While its recent entries have demonstrated Capcom’s ability to innovate on survival horror, theResident Evilseries has also had several experimental releases over the years which have since fallen to the wayside. Released in the early 2000s,Resident Evil Outbreakwas a co-op titlewhich was not only original as an early online gaming experience, but also as a bold proof of concept for a prevalent infection mechanic which has yet to make a return.
Dealing with the T-Virus taking its toll on the player was present as a core aspect ofOutbreak, adding a layer of challenge via urgency which heightens stakes and replayability. While that title might not have lived up to the status of the more popularResident Evilgames, other prominent franchises in the subgenre have since shown that the value of contracting a zombie virus in this setting shouldn’t be ignored moving forward.
Resident Evil Outbreak’s T-Virus Infection Gimmick Was a Bold Experiment That Didn’t Make a Lasting Impact
Living Up to Its Title With a Time Limit Imposed on the Player
WhileOutbreakmaintains a style largely similar to the isometric format of the early series, what truly sets it apart is the T-Virus percentage indicator that’s ever present on the HUD. This slowly increases throughout the course of a scenario. Steadily rising, it eventually results in death andresurrection as aResident Evilzombieif the level can’t be completed in time. This is a challenging mechanic to incorporate on top of the inherent intensity of the genre, but it has since become a symbol of nostalgia and an early example of what would become more fleshed-out systems in other franchises later on.
Through a set ofdifferent playable characters inResident Evil Outbreak, the game’s Viral Gauge has a greater role as a prominent source of variation between them. With the survivors having differing rates of infection percentage increase and healing capabilities, this system encourages a level of deliberation and planning that could easily continue to be rewarding in the series' next entry.
Resident Evil’s Zombie Game Contemporaries Show the Potential for an Infection Mechanic in Future Titles
Several years later, Capcom was able to further explore the concept through thegameplay loop ofDead Rising. Protagonist Chuck Greene is required to secure doses of the Zombrex drug to keep the infection of his daughter at bay, facilitating a sense of urgency more subtly ingrained than that ofOutbreak’s. By making the effects of the T-Virus a genuine threat in the nextResident Evil, there’s potential for this premise to work for the player character or a companion. This would not only elevate the stakes far beyond the militaristic power fantasy that the series can sometimes become, but possibly humanize and form a basis for connection with a newly introduced cast.
An equally important aspect ofOutbreak’s Viral Gauge is the fact that failing to stop its progression doesn’t end in a game over, as the player is able to continue playing as a zombie and harass their former allies. With the advent of the likes of Versus mode inLeft 4 Dead, Battlemode inDoom Eternal, and full-fledged asymmetrical horror games being a growing market, there may never have been agreater time forResident Evil 9to return to the concept of controlling an infected person. Whether it is similarly integrated into a multiplayer outing or taken seriously in the next mainline title, treating the T-Virus as a looming threat on a personal level could feel like a natural evolution of its role.
Resident Evil 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Survival is just the beginning.Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City.Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals.And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect.Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut.Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.
