Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, is an upcoming 2012 third-person shooter video game with online playability for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It is developed by Slant Six Games and published by Capcom. The game will be a new installment in the Resident Evil series of video games and will be developed by Slant Six Games instead of Capcom. It is set at the same time as Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, but is unrelated to the main series storyline and is a "what-if", non-canon entry in the series.

Plot
The game is separated into two sides: the U.S.S. side and the SPECOPS side (DLC). Each side has six chapters, where players can choose four of the six playable characters per side.

U.S.S. storyline
U.S.S. Delta team (also known as "Wolfpack") enters the Raccoon City Underground Laboratory, where they meet up with Alpha team leader HUNK. Their mission to assist the Alphas in stopping Dr. Birkin from handing over his G-Virus research to the US Military and retrieve the G-Virus. On their way to Birkin's lab, they find that Birkin has paid-off numerous UBCS mercenaries into working for him while the deal goes forward. When they reach Birkin's lab, the doctor is fired upon from behind a closed door and HUNK and another Alpha leave with the samples. Heading up the elevator to meet up with Goblin 6, they soon find that Birkin has survived the attack and infected himself with the virus. The creature proceeds to kill off most of Alpha team before disappearing; HUNK offers to go back in search of the sample.

Not long after the battle, it becomes evident that the t-Virus has leaked city-wide, and people begin to transform into zombies soon after. In what they see as a punishment by USS Command, Delta team is ordered to remove evidence of Umbrella's role in the outbreak. Heading into Raccoon City Hall, Delta Team meets UBCS mercenary and monitor Nicholai Zinoviev; he is soon revealed as a traitor and attempts to kill the Wolfpack.

Later, the team is sent out around Raccoon Park to find the Nemesis-T Type, which has gone rogue. A second parasite is injected into its body in order to bring it back under control. Shortly after this mission is completed, the team is then sent out to the Raccoon City Police Department, ordered to kill any surviving police officers and destroy evidence linking the company to the outbreak. When this is all done, the team exits the station, and soon after encounter Leon S. Kennedy, whom they begin to hunt down.

Development
The May 2011 edition of the Official Xbox Magazine, to be released on April 5, shows an image of an individual in a gas mask along Umbrella, Inc. logo on the issue's cover. 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."

In an interview with 1up.com, Masachika Kawata estimated the game, as of March 30, 2011, to be 45% complete.

Wolfpack
An elite team of the Umbrella Security Service sent to kill any survivors and destroy all the evidence about the company's culpability for the infamous outbreak.
 * "VECTOR" - Master of stealth, real name unknown
 * Hector Hivers - Explosives expert, codename "BELTWAY"
 * Karen LesProux - Team leader, codename "LUPO"
 * Vladimir Bodrovski - Designated marksman, codename "SPECTRE"
 * Michaela Heinzwaffen - Team medic, codename "BERTHA"
 * Christine Yamata - Field scientist, codename "FOUR EYES"

Echo Six
An elite squad of the SPEC OPS FIELD UNIT sent by the US Government to find the truth about the outbreak and rescue the civilians of Raccoon City.
 * Caroline Floyd - Recon, codename "Willow"
 * Crispin Jettingham - Team leader / Assault, codename "Dee-Ay"
 * Marissa Ronson - Demolitions expert, codename "Tweed"
 * Erez Morris - Team medic, codename "Harley"
 * Lawrence Kimbala - Field scientist, codename "Shona"
 * Sienna Fowler - Marksman, codename "Party Girl"

Classic characters
Currently, seven playable classic characters from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 were confirmed as playable in the new Heroes Mode and encounters in the main story line of the game. Characters like Leon, Claire and Jill can be killed by the USS to change the events of the series, meanwhile HUNK, Ada and Nicholai serves as support in specific chapters.

Also, a new character nicknamed LONE WOLF was confirmed to enter in the Heroes mode.
 * Leon S. Kennedy - A rookie cop and one of the surviving Raccoon City Police Department, and as a cop, he is targeted by the U.S.S.
 * Claire Redfield - College student and sister to Chris Redfield. She was "prosecuted" by the WOLFPACK.
 * Jill Valentine - A former S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team member and a survivor of the "mansion incident".
 * Carlos Oliveira - One of the few surviving U.B.C.S. mercenaries, he was confirmed in the same trailer as Jill.
 * HUNK - A U.S.S. veteran member known as "Mr. Death", confirmed via Inserted Evil clue #4; the Wolfpack met with him after he obtained a G-Virus sample.
 * Nicholai Zinoviev - A Russian mercenary of the U.B.C.S., he was confirmed to play a important role in the main game.
 * LONE WOLF - A legendary helicopter pilot of Umbrella, it is unknown if he appears in the main game, but he was confirmed as a playable character in the Heroes Mode.
 * Ada Wong - A female spy sent by The Organization to obtain a G-virus sample.

