We may not ever get a third Resident Evil Outbreak, even as Capcom continues to experiment with multiplayer modes in Operation Raccoon City and the upcoming Umbrella Corps. It’s frustrating, sure, but if that’s the scratch you’re looking to itch, you can’t go wrong with Contagion.
Contagion is a rare example of a multiplayer-centric horror game that’s genuinely great. It’s more Resident Evil than Resident Evil currently is, and it’s one of the few crowdfunded indies that delivered on its promise and then some.
In the two years since its release, developer Monochrome has been supporting it with a steady stream of patches and new content, much of it free. The latest addition is a mode called Flatline, and it’s available now in a public beta. Unlike the modes it’s joining, Flatline will not feature player-controlled zombies. It’s a purely wave survival-based mode, and it looks like the sort of thing I could sink hours into. Have a look.
“We wanted to create an environment that was focused solely on a cooperative experience with the pressures of surviving waves of the infected,” explains Monochrome. “Survive by watching each others back as well as the limitations each wave affects on weapons, ammo, as well as items that unlock more of the map as you progress.”
“To help there are traps you can setup and if just one of you can survive the round you will once again come back to join the fight in the hopes of surviving Flatline.”
I’ll see you on the streets. I’ll be the one in the fancy hat, standing atop a mound of freshly slain ghouls, shotgun in one hand and a magnum in the other, like a damn hero. I may even wear a cape.
