esident Evil and its designer, Shinji Mikami, started the survival horror genre, and the franchise is still one of the best. Since the announcement of Outbreak more than two years ago, gamers have awaited this iteration with eager handguns. Touted as the Resident Evil multiplayer experience that everyone had dreamed of, the game allows bands of like-minded survival horror enthusiasts to hunt the mummies of Raccoon City to extinction.
Whereas other Resident Evil games have revolved around a central plot, Outbreak is episodic, with little plot and even less story tying the game's chapters together. Gamers will puzzle and blast their way through a bar, a research facility and an infested hospital as they try to rid right-thinking people of the heinous horde infesting their city, with little more than the common thread of survival to link the episodes.
Fought from the standard just-above-the-shoulder third-person view, Resident Evil: Outbreak may be played solo, with the person seated next to you on the couch, or with as many as three other people online. Unlike previous version of the famed franchise, Outbreak allows gamers to choose their persona from eight characters, each of which possesses unique attributes. For example, David the plumber can fix broken items; Alyssa the newspaper reporter can pick locks. Pretty cool stuff.
This time, real people can rescue you
Resident Evil fans who are more absorbed by the story and problem-solving than the straight-up monster-bashing may be a bit disappointed in Outbreak. But folks who just like blowing away zombies won't be, especially if they like blowing them away with their friends. Outbreak is certainly more action-oriented than the series' previous games, but that doesn't mean that it is any less fun.
The single-player game is mediocre. The lack of story holds it back, and the lack of your fellow monster-slayers' artificial intelligence is at times annoying, at other times downright crippling. Oh, your AI partners are smart enough to shoot zombies, but unfortunately they are not consistently smart enough to do much more.
Online, however, the game is more exciting than a vampire at a blood bank. Online, your partners are real people, and they make real decisions—sometimes pulling your bacon out of the fire, other times leaving unexpectedly to search for a critical piece of the puzzle. It's great fun, and provides a real sense of camaraderie and accomplishment when you finish a chapter. On the downside, Outbreak doesn't include Voice Over Internet Protocol, so there is no chatting with your teammates. Even worse, you are limited to a few in-game canned phrases, such as "yes," "no," etc. It can be frustrating, to say the least, but doesn't ruin what is otherwise a memorable online experience.
Resident Evil: Outbreak is a strong addition to the series. The game offers new characters and online play while remaining faithful to its monster-bashing, problem-solving roots. Resident Evil fans will enjoy it, and those new to the franchise could do worse than to start here.
Good, multiplayer, online fun.
— Mark
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