General gameplay
The game includes six selectable characters from the USS: FOUR EYES, LUPO, VECTOR, SPECTRE, BERTHA and BELTWAY. However, the players can choose only four characters for the on-line modes.

The game has players taking the role of one of the members of a U.S.S. clean up crew. Alongside a single player mode, the game will also offer a 4 player co-operative mode as the player experiences the events of the game. Operation Raccoon City will allow the player to make decisions that could have major repercussions on series canon, such as causing the death of Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield or Jill Valentine during the course of the game.

The game was focus in the action and shooter categories, depicting the survival horror origins of the series, in a third person perspective, like in Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, but with the addition when characters can walks/run and shoot, aim or reload his weapons.

If the characters was several injuried this bleeds to attract BOWs. Also, can be transformed into a zombie if he didn't cure his infection with a antiviral spray. The dead characters can be respawned by his comrades in the campaign mode, but this also can be respawn himself during the on-line modes after nine seconds before.

After a campaign scenario or multiplayer match, the players can earn EX points, depending the enemies killed during the game, secret items found and time taken(during the campaign missions). The EX points can be used to buy new weapons or upgrate the classes habilities.

The players can change their primary weapon to their secondary weapons using a so far unknown special button command, you can only carry two weapons: a primary and a secondary. Also, a new CQC style was introduced in the game, merging the blades cuts and phisical hits. The characters can uses a zombie as a shield, but while this, they can uses only his secondary weapon (handgun) to shoot.

Like in Resident Evil 5, characters can cure his comrades if them are close hims when uses a first aid or antiviral spray. The herbs returns, but only the green herb. The characters can cure himself using a herb but "in the place", despiting the carry or mergin of this.

Classes
Each character of the game has a unique class. Each class has five unique habilities: two pasive and three active. All the habilities can be upgrated using the EX points.

During the Heroes multuplayer reveal trailer, some classic characters uses the habilities of specific classes, like the main protagonist of the game. Currently, Claire can throw pheromone grenades, Nicholai can put mine traps, HUNK can turn invisible, Ada can inject herself a serum and Leon can shot fire rounds.

Enemies
The enemies from the game was selected from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. Zombies returns and these can hits and infects a characters with a bite. Crimson Heads returns from the original game remake, also the field scientist class characters can turn a zombie into a Crimson Head using his special ability. Other BOW like the Hunters, Lickers and the T-03 tyrant returns in the city. Also, a new enemy called Nemesis-beta was introduced in the game.

Bosses for the game included William Birkin first transformation, was confirmed for the first chapter of the game, and Nemesis T-type needs to injects a second parasite to be totally controlled. The T-03 transformation was confirmed too.

Human enemies are first introduced in the series. The characters can fight against the SpecOps operatives, UBCS mercenaries and RPD officers during specific chapters of the game. Also, in the DLC campaign for the EchoSix, the characters can fight against the USS members. Also, the characters can kill classic characters from the early games like Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield and Jill Valentine.

New additions
In March 27 of 2011, Capcom shows his first details of Operation Raccoon City in the french magazine of PlayStation. Currently this time, only four USS characters was confirmed to the game: VECTOR, SPECTER, BELTWAY and BERTHA, with the chance to kill Leon S. Kennedy. In 2011 E3, Capcom-unity anunced two new playable characters for the Wolfpack: LUPO, and FOUR EYES, also with the chance to kill Claire Redfield.

In early of 2012, Capcom reveals the new protagonist team called EchoSix, a elite squad of the US Goverment SpecOps. The characters are the countpart of the USS, sended to rescue civilians, discover the truth about the outbreak and the extermination of the USS.

In January of 2012, CAPCOM shows the details of the four multiplayer modes: Team Attack, Survivors, Biohazard and Heroes, this last one includes several classic characters seprated in two teams:
 * SpecOps: Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Carlos Oliveira and Jill Valentine.
 * USS: HUNK, Nicholai Ginovaef, Ada Wong and a new character called LONE WOLF.

In addition to the multiplayer modes, a confirmed Xbox 360 exclusive has been added. Players will engage in a new versus called "Nemesis Mode". Players will play as the Government Spec Ops versus the U.S.S.. Players will engage in combat to find a programmed Nemesis is in the area. Both teams must find the control device for the Nemesis B.O.W and program it to help eliminate the opposition. Nemesis Mode will be available for download on the release date of Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City for 320 Microsoft Points.

