Taking one for the Team: co-operative Zombie style (#2)

Surprise! Zombies again!

So in yet again another attempt to save you some money, I am picking up Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City as soon as its released. This will allow me to test it out and share my experiences with you, letting you know whether it's worth your time and money. Except for Swag who should absolutely go and buy it right away so he can continue to comment about how every bad game he bought is our fault. We wouldn't want to take that from him.

Some of our more astute readers will remember that we did this experimental game testing last year with Dead Island which turned out to be some of my best writing (of last year). And yes, we know, I set the bar so high. I'll even link to the Dead Island series at the end of this story. No need to thank me.

Last year Dead Island, a brand new IP with no pedigree. This year? Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. Resident Evil with out Milla, true, but still, Resident Evil. A little higher profile zombie killing game than last year's Dead Island.

More on Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City from the official site:

It is September 1998 and the action centres on the ill-fated Raccoon City and the horrific consequences of the deadly T-virus outbreak, developed at the Umbrella facility. With a cover up required, Umbrella orders an elite team into Raccoon City to destroy all evidence of the outbreak and eliminate any survivors. Meanwhile, the US Government has quarantined the city and dispatched its own team of elite soldiers to determine the source of the mysterious outbreak. You are an Umbrella Security Services soldier (U.S.S.), competing alone or in up to four player co-op in a battle against all the competing forces at play in Raccoon City. Expect the return of original Resident Evil enemies, iconic landmarks such as the Raccoon City Police Department and fan favourite characters, including Leon S. Kennedy, who, as a rookie police officer in Raccoon City, is on your hit list to eliminate.

• Experience the Fear: Set in the terrifying world of Resident Evil
• Three Corner Conflict: Bio-Organic Weapons (B.O.W) and zombies create an unpredictable third force and additional challenge on the battlefield, adding chaos to the shooter game play.
• Campaign Mode - both single player and up to 4 player co-op: You are part of the Umbrella Security Service. Protect the truth behind the T-Virus outbreak by any means necessary.
• Fight Online: Robust and fully featured online multiplayer modes
• Define your Play Style: Gain new abilities and skills unique to your playable character as your experience level increases.
• International Team Development: a high quality, fully loaded, third person co-op / multiplayer shooter developed in collaboration between Capcom Japan development studios and an experienced Western multiplayer specialist studio.

So that is in in a nutshell. I'll buy it. I'll play it. I'll report on it. You can decide whether (or not) to buy it yourself.

Here is why I am looking forward to Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City:

• Resident Evil universe
• Regular FPS controls, not the broken Resident Evil 5 controls.
• Four player cooperative campaign
• Four on four on zombies adversarial play

Essentially there are zombies all through the adversarial mode including zombie bosses. Do I shoot Stormblade or do I shoot the zombie attacking all of us?

Look the zombie lived! Which technically doesn't really answer the question now, does it?

That's it for my Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City story but if you want to read last year's series on Dead Island here are the links as promised.

In its entirety, Hoc Experiences Dead Island the series:

Pay attention to the banner changes as that's part of the humour.

1. Taking one for the team: co-operative Zombie style
   
2. Release Day
   
3. Two days in
4. Three days in
5. Four (and one half) days in
6. Day whatever
7. The continuing saga
8. …
9. No man is a (Dead) island
10. There is no Horde Mode
11. Single player online multi-player
12. Liar! (my favourite)
13. Coconut hunting

Only seven days left...