 12 seconds. This becomes a problem in the networking mode, where a player will go to save someone in another room, but end up stuck in a loading screen for a long period of time.
With HDD mode, the rooms load at an average rate of four seconds, making the game much faster.
The player can host both of these versions online, and switch between the two (if they own the HDD).
''Resident Evil: Outbreak'' presents the first time in the series that players have been given multiple Melee weapons, and even their own bodies (via kicks, shoves and punches), to use against enemies. However, many such weapons are very weak and still no match for a firearm of some kind, and should only be considered a last resort. Weapons and physical strikes can also be used to break down doors instead of opening them manually, although zombies have the capacity to do the same.
- First Aid Sprays heal the player to full health.
- Green Herbs are used to restore some health.
- Red Herbs combine with Green Herbs to heal 3 times more health than the green herb alone.
- Blue Herbs cure poison.
- Recovery pill are used to restore some health. They restore a little more health than Green Herbs.
- Antidotes cure poison.
- Hemostat pills cure bleeding.
- Anti-virus pills stop the T-Virus's growth for some time.
Note: All health items stop the T-Virus gauge from rising, the anti-virus pills just stop it for a longer period of time.
''Resident Evil Outbreak'' doesn't progress like standard ''Resident Evil'' titles. Instead of choosing a character and following a straight path, the player chooses a scenario, difficulty, and a character. The difficulty is strongly tied to what enemies and items the player sees as he or she progresses through the game. Each scenario has an event checklist which consists of special actions the player must perform to reach 100% completion. Upon doing so, the player will unlock Infinity Mode, where all weapons never break or run out of ammo.
Each scenario also has its own fair share of SP Items. These are invisible items hidden throughout the level. They are randomly generated on two paths - A and B. If the player finds them all, they receive special items for their gallery. There are twenty scenario items for each scenario, and twenty items specific for each and every character hidden across the five levels. They are hidden around the levels, and if acquired, unlock new costumes and the option to listen to their ad-libs.
The scenarios do not follow a basic format. They tend to swap places a lot. Many players think that the stages were chosen out of the original twenty from the beta version of Resident Evil Online. This helps explain why the story isn't linear. The game's sequel, File 2, includes levels which can be used to bridge the original five together.
The first scenario in the game, the player starts out in J's Bar, and must race against time and the flesh eating undead (or the Scissor Tails in the Very Hard mode) to join the police officers leading evacuated citizens out of the city. This scenario has two ways to be finished: the player can either destroy a street with a bomb, taking several hundred zombies with it, or escape via a van which follows a trail back down the alley. This scenario was copied and reused as "Training Grounds" in Resident Evil Outbreak File 2.
The player and companions explore the Umbrella lab from Resident Evil 2. Yoko is an important part of this chapter; thus she will always appear with the team regardless of which character(s) the player(s) choose from the start. If she is not directly controlled, Yoko will separate from the team early on, only to reappear later in the level as a zombie.
Seeking refuge in Raccoon City Hospital, the player(s) and companions desperately seek a way out while being constantly harassed by the "Leechman." At the end of the scenario, the player(s) face off against a queen leech after attempting to escape via boat down a sewer tunnel. The Raccoon City Hospital was originally seen in Resident Evil Nemesis.
Seeking refuge in the Apple Inn, the player(s) must battle fire, zombies, and a new, fearsome brand of Licker. There are two ways to finish this scenario. The player(s) can collect the dog-tags of two firefighters and give them to a friend of theirs. This alters a scene during the ending.
When George receives a message, the survivors head to Raccoon University, oblivious to the horror that awaits. The player(s) find documents which show that Peter, George's friend, was betrayed by the current head scientist on campus. The player(s) find Peter dead in his secret office, and depending on the difficulty, he may come back to life and attack the player(s). There are different ways to complete this scenario, depending on the actions taken during the last few minutes. The player, if he or she chooses to do so, may take a cure (called Daylight) for the T-Virus and use it on themselves. This cures them of the virus. However, if they take an extra Daylight, the ending is changed to that of a better one, where the player acts as if they plan to give the cure away for mass production. If the player does not cure his or herself, they end up transforming in the helicopter and the camera cuts just as they attack.
However, certain endings shows two characters (the player's and another character). There are two conditions: You must have a specific character in your team alive at the end of the scenario and you must not have taken the cure. The ending depicts them talking or watching the sky as Mission Code Double X (the destruction of the city using nukes) is carried out. Examples include Kevin realizing his impending doom while being annoyed by Jim's constant whinning, momments before discovering that the Tyrant whom them fought is still alive. Another example is a farewell plan elaborated by Mark and David to repair an abandoned tank and use it to crush as many zombies before dying in the "sanitation" of the city.
If the player wishes to do so, he or she can connect to the internet using a broadband connection and a network adapter. When he or she connects for the first time, they must register an account using the in-game web browser. This account is based on the SNAP system, and can be used on all Capcom online titles, which are (as of Feb. 4 2006) - Auto Modellista, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil Outbreak, Resident Evil Outbreak File 2.
Once the player connects and logs on, they can then choose between Free Mode and Scenario Mode. Free Mode takes place in a lobby and allows the player to create their own game, scenario, and difficulty. Scenario Mode chooses the scenario and players automatically. When the player first starts out, they begin on the Outbreak scenario and go off from there. If the player wishes to stop playing, they can save their data and start off from the scenario they were to play. If the player beats the scenarios, they acquire a star by their name.
The network portion is considered poor and low in quality. The game lags with just four players (as opposed to most shooters that run 16 without a problem). There is a full second pause when a player goes to pick up an item, leaving them open for attack. And because of the long loading times, if a player falls to the ground, it can be a while before they are saved.
Another point made by the Outbreak community is how the enemies lag. If an enemy lags and attacks the player, the player takes full damage. Meaning, if an enemy lags onto the player and hurts them, when the enemy resumes their actual position, there is a chance the player can be struck again. However, if the player attacks and lags, their damage doesn't count at all, leading to quick ammo loss and frustration.
- The Handgun Item (A Beretta M92F/S) is called the RPD's standard issue handgun. In Resident Evil 2, the RPD standard issue is either the HKVP70 or the Browning HP. Also, in the Resident Evil novelization City of the Dead, the RPD issue was changed from the Browning to the VP70. The VP70 doesn't appear in Outbreak, while the Browning HP makes an appearance in File #2.
- Resident Evil Outbreak was originally known as Resident Evil Online/Biohazard Online. In this state of the games name, there were to be over twenty levels with branching paths. However the ad-lib system was already in place and fully functional.
- On May 28th, friendly fire, an option which allowed players to shoot each other using fire-arms (or to hit each other with melee weapons) was activated on the servers in Network mode. During the night in which this option was activated, the total player count in the lobby was over 30 (compared to the relatively low count of 10 to 15).
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