DefMATRIXense
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2003
- Messages
- 1,718
- Reaction score
- 0
May 12, 2003 - Despite the abundance of high-profile titles announced at today's Capcom's E3 Producer Day, one game above all others created a buzz we hadn't seen since, well, since last year when Sony showed it the first. The title, if you hadn't guessed by now, is Resident Evil Outbreak; and if the final product is anything close to what producer Tsuyoshi Tanaka had to show us, SOCOM 2 will have some serious competition in the online arena.
Formerly known as Network Biohazard and Resident Evil Online, Outbreak has been renamed because of Capcom's decision to add an offline mode to the previously conceived online-only design. Broken into five expansive missions, the offline aspect will allow players to experience a slightly different type of adventure from that which connects you with four buddies -- though the details of how the games will be different is still being sorted out.
One aspect of the game we should mention from the outset is how well done the character models and backgrounds are in comparison to past efforts. Almost on par with the lush environments of the GameCube versions released last year the richly detailed cityscapes and corridors are among the best imagery we've seen on PS2. Lighting and textures have always played an important role in the Resident Evil series, and this latest installment is no exception. Of course, there are instances of brief CGI cut scenes in-between story points to appease the true graphic hounds out there but unless you're used to playing your PC games in 1024x769 resolution, the in-game visuals will be good enough.
In fact, the game's introduction was absolutely jaw dropping. A superbly directed collection of scenes from past Resident Evil games, the camera sweeps through the sewers, onto the streets, and in various other locations in a remembrance of classic Biohazard history: Watch carefully as a Tyrant creature attacks helpless soldiers, William transforms into a one-eyed monstrosity, Raccoon Police gun down hundreds of invading undead, and several other popular moments flash on the screen. Accompanying the introduction is a beautifully composed musical piece (of the three songs we heard, the intro was the strongest -- though all the songs are of motion picture quality) and realistic sound effects playing backup (though not all of the Foley had been added yet).
Once the intro was over the Capcom producers teamed up and sat down to prepare for their four-player experience. The selection screen presented eight characters in all, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and specialized abilities (Kevin, for instance starts with a powerful handgun, while the plumber David can create weapons and items from pieces he finds scattered throughout the adventure). As the producers selected their characters and began their scenario, one of the coolest touches was that everybody had their own specialized introduction while simultaneously telling the same story. Once the intro is over and the game begins, players have to meet up with each other before adventuring out as a collective -- if they don't, you could be on your own.
Immediately, we could tell that this wasn't your typical Resident Evil session --as one gamer was actually helping a zombie-bitten victim around the room (i.e. physically picking him up and carrying him) to save him from being eaten. In fact, helping each other out is a big aspect of Outbreak, as not only will players be able to help others walk and move after a severe attack by a creature, they can extend their arms to pull other players up onto ledges if they're in danger of falling. Working together in groups while playing the online mode isn't a necessity, but it's close.
A feature we appreciated quite a bit is the way that zombie encounters are now handled. In the past, the meandering buffoons would stop in their tracks if you closed a door on them or left your current area. That's not the case anymore. Regardless of where you go and how you get there, the undead keep coming after you -- busting down doors, breaking windows and crawling through, or finding scary new ways to enter the room so they can claw your eyes out is all part of the fun. Also cool is the fact that you can now finding hiding spots to get away from your pursuers ala Clock Tower 3. Fortunately, the hiding system is a lot smarter in Outbreak than it was in the adventures of Alyssa and Scissorman: If a zombie sees you go into a hiding spot, it will know you're in there -- if it doesn't, you're probably be safe. Though we were promised several more areas than the ones they mentioned, the sections they confirmed as hiding spots included closets, lockers, and the underside of beds.
Perhaps the coolest feature of them all, though, is the included Zombie gauge. A circular icon located in the item screen (oh and did we mention you can access everyone's inventory, not just your own?), the virus gauge slowly fills from 0 to 100%. Once the gauge reaches 100%, your human form is eliminated, and for the first time in Resident Evil history, you'll transform into one of the undead. Making this transformation even cooler is the fact that players can control their zombie form too! Though Capcom didn't elaborate any further into how this would work exactly, the fact that it was even considered and used is a definite step forward in the franchise.
There's even more to talk about in Resident Evil Outbreak than we've highlighted here: An all-new communication system that allows players to give directions to one another based on their situation, multiple paths to reach the same area as a buddy, several different endings based on characters and decision making, and the future possibility of downloadable content (the latter of which is still under consideration). As you can probably tell, we're really excited about this one. Expect us to return with more information and media on Resident Evil Outbreak, including some hands-on impressions, over the next several days. Stay tuned!
