Released in the early 2000s, Resident Evil Outbreak was a cooperative entry that was not only unique as an early online gaming experience, but a bold testament to the infection mechanic, one that has yet to be reused to this day.
Outbreak's handling of the T-Virus as it impacted the player was a major part of the game, offering an additional challenge with urgency that heightened the tension and replayability. Though it may not have achieved the notoriety of landmark Resident Evil titles, later games in the same genre have proven that the value of zombie virus infection in this context shouldn't be ignored going forward.
A bold experiment without a lasting impact
Though Outbreak retained much of the same gameplay as the early isometric entries, its true distinction was the T-Virus gauge displayed on the HUD. This meter would slowly increase throughout the course of play, and if the player failed to complete the stage in time, the infection rate would continue to climb until it resulted in death and rebirth as one of Resident Evil's zombies. This was a challenging mechanic when coupled with the inherent stress of the genre, but it also became a nostalgic icon and an early example of systems that would be more fully realized in other titles later on.
Through Outbreak's cast of playable Resident Evil characters, the Viral Gauge played a key role as a core source of differentiation between them. Each character had different infection rate increases and recovery, creating a system that encouraged thoughtful planning and consideration, which could continue to be a major factor in future installments of the series.
Exploring urgency in Dead Rising 2
Years later, Capcom would further explore this concept through Dead Rising's gameplay loop. Protagonist Chuck Greene had to find Zombrex to stave off the infection of the T-Virus for his daughter, creating an underlying sense of urgency that differed from Outbreak. If the effects of the T-Virus were to manifest as a true threat in the next Resident Evil, the potential for it to be applied to the player character or a companion is enormous. Not only would this heighten the tension beyond the series' military elements, but it would further humanize the cast and create opportunities to connect with new characters.
Left 4 Dead and Doom opened doors for zombie play
Another key element of Outbreak's Viral Gauge was that if the player failed to stop the infection rate from increasing, they weren't met with complete failure. Instead, they could continue to play as a zombie and attack their former teammates. With the advent of Versus modes in Left 4 Dead, Battlemode in Doom Eternal, and the thriving genre of asymmetrical horror titles, there may have never been a better time for Resident Evil 9 to revisit the concept of controlling an infected. Whether it be a multiplayer mode or taken seriously in the next mainline entry, facing the T-Virus as a personal threat could be the natural evolution of its role.