Resident Evil 6 Makes Its Debut

As I mentioned in a column last month, Resident Evil 6 (aka Biohazard 6 in Japan) was one of the games to note at the recent Tokyo Game Show.

It finally made its debut to the world. This third-person shooter game weaves multiple stories into a single narrative that untangles from various perspectives. Playing the game somewhat compares with watching a zombie movie.

“With its four campaigns offering both single and co-op play either online or offline plus additional modes such as Mercenaries and Agent Hunt, Resident Evil 6 is the most ambitious and comprehensive title of the series,” commented Michael Pattison, senior VP marketing, North America and Europe. “Furthermore, the promise of post release content and ResidentEvil.Net show Capcom’s commitment to support RE fans for many months to come.”

The storyline: It’s been 10 years since the Raccoon City incident, and the President of the United States has decided to reveal the truth behind what took place in the belief that it will curb the current resurgence in bioterrorist activity. At the president’s side is personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy. On the other side of the globe, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield arrives in China, itself under threat of a bioterrorist attack. With no country safe, the entire world’s population unites in the common fear that there is no hope left.

For the first time in this franchise, Resident Evil 6 sees the favorites Leon and Chris come together to face the unprecedented threat. They are joined by new characters, each with their own unique perspective and involvement. This iteration of the game has little in common with the movies of the same title, but does involve lots of running and shooting. There are still zombies and monsters, and now there are abundant car chases, exploding helicopters and shootouts in secret paramilitary facilities.

It will take you about 25 hours to go through all four campaigns of this Resident Evil adventure. Three of the adventures feature stars of characters from previous versions of the game, and the fourth adventure is a solo one. Players who complete any of the game’s campaign earn the right to invade the play of others. Doing this allows you to become mutating soldiers, zombies or zombie dogs. Plus you can invade others’ sessions and cause them untold grief.

In addition, launching alongside the game is ResidentEvil.Net, a free Web service designed to enhance your Resident Evil 6 experience and bring together players from around the world. Here you can view all your game statistics and those of your friends, receive updates via your mobile device or social networks, plus compete in events with the chance to win in-game prizes.

If you’re a big Resident Evil or zombie movie fan, this is for you. Resident Evil 6 is available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and soon, a version for your PC, too. It is rated M for Mature and retails for $59.99.