I hope we can play eachother that game.. AllDeaf team(Me,Kevbo,maybe steel, and whoever)
Formerly known as Network Biohazard and Resident Evil Online, Outbreak has been renamed because of Capcom's decision to add an offline mode to the previously conceived online-only design. Broken into five expansive missions, the offline aspect will allow players to experience a slightly different type of adventure from that which connects you with four buddies -- though the details of how the games will be different is still being sorted out.
One aspect of the game we should mention from the outset is how well done the character models and backgrounds are in comparison to past efforts. Almost on par with the lush environments of the GameCube versions released last year the richly detailed cityscapes and corridors are among the best imagery we've seen on PS2. Lighting and textures have always played an important role in the Resident Evil series, and this latest installment is no exception. Of course, there are instances of brief CGI cut scenes in-between story points to appease the true graphic hounds out there but unless you're used to playing your PC games in 1024x769 resolution, the in-game visuals will be good enough.
In fact, the game's introduction was absolutely jaw dropping. A superbly directed collection of scenes from past Resident Evil games, the camera sweeps through the sewers, onto the streets, and in various other locations in a remembrance of classic Biohazard history: Watch carefully as a Tyrant creature attacks helpless soldiers, William transforms into a one-eyed monstrosity, Raccoon Police gun down hundreds of invading undead, and several other popular moments flash on the screen. Accompanying the introduction is a beautifully composed musical piece (of the three songs we heard, the intro was the strongest -- though all the songs are of motion picture quality) and realistic sound effects playing backup (though not all of the Foley had been added yet).
Once the intro was over the Capcom producers teamed up and sat down to prepare for their four-player experience. The selection screen presented eight characters in all, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and specialized abilities (Kevin, for instance starts with a powerful handgun, while the plumber David can create weapons and items from pieces he finds scattered throughout the adventure). As the producers selected their characters and began their scenario, one of the coolest touches was that everybody had their own specialized introduction while simultaneously telling the same story. Once the intro is over and the game begins, players have to meet up with each other before adventuring out as a collective -- if they don't, you could be on your own.
Immediately, we could tell that this wasn't your typical Resident Evil session --as one gamer was actually helping a zombie-bitten victim around the room (i.e. physically picking him up and carrying him) to save him from being eaten. In fact, helping each other out is a big aspect of Outbreak, as not only will players be able to help others walk and move after a severe attack by a creature, they can extend their arms to pull other players up onto ledges if they're in danger of falling. Working together in groups while playing the online mode isn't a necessity, but it's close.
A feature we appreciated quite a bit is the way that zombie encounters are now handled. In the past, the meandering buffoons would stop in their tracks if you closed a door on them or left your current area. That's not the case anymore. Regardless of where you go and how you get there, the undead keep coming after you -- busting down doors, breaking windows and crawling through, or finding scary new ways to enter the room so they can claw your eyes out is all part of the fun. Also cool is the fact that you can now finding hiding spots to get away from your pursuers ala Clock Tower 3. Fortunately, the hiding system is a lot smarter in Outbreak than it was in the adventures of Alyssa and Scissorman: If a zombie sees you go into a hiding spot, it will know you're in there -- if it doesn't, you're probably be safe. Though we were promised several more areas than the ones they mentioned, the sections they confirmed as hiding spots included closets, lockers, and the underside of beds.
Perhaps the coolest feature of them all, though, is the included Zombie gauge. A circular icon located in the item screen (oh and did we mention you can access everyone's inventory, not just your own?), the virus gauge slowly fills from 0 to 100%. Once the gauge reaches 100%, your human form is eliminated, and for the first time in Resident Evil history, you'll transform into one of the undead. Making this transformation even cooler is the fact that players can control their zombie form too! Though Capcom didn't elaborate any further into how this would work exactly, the fact that it was even considered and used is a definite step forward in the franchise.
There's even more to talk about in Resident Evil Outbreak than we've highlighted here: An all-new communication system that allows players to give directions to one another based on their situation, multiple paths to reach the same area as a buddy, several different endings based on characters and decision making, and the future possibility of downloadable content (the latter of which is still under consideration). As you can probably tell, we're really excited about this one. Expect us to return with more information and media on Resident Evil Outbreak, including some hands-on impressions, over the next several days. Stay tuned!
I hope we can play eachother that game.. AllDeaf team(Me,Kevbo,maybe steel, and whoever)
