About Resident Evil Outbreak
Capcom released Resident Evil Outbreak for the PlayStation 2 in Japan in December 2003 and in North America in March 2004. It was the first Resident Evil built around online play: four survivors, picked from a cast of eight ordinary Raccoon City residents, try to escape the city during the T-virus outbreak. Each character has a special skill, such as a police officer’s steady aim, a doctor’s medical know-how or a plumber’s toolbox, and the team has to share scarce ammunition and healing items.
There was no voice chat, so players talked through a set of quick commands. The European release lost online play altogether, and Capcom’s servers closed in North America at the end of 2007 and in Japan in 2011. A follow-up, Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, added five more scenarios in 2004 and 2005.
How it runs in your browser
Outbreak·Web is a preservation project that recompiles the PS2 game for the web with an open-source tool called ps2-web-recomp, rather than running it inside an emulator. There’s nothing to install: pick File #1 or File #2, and the game loads automatically on the site.
Online play works again, through the project’s own server. You can play solo, offline, or choose Network Play from the game’s own menu to go online. The site adds lobbies, a chat for finding a team, saves, guides and a choice of resolutions up to 1920×1536. When we checked, more than 500 people were on the File #1 page.
It’s a young project, and some players in its chat reported crashes partway through a scenario, so expect rough edges.
Controls and devices
Keyboard and controller both work, and F1 shows the controls in the game. A controller is the closer match to the PS2 original. It’s built for computers; phones aren’t listed.
Tips
Play a scenario solo first to learn the map, then go online. Outbreak’s scenarios are short but punishing, and knowing where the keys and healing items are makes you much more useful to a team.
Is Resident Evil Outbreak Free, Safe and Official?
Can I play Resident Evil Outbreak online in the browser?
Yes. Start the game, then choose Network Play from its own menu to join or host an online game with up to four players. The site also has lobbies and a chat for finding a team.
Are both Outbreak games included?
Yes. File #1 is the original game and File #2 is the 2004 follow-up. Each has five scenarios and its own page on the site.
Is this the official game?
No. Outbreak·Web is an unofficial preservation project and is not affiliated with Capcom.
