Making full use of the broadband adapter (sorry dial-up users), Resident Evil Outbreak goes online and puts you and up to three other people in different survival scenarios. You and your teammates will have to work together in order to survive the hordes of zombies that plague the infested Raccoon City. In Resident Evil Outbreak, the team that fights together lives together.

The good thing about Outbreak is that it keeps the same controls and gameplay of past RE titles. Kill or be killed is the name of the game. Fans will be able to jump right into a game and, for the most part, figure out the controls. This time around however, there are eight characters to choose from, each bringing something different to the table. Every character has his/her story to share as well as abilities. Some might be handy with a gun while others are good with herbs. There is even someone who is the “master of unlocking”, and no it’s not Jill Valentine (no Jill sandwiches this time around). Getting used to the different characters and deciding which one you like best is part of Outbreak’s enjoyment.

Before I hop right to the online play I should quickly chat about the single player mode.
After all, there might be some die-hard RE fans that aren’t blessed with a broadband connection. Unfortunately those folks out there will be missing a big part of the enjoyment. Outbreak is a game that was made to be played online for one reason alone; cooperation amongst comrades. During the single player mode you’ll have the displeasure of having three AI controlled characters follow you around. And that’s pretty much all they do. They’ll pick up items, shoot stuff occasionally, and go out of their way to try and NOT be useful. If you want an item to be used you’ll have to do it yourself and any items that you want you’ll have to ask for. Basically the AI is a glorified item bag. Sometimes they would get lost, while other times they wouldn’t stop talking. Apparently you can strike up some type of Ad-lib conversation with the characters but I have yet to see anything useful become from it. The single player pales in comparison from online play and those without a broadband adapter might want to stay clear from this one. It’s a shame to, because the online play can be a real blast.

It’s kind of funny when I think about the first time I heard that Outbreak was going online. I wasn’t too happy about the news. I mean honestly, what I loved so much about RE was being alone. It’s what made the game so damn scary to play. I figured that adding more people to the equation would drastically change the feel and end up being more of a shoot-em-up instead of what we’ve come to know. Playing online did confirm some of my suspicions as Outbreak is the least frightening RE title I’ve played. The simple fact is that you’re not putting the full weight of death on your shoulders. With three other people around, you tend to get less alarmed when you see a zombie. That isn’t to say Outbreak is without any shivers. There are times when the group splits up and you’re left alone to fend for yourself. The quiet hallways, the tip-tap of your shoes, the moans in the distance; these things can make your heart race just a bit faster than normal. After dodging a few zombies and finally catching up with the team you’ll feel relieved and pretty damn happy to see some familiar faces. This is what makes Outbreak so much fun to play; the cooperation between teammates and how each person in the group supports one another. This is no longer a solo mission. You have friends to depend on and they depend on you. You’ll have share items, herbs, guns, bullets, and even information. There are even times when you’ll rely on a teammate to pick you up off the ground and carry you to safety. Acts of courage and heroism are often seen while playing Outbreak and how fun the game is depends heavily on the team you’re with. There are times when you’ll get stuck with a bunch of morons; and we all know that isn’t much fun at all. The team doesn’t stay together, someone hogs all the weapons, people die instantly; game over. Especially since Outbreak is still new, there are a lot of instances in which this happened. In fact, it was only up until a day or two ago when I started to find some better teams. People knew how to communicate (even though it’s kind of tough), everyone stuck together, items were shared, and lives were saved. I began to enjoy Outbreak more and more. Before writing this review I was with two other people for over a hour an a half (each scenario can take thirty minutes to an hour) searching throughout a hotel. It was probably the most fun I had in Outbreak yet, and it’s what will make me go back for more.

Teamwork people! I can’t stress it enough. It is the factor that will make or break a good time. Luckily for me I’ve had my fair share in the different scenarios. I’ve been to a laboratory, hotel, hospital, and all sorts of places between the timeline of RE 1-3. While the scare and puzzle solving of past RE’s might not be as high, the feel of action and suspense still manages to creep up once in awhile. Find a good team and you’ll capture the true mood of survival horror.

While this might not be Resident Evil 0 or the remake of the original, Outbreak is just a smidgen below and still looks damn good on the PS2. Capcom serves up some of the finest CG videos I’ve seen and the zombies are as grotesque as ever. I particularly like the blood splattering effect of shooting a zombie and watching the blood hit the wall.

The environments are trashed with debris, fire, blood and some nifty effects like flames, smoke, and cold air. One of the cooler places to wander around is a burning hotel which is covered in smoke, ash, and fire. It’s so good looking you’ll swear you’ll need an oxygen mask while playing. Even the characters are done well. While the somewhat pixilated uniforms are noticeable, the structure of the face design makes up for it.

Outbreak serves up a nice dish of eye candy for its viewers and should be appreciated. As I said before, it might not be as highly detailed as the GameCube versions, it’s definitely not slop. Capcom had to keep the detail lower for the simple fact of load times (not everyone is buying a PS2 hard drive). In fact the only real problem I saw was the lack of head popping zombie deaths and a tone down in gore. Zombies disappear quickly after death which is a big disappointment but also useful to keep lag at a low.

Zombies moans, suspenseful music, bullet shells hitting the floor; what we love is still here. Eight years of scaring the hell out of me and Capcom still manages to make my ears happy. It’s good enough that it makes me want to start doing my zombie impersonations all over again. While the game really could have benefited from Dolby Surround Sound, it still sounds awesome on two speakers. The heart beat during loading times is enough to make you quiver and if that wasn’t enough, you’ll be able to your teammates’ footsteps and gun shots from rooms above and around you. The sounds of footsteps and firearms are crisp, clean, and accurate. While some of the sounds in Outbreak seem reused, that can only be because they are so damn good. I still get chills when listening to a zombie moan.

The music is still top notch, spine-chilling, and suspenseful. The use of subtle instruments combined with powerful ones like a Piano really pushes your adrenaline. Again it might seem like the same old theme from earlier games but it still gets the job done. Everything that I loved about the sound in the previous titles is still here in Outbreak.

The only problem I saw (or heard) was the repetitiveness of commands from the characters. It can’t really be helped but after thirty minutes of playing and listening to someone say “Help me” or “Go!” I got a little annoyed. It’s a shame Capcom didn’t add more, or maybe just offer voice support to end the commands all together.

As mention before Outbreak keeps the same interface as past RE games. The item select screen and map are just some things that will look familiar. For those who’ve played before, there isn’t much to tell. And if you haven’t, what rock have you been living under?

Capcom has also done a good job of incorporating the online interface. Upon selecting a network game you’ll be transported to a chat room with other Outbreak junkies. You’ll have multiple areas to go into and create or select a game. There’s even some eerie music in the background while you await incoming players. Everything from the opening title screen to joining a game seeps with RE atmosphere.

Though Outbreak might not be the Resident Evil title people were expecting (wait for Resident Evil 4), it offers up an innovative surprise for the fan base. Yes the single player is definitely lacking but that shouldn’t stop you from grabbing a network adapter and ordering a broadband connection. And yes, there are times when Outbreak seems more like a hamper than fun but sooner or later you’ll find the right people. Being totally dependant on teamwork is Outbreaks double bladed sword. Like all online games, it depends on the people. When it’s done right, Outbreak is a fresh breathe of air in one of the best series ever created.