The Resident Evil Podcast

As Remake 2 creeps ever closer, time to take another trip back to Raccoon City with our review of Outbreak File 2. Originally recorded way back in 2013, we look back at the news of the time, including a Shinji Mikami interview where he comments on the change of direction for the franchise related to sales of the original remake. Other news includes the possible reveal of Resident Evil 7 through the resume of a costume designer and we also look back at our recent trip to Bristol and getting caught up in a biohazard infecting the whole town. Then there is an important reveal that our chief translator for ongoing projects seems to be a random woman working in Tesco... For the main discussion the team look back at File 2 of the Outbreak series. Released to much criticism following the massive success of Resident Evil 4, this title was soon confined to memory and bargain bins across the globe. But was it simply a failed online experiment or actually a hidden gem that was released way ahead of its time? Special guest is the Selfish Gene. Enjoy.

Another golden oldie now as we slowly but surely work through the back catalogue of old episodes. This one covers the original release of Resident Evil Zero on the Nintendo Game Cube and was originally recorded in August 2013. The news at the time was pretty slow with Capcom seeking feedback on the polarising Resident Evil 6 and the release of Naughty Dog's 'The Last of Us' being more in line with what fans expect from a survival horror title. For the main discussion Batman largely stands alone in his defence of Zero with the majority opinion being that it failed to capture the magic of Remake and the implementation of too many gimmicks such as the partner zapping and lack of item boxes soured the experience somewhat. As always we discuss what was good, what was bad, and analyse the characters, environments, enemies, and the story. So if you're into giant insects, leeches, magic elevators and comic book NPC powers, this one is for you. Special community guest is Yoke.

In this HD remastered (and full price) edition of our original Revelations podcast, the team sit down to re-evaluate the game following its recent transition to current gen consoles, opening it up to a much wider audience. We assess how well the visual up-scale works and if there is enough difference here to warrant a potential second purchase. We also review how well or how badly the game has aged since it's initial release and whether our original opinions have changed since we first played on the 3DS. We also feature a sub-discussion on the recently concluded Biohazard Marhawa Desire and attempt to summarise the story and ask whether it stands up as a prequel to Resident Evil 6. The archaic Mr. Spencer also provides his professional opinion on the forced censorship of Japanese pornography; a slight deviation from the main topics at hand, but a necessary one.

Another one from the archives now as we go back to one of the old classics. Here the team return to J's Bar in Raccoon City where it all began as we assess the first Outbreak game. All the scenarios are looked at as well as the characters the enemies and of course the online element. Was the game a missed opportunity or underrated and vastly ahead of its time? Originally recorded June 2013.

This week the team look back fondly on the title that brought the curtain down on Raccoon City; Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. This one remains a firm favourite with most of our team and our retrospective rekindles many fond memories of dashing round uptown and downtown Raccoon, trying to avoid the infamous Nemesis T-Type. It is a bit slow on the news front but we briefly discuss the Left 4 Dead 2 crossover with Resident Evil 6 and Rachel Foley's inclusion for Raid Mode in Revelations HD. Then in the main chat the titular game is dissected from top to bottom as we cover characters, setting, enemies, game play and weaponry as well as the music, the criticisms the game received upon release and its lasting legacy across the series. So sit back, relax, turn off the lights and remember Nemesis when he was downright terrifying as opposed to the kitten he later became in Umbrella Chronicles.

A lot to cover in this episode as we briefly discuss the big community news of Resident Evil 1.5 being finally released to the public at large and what the implications of this may be for the fanbase and future of the series. We also speculate on interesting comments made by series producer Masachika Kawata's about Resident Evil/Biohazard potentially requiring a reboot in the near future. Following that, this week's sub-discussion is on the Japanese exclusive 'Prelude to the Fall' manga comic before the panel move on to focus on Umbrella Chronicles itself; first released for the Nintendo Wii all the way back in 2007 before being touched up and re-released on Playstation 3 in 2012. Here we discuss the game mechanics and the overall storyline, going through each main campaign and bonus scenario in turn. We also look at the quite spectacular voice acting (cue lots of 'interesting' impersonations), and the legacy of the game.

Rombie of Residentevilfan.com returns for a second stint in the guest’s chair for this retrospective look-back on one of the more forgotten and often mocked entries in the series; Resident Evil: Survivor. Apologies in advance for some rather eccentric Ark Thompson and Vincent’s mother impressions! But despite Survivor being an easy target with its cheap production values and cringe-worthy voice acting, our team peels back the surface and puts forward a compelling argument in support of this title. Rombie provides some fascinating insight into its development history and the gun support, Neptune and S.T.A.R.S_Tyrant talk up the music and the foreboding atmosphere the game is able to generate despite its cheap look, and News Bot and TheBatman discuss and explain some of the more ambiguous story aspects about the Hypnos Tyrant and the T-103 production process. Overall this is a frank and fair discussion that hopefully will encourage fans to give this game another go and hopefully re-evaluate their opinions. But perhaps the most interesting lesson you'll take from this is listening to George Trevor's rationale for why Bruce Forsythe may have looked younger in the 1970's than he does now...

