Build One Images

Build 2 Images

More Images: (Network Biohazard Gallery)
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First shown in October of 2002, Biohazard was set to make it's first step into the world of online gaming. The games original Japanese title was Network Biohazard and the USA and European releases were originally titled Resident Evil Online, fittingly. As we all know, they were eventually changed to Outbreak on both sides. The first Japanese build shown on their development kit looked amazing, as you can see through the build one images on the left. The final versions detail level was on par with the first build, but the colors had vastly deteriorated from the original showing. The colors had more saturation and gave more of an artistic look to the game, it kept it on par with the great artwork for the online title. Graphics and name aside, the game had some other differences as well. For one, the first build plan was to release Network Biohazard as a single game, spanning twelve scenarios. As you can see, many areas exclusive to File: 2 were shown from the start. Scenario mode character lobbies were also intact, though no other menus were shown at the time. Some other scenes that never made it were also shown, like Jim lending Yoko a hand in the one image. This was the first build shown and it looked great all around.

The second build shown was the American version, titled Resident Evil Online opposed to Network Biohazard. This version was shown in early 2003 and was in a playable form. Right off the bat you could tell the colors were drastically deteriorated from the development kits, but the detail was still great for a Playstation 2 game. The final version looked somewhat better than build two and certainly great overall, just not as good as the first build shown. More importantly a few things were taken out from this build that are visible to your left. Resident Evil Online featured actual injury detail, beyond the normal limps implemented in Biohazard 2. As you can see on Cindy's face she had blood from an injury, the splatter being one of many visible injuries a player would receive. In addition to the visible injuries, there were different scenes from when a character would turn into a zombie. Some were more dramatic, think leech man from The Hive. Finally and most importantly, the lack of one of the twelve originally planned scenarios, shown in the build two images. It played on the outskirts of town and started the player in a motel room on a storming night. From what was shown you could explore in the room, outside the room and it'd eventually bring the team to other cabin like areas. Some images from the missing scenario look more than similar to some of the other scenarios, interestingly enough. Chances are it was small or incomplete and areas from it were recycled to make the other scenarios more complete, where fitting. It's too bad though, because one thing that never was re-used was the motel area and at night it looked pretty atmospheric. Aside from having to buy two games instead of the initial one, the games polish were more than acceptable and we probably got the better product in the end. But like all betas, you can't help but wonder.


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