In March of 2012, according to the Capcom Blog, a free DLC mission will be released in April of 2012. The mission can be played with the SpecOps members and resembles some events of Resident Evil 3, including Jill and Nemesis encounter.

Confirmed weapons
The weapons for the game was taken from the first Resident Evil games, as well from SOCOM titles. The player begins the game with five basic weapons, but they can buy some others using his EX points. Currently, more of 45 weapons was confirmed via Kendo Gun Shop webpage.

The players need choosing a primary weapon before the game begins. The primary weapons was separated in six categories: shotguns, sniper rifles, submachine guns, assault rifles and machine guns, with between 4 and 6 weapons by each category. Also, the players can choose a secondary weapon, concentrated the handguns and magnums in the same weapon class.

During the game, the characters can unlock other weapons kept in metalic cases. That weapons includes flamethrowers, grenade launchers and others. Also, the characters can take this weapons from the killed humans enemies and allies.

Grenades returns in three categories, like in the past two games: frag grenades, flash grenades and incendiary grenades. The field scientist class also can carry a fourth grenade called pheromone grenade, used for attract the infected enemies in a specific point.

All the characters begins the game with a blade, used in the new martial arts CQC style, impaling and slicing the infected and human enemies. The characters can reload his ammunition reserves approaching to a ammo box in the stage for full reload the weapon ammo.

According with a trophy leak of the game, "secret weapons" was confirmed.

Downloadable weapons
Operation Raccoon City is the first game in the series to include DLC weapons, currently eight in total. Some weapons resembles past firearms from the early Resident Evil games, but with new designs and forms, and other was included in his first time apparition. Depending the pre-order retailer, the weapons are separated in four packs: However, the special edition of the games includes all the eight DLC weapons, alongside with the six alternate costumes for USS members.
 * Classic weapons: Matilda and Classic launcher. Reserving the game in any retailer.
 * Elite weapons: Combat SMG and Perforator.
 * Power weapons: Anti-matierial rifle and Combat shotgun.
 * Renegaded weapons: Automatic pistol and Cowboy shotgun.

Inventory
Unlike the past Resident Evil games, Operation Raccoon City didn't included a multiple cases inventory system, the typewriter save style, the puzzles, the item merging or the treasures hunting, focus in the quick selection and action.

The new inventory system can be changed depending the character classes, who can carry more specific items.&nbsp Resembles the Resident Evil 5's quick selection of items using the game pad, the game separated the most important items for the gameplay
 * Up button: reserved for special items for each class like the hypo gun, the sonar and thermal visions and bombs detonators.
 * Left button: reserved for the first aid sprays. Except the medic class, all the remaining classes can carry only one spray
 * Down button: reserved for the antiviral spray. Except the field scientist class, all the remaining classes can carry only one spray.
 * Right button: reserved for grenades. The players can carry three types of grenades: frag grenades, flash grenades and incendiary grenades, with the new pheromone grenade being used only by the field scientist class. Except the demolition class, all the remaining classes can carry only 3 grenades per type, the demolitions class also can get a timed sticky grenade along with lazer trip mines.

Release
The release date has been confirmed to be March 20th 2012 (North America), March 23rd 2012 (Europe) and April 26th 2012 (Japan).

A special edition of the game includes a steel cover for the game, 8 exclusive weapons and one alternate costume for Lupo, Vector, Spectre, Beltway, Bertha, Four Eyes.

If you pre-order the game at GameStop, BestBuy, Amazon.com, GAME (gets the same as GameStop), you will receive two DLC weapons different for each retailer.

Downloadable content
On March 15th 2012, Capcom announced the first downloadable content pack for Raccoon City. The pack, which is set to be released on April 10th free of charge. Itwill have the player enter Raccoon City as a member of a Spec Ops team deployed to determine the source of the deadly virus outbreak. The player will have to fight off countless waves of zombies, and trying to stop Umbrella Security Service and the B.O.W.'s to succeed in their mission. The storyline of the pack takes place between Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, and will re-visit the moment where Jill Valentine encounters the Nemesis.

Trivia

 * Originally shown was that the U.S.S only had four playable characters, that number was later increased to six.
 * According to Kawata, there are currently discussions on introducing brand-new B.O.W.s into the game.
 * In the demo, signs written on walls written in blood are seen around (often asking for HELP), this was already in the beta version of the original Resident Evil (1996), but for unknown reasons, blood signs were cut from the final product.
 * It is interesting to note that any recreated cut-scene in this game from RE2 or RE3 has the original lines of dialog.