Outbreak: The New Nightmare

There are some games out there that are "so-bad-its-good," like most of Swery's games. Outbreak: The New Nightmare is one of those "so-bad-it-gave-me-depression" ones. The developer likely is inexperienced, and working with almost no budget, but not everyone should make a game. The saying "anyone can make a game", means that a good game designer can come from anywhere. All survival-horror fans must stay away from this one.

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"Outbreak: The New Nightmare" is a survival horror game set in a city overrun by the undead. Players must scavenge for supplies, face off against zombies, and try to escape with their lives. The game features local co-op play for up to two players and high definition 3D graphics. It is a chilling love letter to classic 90s survival horror games.

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Reviews

51%

Audience ScoreBased on 319 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic Resident Evil titles, particularly the Outbreak series, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
It offers a cooperative multiplayer experience that can be fun when played with friends, enhancing the overall gameplay.
The developer shows dedication to improving the game, with frequent updates and responsiveness to community feedback.

The game suffers from poor animations, clunky controls, and frustrating camera angles that can detract from the experience.
There is a lack of content and variety, with only one scenario available at the moment, making it feel incomplete.
The multiplayer aspect is nearly non-existent, as the player base is very low, making it difficult to find games to join.

graphics
46 mentions
22 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting issues such as clipping, graphical glitches, and subpar animations. While some appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic survival horror games, others criticize the overall visual quality, describing it as outdated and in need of significant polish. Despite these shortcomings, a few players acknowledge improvements over previous entries, suggesting that the developer is making progress in enhancing the game's visual integrity.
- “The graphics are a nice boost from the pseudo flash animation look of the first game.”
- “The story is written pretty well, the graphics are pretty damn good and the sound and music makes it sound like a Resident Evil game.”
- “The graphics remind me of good old classic survival horror, with the option for tank controls to give the finishing touch.”
- “The visuals are a tad murky, the camera movement much too chaotic, and the zombies, gore, and character animations are a little on the lame side.”
- “Graphics are cell phone app game bad.”
- “The graphics are bad, the animation is so stiff and there's only one for many actions (holding a pistol, shotgun, rifle, magnum, grenade launcher is the same clipping mess of a stance).”
gameplay
43 mentions
14 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its homage to classic survival horror mechanics like inventory management and fixed cameras, while others criticize it for lacking depth and complexity. Players have noted issues such as clunky controls, frustrating backtracking, and repetitive level design, but some enjoy the local and online co-op features. Overall, while the game captures the essence of older titles, it struggles with execution and innovation, leaving room for improvement in future updates.
- “Classic Resident Evil gameplay with local co-op splitscreen for 2 players and 4 online.”
- “I love how this is a Resident Evil Outbreak clone that actually works. The gameplay so far is fun, and the controls are way more improved compared to the original Outbreak games. It's a little dark at times on some levels, but it still works.”
- “Gameplay and mechanics are fun, and the developer shows a lot of dedication to his continuing progress, with better work, frequent fair pricing, and attention to his catalog.”
- “Age-old mechanics are nowhere to be found either: you cannot interact with dropped items unless you have empty space in your inventory - which means that every time you want to pick something up and combine it, like the red herb equivalent, or ammo, you have to free it up.”
- “Generic asset flip with store bought assets, awful gameplay, baffling level design, samey corridors and rooms due to only having 3 and a half wall models to work with, nonexistent sound design, and ridiculous balancing.”
- “Gameplay involves you running around collecting a key to go explore a new area where; spoiler alert; you get another key and have to backtrack all the way to the other side of the map.”
story
37 mentions
11 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The game's story has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that it relies heavily on reading notes and diaries rather than offering meaningful environmental storytelling. Reviewers expressed disappointment in the disjointed narrative flow and the overall uninspired mapping, leading some to feel that the gameplay is more compelling than the story itself. While there are characters with backstories, the consensus is that the storyline fails to captivate or motivate continued play.
- “The story is written pretty well, the graphics are pretty damn good, and the sound and music make it feel like a Resident Evil game.”
- “This game is very 'Resident Evil: Outbreak' esque, but it has its own story, own characters, and some really cool bosses.”
- “+ 3 modes named campaign mode which is the story, onslaught mode which is an endless wave mode that gets harder the more players progress, and experiments mode which is other objectives and challenges.”
- “Has no story, so I'm not inclined to continue playing.”
- “Lastly, I don't like the way the story starts and ends for each stage, and it doesn't flow together at all.”
- “The mapping/storytelling is similarly uninspired, so I'll be honest... I didn't get too far in before deciding that life is entirely too short for such shenanigans.”
music
14 mentions
