Resident Evil Survivor

Did You Know?

• A Microsoft Windows version was released only in China and Taiwan on September 7, 2002.
• The Gun Survivor series was followed by three sequels for the PlayStation 2: Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica, Dino Stalker, and Resident Evil: Dead Aim.
• The Japanese and European versions were compatible with Namco's GunCon/G-Con 45 light gun, but light gun compatibility was removed from the North American release.

Gameplay

The player controls an amnesiac protagonist who must survive and uncover his identity. The gameplay combines first-person shooter and arcade-style light gun shooter elements. The player views the environment from the character's perspective and moves through it with the controller. To attack or destroy objects, the player presses a button to control a crosshair on the screen. With a light gun, players move by shooting off screen and turn using side buttons. Enemies are borrowed from Resident Evil 2, including zombies, Lickers, Ivy plants, Moth Giants, and Tyrants. The game also reintroduces Hunters from the first Resident Evil and adds two new enemies: the Umbrella Trashsweeper unit and the Hypnos T-Type Tyrant. The player's arsenal consists mostly of pistols like the Glock 17 and CZ75 with unlimited ammo, with larger weapons obtained later. Branching paths allow the player to influence the story's outcome.

Plot

After the missile explosion that destroyed Raccoon City, a helicopter crashes on the outskirts of Umbrella Corporation's private township on Sheena Island. The pilot escapes the burning wreckage with no memory of his identity or reasons for being there. He meets Andy Holland, who calls him Vincent Goldman and says he is responsible for the T-virus outbreak on the island. Due to his amnesia, he accepts this. Later, he encounters siblings Lott and Lily Klein, whose parents worked for Umbrella; they believe Umbrella is good and run from him. He follows them through the canal system to their house, where Lily tells him Lott has gone to a factory to find a way off the island. He tells Lily to stay and goes to the factory, infiltrating the Umbrella research facility and saving Lott from a Hunter. Lott reveals that the protagonist is actually Ark Thompson, a private detective sent by Leon S. Kennedy, and that Vincent Goldman is a different person. The facility then activates a self-destruct system, and Lott tells Ark about an underground railway station.

Reception

The PlayStation version received unfavorable reviews according to Metacritic. Edge praised the Japanese import's 3D environments but criticized the long loading screens between doors, concluding it was more of a cash-in than a knockout. Michael Weigand of GamePro stated that removing 'Resident Evil' from the title leaves a below-average corridor shooter. Eric Bratcher of NextGen said the Resident Evil universe could inspire a great gun game, but this one suffers from bad technology, unforgivable control limitations, and a lack of fun. In a retrospective review, Jon Thompson of AllGame noted the American version's lack of light gun support, found the pacing too slow for a shooter, and criticized the inability to look down due to crawling enemies.