- Publisher: Capcom
- Release Date: Mar 31, 2004
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Outbreak doesn't really live up to its potential, but it's a pretty good game for members of its already-established audience.
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The game has some other minor flaws, too, such as repetitive environments and a finicky "camera" that may obstruct the view during combat by switching to another angle.
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Beyond the online component, Outbreak essentially plays like any other Resident Evil, only with a lesser story, better (though still imperfect) controls, and improved voice acting.
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PSM MagazineIn both single and online modes, it definitely has its problems, but as an attempt to expand the scope of the RE universe, it isn't all bad. [June 2004, p.22]
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It’s got quite a few bugs that should have never made it past the testing cycle, including several glitches that cause the game to freeze up completely, forcing a hard reset to resume play.
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Cheat Code CentralWhile Outbreak's gameplay is innovative - online, team co-op play and the ability to turn into a zombie - there is absolutely nothing that stands out here at all thanks to one big fat missed opportunity: Communication.
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Play MagazineA lot of what you can do in this game - help the injured, trade items, interact more with the environment, use weapons in more unique ways, like boarding up doors with a nail gun - is more fantastic idea than really effective execution. [May 2004, p.50]
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Computer Games MagazineThere is no good way to communicate with other players, making cooperative play that much more difficult. [July 2004, p.6]
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The games' poor communication system and load times keep it from being a more workable online experience. But its unnerving combination of comradery and isolation is sociable, scary fun.
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A zombie could have a hundred flailing tentacles and a cool set of giant spider legs, but without a mouth, it just hasn’t got any bite.
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyThe stiff difficulty, branching levels, and especially your severely limited inventory make cooperation among players essential, but the inexplicable lack of voice (or even keyboard) chat completely destroys all hope of real teamwork. [June 2004, p.100]
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As a single player title the game feels a little hacked together and is hard to recommend to anyone other then the most hardcore Resident Evil fans.
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The graphics and score are outstanding, but ultimately, the gameplay falls flat with heavy-handed mechanics and tedious goals.
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BoomtownIt’s not as good as any of the “proper” stand alone Resident Evils, so unless you’re a hardcore zombie fan this can be quite quickly crossed off your shopping list.
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A steep learning curve, buggy online mode, and lack of communication options between you and your allies make this title fall short in just about everything it set out to achieve.
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It does get one thing right: The controls are actually functional and somewhat intuitive. [June 2004, p.89]
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Edge MagazineAptly, Outbreak is an experiment gone wrong; it indicates the possibilities of an online horror title, but also that Resident Evil's traditional structure can't achieve them. [June 2004, p.102]
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The single player experience never ranges either way from being stunningly average, and therefore this PS2 exclusive is a major disappointment.
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For the PAL consumer, it's one for the absolute die-hards we're afraid, and even they might have issues trying to live with the lack of online play.
Awards & Rankings
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20
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#20 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
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36
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#36 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 129 out of 171
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Mixed: 30 out of 171
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Negative: 12 out of 171
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Aug 11, 2010
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Nov 6, 2017
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Oct 16, 2014