43 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it fun and reminiscent of classic horror themes, while others criticize it as generic and lacking in intensity, which detracts from the overall atmosphere. Many noted that the sound design is overshadowed by environmental noises like footsteps and zombie moans, leading to a lack of memorable musical moments. Overall, there is a consensus that the music needs to be more impactful to enhance the horror experience.
- “We also thought the music was pretty fun.”
- “The story is written pretty well, the graphics are pretty damn good and the sound and music makes it sound like a Resident Evil game.”
- “The new areas can have different weather patterns, notes, music, and camera angles (which I especially liked in Faith).”
- “Music was basically nonexistent; I can't really recall any sounds during the entire hour of the first level because of footsteps, zombie moans, and gunshots.”
- “The music is extremely generic and ruins the atmosphere.”
- “It needs more intense atmosphere and music to make it a horror game.”
atmosphere
14 mentions
57 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere receives mixed reviews, with some praising its beautiful effects and dark, immersive environment reminiscent of classic survival horror games. However, many players feel it lacks intensity and impactful music, which are crucial for enhancing the horror experience. Overall, while there are commendable atmospheric elements, improvements in sound design and animation are needed to fully realize its potential.
- “There are some really beautiful atmospheric effects, like how the foggy hiking trail level turns your flashlight and muzzle flashes into a blinding strobe effect.”
- “Now on the positive side, it's dark, has great atmosphere, and is very heavy on item management like the Resident Evil classics that we all know and love.”
- “+ a good horror atmosphere”
- “Atmosphere wasn't there, and for a Resident Evil-inspired game, it should be one of the defining points.”
- “It needs more intense atmosphere and music to make it a horror game.”
- “The only thing that's missing is better background music to help set the atmosphere for each level.”
optimization
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting low frame rates, stuttering, and poor screen space utilization, particularly on laptops. Many believe that significant improvements in optimization could enhance the overall experience and justify a higher price point.
- “If you can get this game to run more optimized, it could definitely be sold for $20 easily.”
- “It's ten times more worth the effort, and you get the full experience instead of this simple point-and-shoot infinite ammo mayhem with little to no optimization or anti-aliasing.”
- “The use of screen space is not optimized at all.”
- “I was getting stupid low FPS, and frame skipping/stuttering.”
- “I think your camera views are Resident Evil perfect, but unfortunately the game is not optimized for my laptop.”
humor
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily derived from its quirky camera angles and character animations, which evoke laughter during exploration but can become inconvenient during combat. Players appreciate the comedic elements as a nostalgic homage to classic Resident Evil titles, particularly noting amusing character movements that add to the overall charm.
- “The camera angles made me laugh a lot.”
- “The way the characters moved also made me laugh a lot.”
- “This is a really intriguing homage to classic Resident Evil. So far, the only issue I've noticed is some funny character walking animation (she walks a bit like she has clown shoes on), but that's pretty minor... I really get a strong 'Code Veronica' vibe.”
stability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, with users reporting no significant glitches or control issues. While some players are indifferent to visual imperfections like clipping and graphical glitches, the gameplay experience remains smooth and free of major bugs.
- “There is quite a chunk of content here and the achievements aren't buggy.”
- “The game is plagued by frequent crashes and stability issues that ruin the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that made it difficult to progress, severely impacting the game's stability.”
- “The game often freezes during critical moments, leading to frustrating interruptions.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly in cooperative play where character variations and RPG-style level-ups enhance the experience. However, solo play can become repetitive due to backtracking and limited inventory, which may diminish the overall replay value for individual players. Ongoing content updates promise to further enrich the game's replayability.
- “Playing through in co-op is a blast, especially when each player assumes a role in the group. The RPG-style level-ups are also a welcome touch that adds to the replayability, and there are still more scenarios and content coming, which is great! I can't wait to see the game when it's finished!”
- “I can see a lot of replay value here with groups, but it does get pretty stale solo after a while due to all the backtracking with your limited inventory.”
- “I can see a lot of replay value here with groups, but it does get pretty stale solo after a while, due to all the backtracking with your limited inventory.”
- “That game's replayability came from the variation that each character brought to a level, and this outbreak game is no different.”
- “Playing through in co-op is a blast, especially when each player assumes a role in the group. The RPG-style level-ups are also a welcome touch that adds to the replayability, and there are still more scenarios and content coming, which is great!”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers around 10 hours of content, but many achievements require significant grinding, which can extend playtime. While the core experience is enjoyable, the grindy aspects may deter some players from completing all achievements.
- “There's about 10 hours of content here before you've seen everything. At this time, I'm at 11 hours and have done all the achievements besides the grindy ones... I'll get to them eventually.”
- “The grind feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “After completing the main story, the grind for additional content becomes tedious and repetitive.”