Dive into the chilling world of Resident Evil Outbreak! Discover the game's release details, the gripping prologue, and essential information for your survival.
Hey there! So, you're diving into Resident Evil Outbreak, huh? This guide's gonna walk you through everything you need to know about this unique entry in the series. It's the first one that let you team up with others online, which was a pretty big deal back in 2003 when it dropped in Asia. Don't worry if online play isn't your thing, though – there's an offline mode too!
The game went through a few name changes before settling on Outbreak, originally being called things like 'Biohazard Online' and 'Biohazard Network'. It's all about surviving a terrifying outbreak caused by a secret biological weapon, playing as one of eight survivors. Capcom really pushed the cooperative gameplay, promising addictive scenarios you'll want to replay.
The Story So Far: July 1998
Things kicked off in Raccoon City with a series of disturbing cannibalism cases. The R.P.D. (that's the Raccoon Police Department) sent in their special unit, S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Service), to check it out. The Bravo team went in first but lost contact, so the Alpha team was sent to help. Sadly, most of the S.T.A.R.S. members didn't make it back. The few who did – like Rebecca Chambers, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and Brad Vickers – reported encountering horrific monsters created by the Umbrella Corporation and a 'T-virus' that turns people into zombies. Even Albert Wesker, the Alpha team leader, went missing!
The police chief, Brian Irons, wasn't buying their story and shut down the S.T.A.R.S. But the trouble didn't stop. More disappearances and cannibalism reports popped up, putting pressure on the police. Meanwhile, that T-virus was quietly spreading through Raccoon City, turning its citizens into the undead, one by one.
By September 1998, the city was in chaos. Now, it's up to you, playing as one of the survivors who hasn't been infected yet, to try and escape. Good luck, you're gonna need it.
A Little About This Guide
The author of this guide is a big fan of the series and a regular on the Resident Evil Online boards. They've put a ton of work into making this FAQ as complete as possible, even planning to update it with details from the NTSC/NA version of the game. They've also made sure to give credit where it's due and correct any errors found in other guides.
Resident Evil Outbreak: The Nitty-Gritty
- Title: Biohazard : Outbreak / Resident Evil : Outbreak
- System: Sony Playstation 2
- Release Dates: NTSC/J - December 11, 2003; NTSC/NA - April 1, 2004; PAL - September 24, 2004
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Developers: Capcom Japan Production Studio 1
- Key Staff: Noritaka Funamizu, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Yoshihiro Sudo, Eiichiro Sasaki, Yoshiki Okamoto
- Peripherals: PS2 Memory Card, BB Unit (Hard Disk Drive), Network Adaptor
- Player Count: 4 (Online - NTSC versions only), 1 (Offline)
Note: Online play was exclusive to NTSC versions of the game.
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