BIOHAZARD Operation Raccoon City (バイオハザードオペレーションラクーンシティ) is a team-based TPS (third person shooter) jointly developed by CAPCOM and Vancouver-based studio Slant Six Games. It focuses on the actions of the Umbrella Corporation during the Raccoon City incident, and is played from the perspective of members of the company's Special Forces and a U.S. Army Special Forces team. It is "another story" to BIOHAZARD 2, set in a parallel what-if world. 1
Production Information
Developer(s): Slant Six Games, CAPCOM
Publisher(s): CAPCOM
Platform(s): PS3, X360, PC
Release Dates
USA: March 20, 2012
EUR: March 23, 2012
JPN: April 26, 2012
Developer(s): Slant Six Games, CAPCOM
Publisher(s): CAPCOM
Platform(s): PS3, X360, PC
Release Dates
USA: March 20, 2012
EUR: March 23, 2012
JPN: April 26, 2012
Plot
The game takes place at the same point in the series timeline as BH2 and BH3, but does not follow the same events and deviates from the official timeline. It is a "what-if" scenario.2 3
The main characters are a six-person team within the U.S.S. (Umbrella Security Service) known as "Wolfpack", the new Delta Team. During the game's prologue, Wolfpack are deployed to assist the Alpha and Bravo teams led by HUNK during the "G-Virus Seizure Operation". After the operation's failure and the resulting biohazard caused by the leak of the t-virus, Wolfpack is blamed for the failure and re-deployed in order to eliminate witnesses and destroy evidence in order to ensure the survival of Umbrella by wiping out anything which may connect the company to the incident. At the same time, the United States Government deploys the "SPEC OPS FIELD UNIT", an elite Special Forces team of the U.S. Army, to protect witnesses and recover any evidence which would explain the cause of the disaster. As a result, the game becomes a three-way struggle between the U.S.S., SPEC OPS and the monsters in the city, as well as Umbrella B.O.W.'s such as the Tyrant (T-103 Type) from BH2 and the Nemesis-T Type from BH3.
Certain characters from previous games in the series appear during the events of the game, including Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira, Ada Wong and Nikolai Zinoviev. The game allows for the ability change the course of history for the series by directly killing characters such as Leon.
The main characters are a six-person team within the U.S.S. (Umbrella Security Service) known as "Wolfpack", the new Delta Team. During the game's prologue, Wolfpack are deployed to assist the Alpha and Bravo teams led by HUNK during the "G-Virus Seizure Operation". After the operation's failure and the resulting biohazard caused by the leak of the t-virus, Wolfpack is blamed for the failure and re-deployed in order to eliminate witnesses and destroy evidence in order to ensure the survival of Umbrella by wiping out anything which may connect the company to the incident. At the same time, the United States Government deploys the "SPEC OPS FIELD UNIT", an elite Special Forces team of the U.S. Army, to protect witnesses and recover any evidence which would explain the cause of the disaster. As a result, the game becomes a three-way struggle between the U.S.S., SPEC OPS and the monsters in the city, as well as Umbrella B.O.W.'s such as the Tyrant (T-103 Type) from BH2 and the Nemesis-T Type from BH3.
Certain characters from previous games in the series appear during the events of the game, including Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira, Ada Wong and Nikolai Zinoviev. The game allows for the ability change the course of history for the series by directly killing characters such as Leon.
Gameplay
There are six playable U.S.S. characters in the game, VECTOR, SPECTRE, BELTWAY, FOUR EYES, LUPO and BERTHA. Each have their own unique abilities; VECTOR (Recon Scout, real name unknown) is the team's recon expert and is equipped with a cloaking ability, BELTWAY (Secret Agent, real name Hector Hivers) is proficient in the use of explosives, BERTHA (Medical Orderly, real name Michaela Heinzwaffen) is the team's medic, SPECTRE (Surveillance, real name Vladimir Bodrovski) is the team's surveillance class and sharpshooter, FOUR EYES (Bio-Chemical Soldier, real name Christine Yamata) is the scientist of the group with the ability to program the B.O.W.s, and then there is LUPO, who is an Assault class. Alongside the single-player mode, the game will also offer four-player co-operative gameplay, which pits the U.S.S. against the SPEC OPS.
