In 1998, during the period when the internet was becoming widespread globally, multiplayer online games started to become a trend. Games like "Quake World" and "Genesis of the Network" were among the highly regarded multiplayer online games at the time.
Shinji Mikami, the creator of the Resident Evil series, was not only a game developer but also a passionate gamer who understood the joy of multiplayer online games. Therefore, he had the idea of turning Resident Evil into a multiplayer online game.
He proposed this idea to the head of the first development division at Capcom, Noritaka Funamizu, who was also intrigued by Mikami's concept. Funamizu led his development team in creating a small-scale trial version of the game.
Based on the survival aspect of "Resident Evil," Noritaka Funamizu developed a trial version of the game that focused on multiplayer survival gameplay. Multiple players were required to survive for as long as possible under the siege of numerous enemies.
However, during testing, the development team discovered that there was hardly any need for cooperation between players. In fact, players fared better when they fought individually, which completely contradicted the original development goal of the game. As a result, they decided to remove the survival objective mechanism from the game.
During their research on the entire "Resident Evil" series, the development team discovered that one reason the game instilled fear in players was due to the absence of multiplayer components. Players could only assume the role of a lone hero, exploring a perilous and oppressive mansion, creating a sense of terror born from solitude and the unknown.
Therefore, the development team planned to create a game similar to its predecessors, featuring a fixed narrative and exploration pacing, but with the addition of a multiplayer mode option. However, due to various reasons, this production plan was eventually shelved.
After the release of "Resident Evil 2," "Resident Evil 3," and "Resident Evil: Code Veronica" following 1998, it wasn't until 2002 that Capcom considered reviving the multiplayer online version project for "Resident Evil."
However, at that time, Capcom's Fourth Development Division was fully focused on developing the next installment in the series, "Resident Evil 4," leaving no room to pursue the online version project. Therefore, the development of this project fell back to the First Development Division, led by Noritaka Funamizu.
Funamizu and his development team reviewed the experience gained from their work in 1998 and rebooted the production of the multiplayer online version of "Resident Evil."
The multiplayer online version of "Resident Evil" was actually just one of the three PS2 platform online multiplayer game projects within Capcom's First Development Division. The other two games were "Monster Hunter" and the racing game "Auto Modellista." Capcom had high hopes for the First Development Division, setting a target for at least one of the three games to achieve sales of over a million copies.
The initial name for this multiplayer online version of "Resident Evil" was "Resident Evil: Online." The game adopted a fixed camera angle and fully 3D environments similar to "Resident Evil: Code Veronica." It supported up to four players simultaneously exploring the game's environment and fighting against zombies.
The four players could choose one of the eight available characters in the game. Each character had a different profession and set of skills, including police officer, doctor, student, security guard, journalist, worker, waiter/waitress, and electrician.
In situations where players couldn't gather a full party of four, the game would allocate AI-controlled characters. However, whether it was a player or an AI, if they were bitten by a zombie, they would become infected with the virus. Additionally, if a character suffered a fatal injury, they would turn into a zombie and launch attacks against other players.
The game did not support voice communication among players using microphones. The development team believed that voice communication would disrupt the tense atmosphere of the game. Instead, they implemented a system of quick phrases or shortcuts as a substitute for voice communication.
In February 2002, Capcom officially unveiled the game at Sony's PS2 game showcase. Then, in May of the same year, a brief teaser trailer for the game was revealed at the E3 exhibition.
A few months after the E3 exhibition, Capcom announced that "Resident Evil: Online" would be renamed to "Resident Evil: Network." They also showcased the familiar Raccoon City setting within the game.
In May 2003, as the development of "Resident Evil: Network" was reaching its final stages, the game was ultimately given its official title, "Resident Evil Outbreak." On December 11th of the same year, "Resident Evil Outbreak" was officially released.
The development cycle for "Resident Evil Outbreak" was relatively short, leading to some content being cut from the game. For example, the game featured only five levels, whereas the original plan had a higher number of levels.
However, these five levels were designed to be complete experiences. With new 3D graphics and innovative multiplayer cooperative gameplay, they provided players with enjoyable teamwork and survival experiences.
"Resident Evil Outbreak" received a moderate Metacritic score of 71. While not outstanding compared to other entries in the "Resident Evil" series, it was considered a decent score for a spin-off title.
Furthermore, the game achieved Capcom's initial target by surpassing one million copies in sales, along with "Monster Hunter." Ultimately, it reached a sales milestone of 1.45 million copies.
In September 2004, Capcom released an expansion pack for "Resident Evil Outbreak" titled "Resident Evil Outbreak File #2." In terms of content, this can be considered the only direct sequel in the "Resident Evil Outbreak" series.
"Resident Evil Outbreak File #2" improved upon the original game's loading speed, AI performance, and other aspects. It can be seen as an enhanced version of its predecessor, as the gameplay remained largely unchanged. Consequently, "Resident Evil Outbreak File #2" did not receive high ratings or sales figures.
There were hints of a potential "Resident Evil Outbreak 3" discovered by players in "Resident Evil Outbreak File #2." However, due to the series' lack of popularity, Capcom eventually canceled plans for further sequels.
"Resident Evil Outbreak" marked the first attempt in the "Resident Evil" series to introduce multiplayer online gameplay. Although the series did not continue, several subsequent "Resident Evil" installments incorporated multiplayer elements inherited from "Resident Evil Outbreak."
Fast forward 20 years, Capcom reintroduced the four-player cooperative survival gameplay in "Resident Evil: Resistance."
However, the current state of "Resident Evil: Resistance" has once again led to it being considered a failed attempt at multiplayer gaming by Capcom. The possibility of seeing a sequel or remake of "Resident Evil Outbreak" in the future remains uncertain.
By SoleilNoir