Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 (2004)

The second Outbreak entry feels less like a full sequel and more like a refinement of the original entry. Though whether that’s a good thing depends on what you’re expecting from this non-mainline RE game. At its core, the game sticks closely to the classic formula established in the PS1 titles, fixed camera angles, deliberate tank controls, scarce resources, and puzzle-solving under pressure. What makes this stand out is its scenario-based structure, instead of a single continuous campaign, you play through a set of distinct episodes, each with its own setting and objectives. Some of these are memorable, like the zoo for example, is one of the most unique in the franchise. About the only difference from the previous entry is that you get all scenarios unlocked from the beginning, as opposed to having to play them sequentially.

The roster of playable characters adds another layer of depth, each survivor has unique traits,some are better at combat, others at crafting or support, which encourages replaying scenarios with different team compositions. My favorite ones were Kevin and Yoko, which I kept using her for all my playtimes because I can't deal with only having 4 inventory slots. There’s also a light infection system constantly ticking in the background, adding tension as your character slowly succumbs to the virus. And this is one of the worst mechanics of this game for me, I really hate to hate to rush because the infection is very very fast. You can use some special healing items to deal with this, but I would like to have a special mode with this turned off, so I can explore the scenarios on my own pace.

Where the game shows its age, though, is in execution, the controls are rigid even by early-2000s standards, and the inventory system can feel unnecessarily restrictive. As I said before, the regular items slots for each character is just 4 slots, which is absolutely not enough, not to mention that most of them have special items, which already occupy one of those slots. This is why Yoko is so useful, though I still think that her +4 slots is still not enough. Another big issue is the AI, your teammates often behave unpredictably, getting stuck, wasting items, or failing to respond in critical moments. Since the game is designed around cooperation, this can be frustrating when playing solo. And similar to the first title, there are still community servers around if you want to play online, particularly I never tried to do this yet, maybe I'll someday get back to this and try that experience.

The online play was the game’s most ambitious feature at the time, allowing you to tackle scenarios together, similar to something like Left 4 Dead but RE-style. In theory, this was a major step forward for the series, in practice, it was limited by the technology of the era. And I can't really comment much on this regard because I've never experienced online gaming on the PlayStation 2. Despite that, it was definitely ahead of its time, but not quite polished enough to fully deliver on its potential. I really wished there was a way to bring this game back with modding capabilities, so the community could create their own custom campaigns. And again, similar to what happens with the Left 4 Dead series, that still has a massive playerbase, even decades after its initial release.

Visually, the game holds up decently for a PlayStation 2 title, it was a very atmospheric game compared to other RE entries, being more similar to something like Silent Hill. And the OST does a solid job of building tension, especially some boss themes and unique sequences. That said, character models and animations can feel stiff, and the overall presentation doesn’t evolve much from the first Outbreak. I think that the animations is one of the biggest differences to other titles, they feel much more natural and realistic, as opposed to the more robotic ones from previous entries. This makes up for a more realistic experience, though a way less responsive one too. There are also new and unique handicaps on each new scenario, so there is no recycling from the first entry on this regard.

Overall, this title is a compelling idea that never quite reaches its full potential. It offers strong atmosphere, creative scenarios, and a unique cooperative survival horror experience, but is weighed down by clunky mechanics and inconsistent AI. For fans of classic Resident Evil, it’s a must-play and often nostalgic experience. For newcomers, though, it can feel more frustrating than fun without the patience (or friends) to smooth out its rough edges. If you like the first entry, there is very little excuse not to play this sequel. I don't particularly have any favorite scenarios between both entries, all of them are very enjoyable. Just don't expect much of an evolution, and also be prepared for a bone-crushing difficulty, because this is not isolated to the first title.

This game is a bit weird in that—while it was packaged as a separate game entirely—were it to release today, it would probably have come as a DLC expansion to the first game. The engine and the vast majority of the mechanics are basically copy/paste from the first Outbreak with a few quality of life improvements. The cast of characters and abilities is the same as is the general look and feel of the game. All we're really getting here is more scenarios. Given that, I really don't have much to say about the game generally that I haven't already said about Outbreak so I'll skip the more general assessment and refer you to my review of that game for that side. Instead, I'll just jump right in to the scenarios themselves and conclude on my overall thoughts of how this holds up otherwise, especially compared to the first Outbreak.

Outbreak (Revisited)

This is just a very abbreviated version of the Outbreak scenario from the first game. It takes about 1/4 as long and is really much more of a tutorial and recap of that scenario than a full-blown scenario in itself. I really only mention it because while it's not all that interesting given that context, it provides something the first game desperately needed: a tutorial. It feels super weird only getting it in the second game, but I do really appreciate the game offering more explanation of its various (at times confusing) mechanics in a less pressured context.