All characters can equip one skill (either active or passive), one primary weapon, and one secondary weapon. For example, "Program Infected", an active skill, allows Four Eyes to control an enemy and select whom it attacks. "Biometric Vision", a passive skill, lets her clearly see infected enemies and their weak points. Melee attacks are also possible by pressing melee button in conjunction with the analog stick, allowing the player to strike in front, behind, or to the sides of the character. Zombies can be used as cover ("meat shields") and special execution kills can be performed. Unlike previous iterations, the game allows players to run and shoot simultaneously. If a player is successfully bitten and later runs out of time after becoming infected, the player will lose control of their character and begin attacking their former teammates until shot in the head, allowing the player to respawn. The game also utilizes a bleeding mechanic, meaning characters who have been badly wounded will be deemed "bleeding out", giving their screen a blood red hue and making them a higher priority target to nearby infected than others.
Alongside the single-player mode, the game also utilized four player co-operative multiplayer. The team is supported and given orders throughout the game by "U.S.S. Command" via radio. Evidence can be uploaded to Umbrella via laptops found throughout the game. Upon completion of a mission, experience points are awarded along with an overall score. Extra experience points can be gained through the collection and uploading of evidence, as well as finding the stuffed raccoon hidden in each mission. Experience points are account-wide and can be spent on any character to increase skills or used to purchase new weapons for the entire team.
All characters can equip one skill (either active or passive), one primary weapon, and one secondary weapon. For example, "Program Infected", an active skill, allows Four Eyes to control an enemy and select whom it attacks. "Biometric Vision", a passive skill, lets her clearly see infected enemies and their weak points. Melee attacks are also possible by pressing melee button in conjunction with the analog stick, allowing the player to strike in front, behind, or to the sides of the character. Zombies can be used as cover ("meat shields") and special execution kills can be performed. Unlike previous iterations, the game allows players to run and shoot simultaneously. If a player is successfully bitten and later runs out of time after becoming infected, the player will lose control of their character and begin attacking their former teammates until shot in the head, allowing the player to respawn. The game also utilizes a bleeding mechanic, meaning characters who have been badly wounded will be deemed "bleeding out", giving their screen a blood red hue and making them a higher priority target to nearby infected than others.
Alongside the single-player mode, the game also utilized four player co-operative multiplayer. The team is supported and given orders throughout the game by "U.S.S. Command" via radio. Evidence can be uploaded to Umbrella via laptops found throughout the game. Upon completion of a mission, experience points are awarded along with an overall score. Extra experience points can be gained through the collection and uploading of evidence, as well as finding the stuffed raccoon hidden in each mission. Experience points are account-wide and can be spent on any character to increase skills or used to purchase new weapons for the entire team.
Development History
The idea for the game came about during the development of "Lost Planet 2". 4 The May 2011 edition of the Official Xbox Magazine, released on April 5, showed an image of an individual in a gas mask along with the Umbrella logo on the issue's cover.5 On November 1, 2010 Kotaku reported on a rumor that Slant Six Games, developer of "SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation", was developing Resident Evil: Raccoon City. On its website, Slant Six Games wrote that it was currently developing "an amazing new project" that was unannounced, which was developed in conjunction with a "new publishing partner on a world class franchise."6 As of March, 2011, Masachika Kawata estimated the game to be 45% complete. According to Kawata, there were currently discussions on introducing new enemy creatures into the game.7 A special collectors edition of the game was announced which contained a steelbook design, U.S.S. and SPEC OPS patches, 10 art cards and a download code for 8 special in-game weapons.
Footnotes
- 1. BIOHAZARD Operation Raccoon City Official Website
- 2. Producer Masachika Kawata reveals all on the Resident Evil spin-off
- 3. Ask The Producers - January 18th
- 4. "Dossier - Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City". PlayStation: Le Magazine Officiel - France (Yellow Media) (49): 44-53. April 2011.
- 5. "Report: Squad-based 'Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City' detailed in new OXM". Joystiq.com. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
- 6. Michael McWhertor (November 1, 2010). "Rumor: Resident Evil In The Hands Of SOCOM Team". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- 7. "Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Producer Speaks". 1UP.com. Retrieved 30 March 2011.