Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this is another dark entry into a scary series. Parents should be aware that it is full of profanity, violence and creepy creatures, such as a zombie with an exposed brain and a whip-like tongue. Parents need to know that the star rating given this game is based on quality of game play within this horror genre of video gaming and not endorsement of the violence within the game.
Though much of the violence seems very far away, parents who allow their mature teens to play might want to discuss with them what they are seeing and experiencing in the game. Why is this series so popular -- does its haunting characters and mood make it more appealing? Why or why not? What do you think of the dark world presented here? How does it compare with your own vision of the future?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Raffi Kevorkian
RESIDENT EVIL OUTBREAK: FILE 2 maintains that scary feeling that the series is known for, but the gameplay itself is mostly mediocre.
The story takes place in Raccoon City, where a few surviving denizens have banded together to attempt to leave the virus-infected city before the government blows it to smithereens. As in previous versions, Raccoon City is invested by zombies, as well as a host of other creatures including giant insects, blood-crazed animals, and mutant monsters, such as the the "Licker," a zombie with an exposed brain and whip-like tongue, and the "Drainer," a large plant that sucks your life out of your head.
The game does encourage teammwork and strategy. Puzzles abound, and players must think carefully about the strategy they use, for it can change what happens next. In single-player mode, there are eight different characters you may choose to play as. Once you choose your primary character, you pick two other characters who will accompany you, each of whom has different strengths and weaknesses.
An abundance of supplies may be found during the course of gameplay, though you may only hold four or five supplies at a time, such as one lighter, one handgun, one extra clip of ammunition, and one can of pesticide, though your companions may hold more. You can request items from your companions, as well as to exchange items. What this means is that you not only choose your partners based on their particular skill set, but you are constantly gauging which supplies you think you will need. Ignore your companions, and they might ignore your requests for help or vital items, such as ammunition. (You can tell this game is at its best in a multi-player online mode.)
But there is a lot to remember: A green herb is an antidote. A red herb is a hemostat. A blue herb is recovery medicine. You can mix three greens together for an antidote x3, or a green and a red for a hemostat x3; or a green, blue, and red for an anti-virus x3. If you want a regular old anti-virus, why didn't you say so? Just choose a green and a blue and -- you get the picture. So many options require a heavy investment of time in this game.
The environments are likewise detailed. No two rooms look alike; no two desks have the same contents on them. Yet the price for this detail is long load times and plenty of glitches. Additionally it is sometimes difficult to tell what is happening during the action (the character's POV is skewed), and the screen may fill with the back of a monster, making it impossible to find your character. Fighting is clumsy and redundant, and players may grow frustrated by the inability to manually save the game at a given point. You may only save when you come across a typewriter, which aren't as numerous as they should be.
Really, this is a thinking game, meaning players must learn a great deal and then figure out how to use what they learn. A car battery may be used to construct a bomb; a lighter and can of pesticide can be turned into a flame thrower. Because the action seems to be taking place far away, the violence doesn't seem as immediate as in some of the mature war time games, but there is plenty of creepy stuff: Giant spiders, diseased zombies, a maniac with an axe; all of these creatures are scary and may cause nightmares. This creepiness -- combined with the clunkiness and the time suck factor -- make it for fans only. And mature fans at that.
Rate It!
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ViolenceShooting and bludgeoning of animals, flesh-eating zombies, and monsters. A maniac in a creepy hospital with an axe is scary. Dead bodies in disarray. Dark environments. |
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LanguageDialogue is written, not spoken, but there still is plenty of profanity. |
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Social BehaviorThis is violent, but teammwork is encouraged. |
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Educational ValueCooperation and problem solving are part of the game. |
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