The lights are on
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is just around the corner, hitting PlayStation 3s, Xbox 360s, and PCs March 20. Socom developer SlantSix is at the helm of this third-person shooter, returning to the infected streets of Raccoon City. After spending plenty of time blasting away zombies, mutated monsters, and the armed opposition, I’ve compiled a list of 10 things you should know about the game.
1. You Are Umbrella
Ever want to step into the combat boots of the evil Umbrella Corporation’s most hardened killers? This is your chance. You can choose from Hunk’s protégée, a rugged demolitions expert, a monster-controlling scientist, and more. Seeing the Raccoon City disaster from a new perspective is a unique experience that Operation Raccoon City has to offer.
2. Chaotic Third-Person Shooting
The Resident Evil series turned into a third-person shooter long ago, but Operation Raccoon City ratchets up the frenetic gameplay. At any given time you’ll be required to zoom-in with your weapon, pitch a grenade, or dispatch an enemy with a flurry of melee moves. This is one of the most action-packed entries in the series to date.
3. Human Opposition
Infected freaks aren’t the only threat on the battlefield – you’ll also face off against armed humans. Whether you’re blasting through the co-op campaign or hopping online, you’ll simultaneously fight zombies, mutated monsters, and gun-toting mercenaries. The combination of dodging zombies while watching out for enemy fire presents some harrowing situations.
4. Automatic Cover System
Unlike any other game in the series, Operation Raccoon City allows players to take cover in almost any situation. Bombed-out cars, corners, and waist-high crates make for great improvised cover when caught in a hail of machine gun fire. But be careful, it's easy for zombies to sneak up on you while you're engaged in a frenzied firefight.
5. Online Multiplayer
Players can hop online to engage in four vs. four battles. Standard team deathmatch gets a lot more interesting when the opposition inflicts a wound that causes you to bleed out, attracting the zombie hordes to your position. Heroes Mode allows players to play as fan favorites like Leon, Jill, or Hunk as each team tries to take out the others’ commander.
6. Progression
Whether blasting through the 4-player co-op campaign or tearing it up online in versus mode, your earn experience points at the end of every match. XP can be used to purchase new abilities or weapons, allowing you to customize your operative however you see fit. Want to dump resources into carrying a powerful machine gun and developing your character’s ability to go completely invisible? No problem.
7. Unique Abilities
Each character class has a custom set of passive and active abilities that you can unlock and upgrade as you gain experience.
Recon: Specializes in avoiding enemy detection by mimicking the opposition and using active camouflage.Medic: Supports teammates with increased accuracy, speed, and defense. Medics can also equip a hypo gun which cures T-virus infections and hurts bio-organic weapons.Field Scientist: This class can turn enemy soldiers into zombies, throw undead-attracting pheromone vials, and influence monsters to fight alongside them.Demolition: The explosives expert can plant remote-detonated mines, throw timed sticky grenades, and set up laser trip mines.Assault: This aggressive class benefits from increased defense, a stint of unlimited ammo, and incendiary rounds.Surveillance: This unit can monitor enemy movements by scanning for targets, donning thermal goggles, and even see through walls.
8. Rewrite Resident Evil History
Players will encounter nearly every character that was surviving on the streets of Raccoon City during the second and third game. You can look forward to encountering Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Nikolai, and more. However, as your job is to scrub the town of any evidence linking Umbrella to the incident, these witnesses must be eliminated.
9. A Rogues Gallery
Freed from the narrow corridors of the early games, the series’ famous monsters prowl the open streets. You’ll encounter fearsome foes like the tongue-lashing lickers, ferocious hunters, and agile crimson head zombies. In the old games, these creatures usually attacked in groups of two or three at the most. Now their numbers are utterly overwhelming.
10. A Rampaging Tour Of Raccoon City
You’ll visit several iconic places from Resident Evil 2 and 3 during the operation. Your team will visit the infamous Raccoon City police department before Leon and Claire ever step foot inside, escape the hospital before it burns to the ground, and visit a familiar laboratory.
Sounds really cool!
11. It will suck ass.
Assault class, here I come.
Well of course i can't wait for this RE spinoff, regardless if it fails or succeeds i'll enjoy it alot....I did play Resident Evil Survivor after all.
This honestly looks like one of the most boring third person shooters yet this generation. I was pulling for it - it's a promising idea, and Slant Six is a solid developer - but man...every video I've seen is repetitive, monotonous, and B-O-R-I-N-G.
Great read. Very excited for this game to release.
I already have my cash for it and can't wait for it just sitting here licking my chops and playing the old ones in a weekend catch up marathon..
I havent been a huge fan of the series but i did enjoy RE4. this game looks like it will be amazing, the different classes that you are allowed will (i think) make this game awesome, something new in the series
But I don`t want to kill Leon. :(
While this could be bad, I don't think it will be. I only think this because GI is having a play session of this on Tuesday and I would think, could be wrong, that they would only do that if the game was worth it. If it was complete garbage, you would think they would give it a bad review and move on.
Here's hoping anyway.
hell yeah this game looks like it could be a real contender for greatest game of the RESIDENT EVIL game oh yeah can some one explain to me the game storyline
nice can the scientist controll anything??
I cant wait this is gonna be awesome.
I'll wait and see if there is DLC on the disc. After that I will wait for the Ultimate Super Mega Edition.
This game looks awesome! I hope it's good. As usual, I will refrain from purchasing until the reviews are in. I have made too many errors in buying games on day one. Not ever since that one time...