After the five-star thrills of Resident Evil 4 which revitalised the hackneyed horror series with stunning 3D worlds, slick controls and chilling new monsters that made the classic zombies look like Teletubbies this latest PS2 online edition feels like a step in the wrong direction.
Like in the original 1996 game the heroes movements feel awkward and robotic, and after the success of RE4 its a shame that Capcom returned to the clumsy controls of yesteryear. The communication problems that marred the original Outbreak have not been fully addressed either, making it tough to talk to other players online and work together effectively to escape the undead menace.
The sky-high production values and new locations such as an eerie hospital and zoo gotta love that zombie elephant! will delight hardened fans of the series, but with RE4 due to hit the PS2 in November, its hard to recommend this flawed adventure.