Resident Evil: Resistance
Engaging but very violent online shooter pushes cooperation.
Resident Evil: Resistance
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Resident Evil: Resistance is a third-person online shooter for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PCs. It's part of a franchise that includes movies (live action and animated), books, comics, toys, and, obviously, other games. In it, players use guns, knives, and explosives to kill people, zombies, and other monsters. This violence results in large amounts of blood being spilled, as well as tons of gore and dismemberment. Online communication between players isn't monitored. Players can use in-game currency to purchase weapons and other items, as well as cosmetic augmentations, all of which are used to customize characters. This currency isn't available for real money, though, and is earned by fulfilling certain conditions in the game. Two of the female characters have exposed midriffs, with one also wearing short shorts. Also, when that character is injured, the camera shows her lying prone on the floor and focuses on the shorts. The men, by comparison, are more covered up.
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What’s It About?
RESIDENT EVIL: RESISTANCE is set in 1998, just before Raccoon City was caught in the viral outbreak that turned its citizens into zombies (as depicted in Resident Evil 2 and this game's story-driven companion, Resident Evil 3). A group of those citizens have been kidnapped by the Umbrella Corporation, who are using them as human guinea pigs to test the company's latest bioweapon. When playing as one of the four citizens, you have to work together -- and use an arsenal of weapons as well as your problem-solving skills -- to try to survive. But when you play as an employee of Umbrella called Mastermind, you have to stop the citizens by using traps, zombies, and other hazards that are at your fingertips.
Is It Any Good?
Taking a cue from other monstrous online shooters, this companion to the recently released Resident Evil 3 will satisfy those who enjoy working together and those who hate people. In Resident Evil: Resistance, the Umbrella Corporation decides to gauge the effectiveness of its new bioweapon by using people from Raccoon City as unwilling test subjects. Playing as one of those four kidnapped citizens, you have to use guns, knives, and explosives to survive, while also helping your companions. Or, if you prefer, you can play as Mastermind, an employee of Umbrella who must kill the four people using traps, zombies, and other sadistic methods -- making this similar to such online shooters as Evolve and the upcoming Predator: Hunting Grounds.
To put it another way, this is basically a virtual version of a zombie escape room if, on occasion, you got to be the owner/operator and everyone came armed. Not surprisingly, it's more fun to be one of the subjects, especially given how these characters have unique skills, and the rooms are rather elaborate. But being Mastermind has its moments, too, especially when you take control of zombies or manually target a machine gun emplacement. It's just not as much fun as being the characters, in the same way being the coach isn't as fun as being the quarterback. Still, with a good amount of variety in the characters and settings, and real challenge -- especially if your Mastermind is sadistic and your teammates are selfish -- Resident Evil: Resistance is yet another chance for you to test your zombie survival skills.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Resident Evil: Resistance affected by the fact that you're killing zombies and monsters? Does it matter that there are times as the Mastermind when you use zombies, traps, and guns to kill people? Does killing a living person in a game feel different from killing an undead one?
Along with zombies, this game also has you killing zombie dogs. Is there a difference between killing a zombie who used to be a dog and killing a zombie that was once a person? Is violence against these animals acceptable as a form of self-defense?
Game Details
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid ((included with the single-player game "Resident Evil 3"))
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Capcom
- Release date: April 3, 2020
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Topics: Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Last updated: April 6, 2020
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