Wild Things

This was my personal favorite scenario in this game, maybe even my favorite of both games. This scenario has our heroes exploring the Raccoon Zoo which—as you might expect—is now overrun with all manner of infected and mutated zoo animals, with a large infected elephant playing center stage and pursuing you throughout your stay. I was reminded of Parasite Eve a lot with this twist, but it's also just a setting that I'm somewhat surprised hasn't really been featured in other Resident Evil games given the wealth of animals that could make an appearance. My only issue with this scenario is that I found it a little too hard. It took me forever and a bunch of abusing save states to beat the final boss. I fought the lion but you can do the scenario different ways and fight either a male lion or the big elephant. The lion fight I found super frustrating even beyond the difficulty of the scenario itself. But otherwise, the environments are really varied and interesting and the zoo is pretty huge with lots of places to explore. While I was frustrated by the end of it, I still enjoyed my time with most of the scenario, despite it taking me twice as long as the others.

Underbelly

This is a scenario that on paper I didn't expect to like. We spend our time in Raccoon's subway station, exploring the tracks, subway cars, and various stairwells and hallways. I generally don't really like these subway settings in Survival Horror games. They have a creepy aesthetic, sure, but they also just feel kind of bland and same-y after a while and it's easy to get lost. That said, I thought the setting was done pretty well here. There wasn't too much repetition of the exact same area layouts that usually plague these kinds of environments. Further, I found the progression fairly intuitive and thought the difficulty was in a good sweet spot of challenging but not too frustrating.

Flashback

This scenario was a little hit or miss for me. For one, we get some pretty neat and unique areas to explore with a ruined hospital out in the woods. Though it's somewhat brief, there's a massive wooded area at the start of the scenario you get to run around that is way bigger than any other single area in one of these fixed-camera RE games I'm quite sure. It's a unique and interesting aesthetic that I really appreciated. The ruined hospital is somewhat interesting with the difficulties in navigating the detritus, but it could be confusing at times. You're also pursued by...some dude with an axe? I don't think it's ever really explained what's going on here, but he doesn't seem to be infected. He's just some crazy guy who haunts this place and attacks you, seemingly unconcerned with the fact the place is overrun with monsters. While this was another pursuer type enemy the series is quite comfortable featuring, I found him much more annoying than implementations in other games, at least in part for his mundane and random appearance and persona.

Desperate Times

This was also a pretty good scenario which sees our cast of characters, once again, revisiting the classic RPD setting so many other games by now have explored. Despite this repetition, the RPD itself manages to feel quite a bit unique with its different context. For instance, several cops are posted trying to fend off the invading monsters, a mechanic you can utilize to help you take out some pesky pursuing zombies without using your own bullets. You also explore quite a bit of underground locations not featured in other versions of the RPD. I mostly found the scenario pretty intuitive and fun, but it does eventually feel like it overstays its welcome by being just a little too long.

End of the Road

This is this game's large major scenario to close things out with an extended journey through a sterile lab setting full of some of the more dangerous monsters including hunters and tyrants. There are some fun parts like getting to mind-control a tyrant to help you clear out some of the other threats, which naturally backfires eventually. You eventually get back out to the Raccoon City streets where you have to navigate all manner of dangers and familiar locations before reaching the inevitable ridiculous big boss fight on a highway overpass. While End of the Road does feel fittingly intense and climactic and I enjoyed it on balance, I felt like the scenario itself still at times is less interesting than the grand Decisions, Decisions of the first game.

In conclusion, Outbreak File #2 is mostly just an expansion of the first game, which itself was a mixed bag. On the plus side, there are definitely things I like a lot about the ideas behind these games. I like the new and unique perspective on the story's now-classic events through the eyes of ordinary people. But there is just so much jank with numerous mechanics that the game and tech just weren't prepared to deliver. But that said, as may be apparent from my (mostly) positive descriptions above compared to my more up-and-down reactions to the scenarios of the first game, I do think this one has a good deal better scenario spread on balance and is ultimately a better game. This is likely in part due simply to the fact the team had more time to iterate and improve, but it is nice that I don't feel any of the scenarios is a flop and a couple are actually quite cool. However, this praise really only goes so far. On the whole, you're still basically getting the same package as the first game and I don't think I'd recommend Outbreak or File #2 to anyone without a vested interest in playing more of the fringe titles in the series. It's definitely a lot better than some of the rougher spin-offs, but it's not a must-play in my eyes.

My other Resident Evil reviews:

• Resident Evil (1996) - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil 2 (1998) - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil 3 (1999) - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil: Survivor - ★★★
• Resident Evil: Survivor 2 – Code Veronica - ★★
• Resident Evil Remake - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil Gaiden - ★★
• Resident Evil 0 - ★★★
• Resident Evil: Outbreak - ★★★
• Resident Evil 4 - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil Deadly Silence - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil Dead Aim - ★★★
• Resident Evil 2 Remake - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil 3 Remake - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil 4 VR - ★★★★★
• Resident Evil 4 Remake - ★★★★★