Most Resident Evil games are all about you being stuck entirely on your own trying to escape from a mansion full of flesh-eating zombies--and worse. Resident Evil: Outbreak though was originally designed as an online multi-player game where up to four people could co-operate to escape the zombie apocalypse that is Raccoon City. Unfortuately, "for technical reasons", the final UK version of the game doesn't have any online features at all--but it's a decent enough offline single-player game.

The most notable aspect about Outbreak is the graphics--they're almost as good as the GameCube versions and yet they're in full 3-D instead of just having static 2-D backdrops. Together with the constant calls for help from other people this makes the game one of the most cinematic yet, although the slow-paced psychological horror of the first game has been replaced by all-out fast-paced terror.

Things are made even more difficult since most of the eight characters you can choose to play as are ordinary men and women, not super-cops, so you usually start the game with no weapons other than those you can find scattered around. Although perhaps not the best game in the Resident Evil series, Outbreak is still well worth a look for fans of the genre.--David Jenkins

Other resident evil games fulfilled the 'horror' part of the survival horror genre. This game however is the opposite, and dispenses you into a situation that is getting worse with the arrival of zombies and other hordes of undead monsters. Add in two computer controlled characters, and you'll realise the emphasis is not always on you; monsters never single you out, and the characters have just as much opportunities to interact with the game world as you do. The lack of weapons and items, and the fact enemies pursue you relentlessly from room to room means quick-thinking and hiding is key to survival. The other characters may be a burden, but you dont have to help them. If they die, the game is not over, and you can continue in your escape. This game, though very experimental, has some flaws, but the risks you need to take in order to complete it overshadow these, and rank the game as being one of the classic resident evil titles, whether online or off.

The PAL version of Resident Evil:Outbreak is rendered a wee bit pointless as there is no online mode.In the NTSC version there is an online mode in which you and another person co-operate.Unfortunately the powers that be decided it would be a good idea not to bother with it,and as a consequence you are lumbered with a computer character following you around and slowing you down,which is slightly irritating.
On the positive side,the graphics are as easy on the eye as any of the previous Resident Evil games,and it does play the same as most of them-there is plenty to do and it is diverting.
However,if it wasn't for the hopelessly flawed Dead Aim,this would be the worst version of Resident Evil so far,with none of the ground-breaking gameplay of Resident Evil 2.
Luckily for Capcom they made Resident Evil 4,which is superb and has probably rescued the entire franchise.

Blimey it's rubbish.

The thing about survival horror games is the build up of suspense.
This is done brilliantly in other Resi games and the early Silent Hills.
The main component is great music and great sound.

As you are trapped with other characters all you can hear is them clumping about the place. It's like being trapped in a flamenco dance off.

Plus the game is slow to load between doors and the other characters are a hinderance.

The one star is for the graphics which are ok.

Sad, sad, sad.

Personally I like this game it's everything I expected it to be. I gave it a 4 though because you can't use the online mode in the uk version. and I was looking foward to giving my brother a 2 player on it. If your a true resi fan like me then get this game.

I love the Resident Evil Series too much to attack Capcom for Resident Evil: Outbreak but, simply, what a shame (let-down, dissappointment).Instead i ask them why they would create a game which is so dull.
The multitude of characters may sound fun but the lack of difference between them is depressing -they just look different and they complete the same missions, not different ones- but they're bearable. The controls are not easy to get the hang of- but are bearable. The graphics and backgrounds to the scenes are great, as you would expect, but not enough to send you dancing around the room covered in marmite, since really this is the only outstanding part of the game.
I may sound like another hack with a grudge- i'm not- if you love 'Resident Evil' as much as i do you might fall into the trap. This is a warning from me to you to NOT waste your money based on the two aspects of the game that cut me deepest- storyline and originality (and the loading times because every time you open a door it takes about a minute to load- not actually exaggerating)
Simply, there is no storyline- and personally it is a good storyline that made the past games of this series. There just isn't one- mainly thanks to the disjointed way in which the game is split- 5 different short scenarios, each progressively bad and exactly the same as the evil games the you have played before. We even return to the facility under raccoon city- and then wish we hadn't. No originality. At all. I'm not enjoying saying these things. It's my duty.
If you must buy it, then put it up for sale on the day you get it because the best place for it is in somebody else's hands. Sorry!