After being MIA since Episode 8, the manhunt for Mr. Spencer finally ends as Neptune locates him in a rundown bar in Southampton with a hole in his memory and overwhelming feelings of guilt. After insulting the barmaid and almost starting a bar fight, Neptune persuades Mr Spencer to return to the Resident Evil Podcast fold. It’s where he belongs… The main focus of this episode is a retrospective review of 2012 due to the unprecedented amount of media that was released for the series.Despite being of varying quality, we look back at Resident Evil: Revelations,Operation Raccoon City, Resident Evil: Damnation and of course Resident Evil 6, offering thoughts and opinion with reflective eyes. Neptune was also planning an extensive review of Resident Evil: Retribution but thankfully the threat of death from the rest of the panel vetoed such a feature. We finish with a small segment on our hopes for the series moving forward and finally the quiz.

Originally recorded just weeks after the game's initial release in October 2012, this episode features a fully comprehensive breakdown of the entire game from story, to characters, to game play and those god-awful vehicle sections. No stone is left unturned as Resident Evil 6, the good and the bad, is taken to task by the REP team. Neptune cannot work out how we've evolved from searching for gold crests round a spooky old mansion to chasing evil clones round China in a Mazda MX5, whilst S.T.A.R.S_Tyrant builds up Derek Simmons as a potential Albert Wesker successor only to be dismayed by Capcom's ultimate resolution for him. Meanwhile, George Trevor searches hard for any positives about the game and TheBatman breaks down the overall plot and talks a bit about some of the new organisations and world-building aspects that add to the overall universe. But perhaps the biggest question remaining is where exactly can the series can go from here? So sit back, turn off the lights and relax. This is the big one...

Released just prior to Resident Evil 6 back in September 2012, this CG canon sequel to 2008's Degeneration sees the return of Leon S. Kennedy; this time dispatched to a small country known as the Eastern Slav Republic to combat the latest bioterrorism threat. We join him on that journey and discuss what the film adds to the overall mythology. There are many interesting things to debate such as the inclusion of Las Plagas and the welcome return of both the Licker and the Tyrant. We also get the first chronological appearance of Ada Wong since the events of Resident Evil 4. Also included in this season 1 finale of our pokey little podcast is the climactic ending to Neptune's biohazard quiz.

Resident Evil 5 came with huge expectations but was seen as a great disappointment by many, but here STARS_Tyrant and TheBatman lead the RE5 defence force, praising the gameplay and the story. George Trevor talks up Lost in Nightmares but finds little else to enjoy and Neptune has never been happy about the linear aspects of the game and how Chris and Sheva quickly move through each area with no opportunities to backtrack and explore. Every aspect of the game is covered as well as a small section covering the unused beta concepts of the game. In the news we also review the second public demo of Resident Evil 6 before the game's final release.

Originally recorded just prior to the release of Resident Evil 6, our panel sits down to discuss Resident Evil Code: Veronica - perhaps one side of the same coin alongside Resident Evil Zero in terms of love and hate. Neptune and George Trevor are big fans of the game but TheBatman not so much. We discuss the switch to full 3D as well as the plot, characters, setting, enemies and all other elements making up the game. Was bringing back Wesker the right move? Were the Ashford's any good, and was D.I.J a top-secret experiment in league with Derek Simmons? All this and more is discussed within. Joining us for this episode is special guest Thomas Wilde; author of the legendary Resident Evil Plot Analysis from gamefaqs and a document every Resident Evil fan worth their salt should be fully aware of. As well as joining us for the Code: Veronica chat, Thomas gives a lengthy interview explaining the origins of the plot analysis, his motivations for writing it and his progress with updates whilst working professionally on other projects. Finally the episode concludes with another well-researched quiz as always!

Another classic episode from the archives as we take a look at the critically acclaimed Resident Evil Remake on the Nintendo Game Cube. Each panel member recalls their origins with the game and the impact it had on them personally. We also discuss the improvements such as the photo-realistic graphics, the added story sections and of course the Crimson Heads. Stepping into the guest's chair this week is Rombie from residentevilfan - A New Blood. Rob goes into his own history with the franchise and reminds us all of how he was one of the original and most successful fansite webmasters. News discussion includes more build up towards the release of Resident Evil 6 and George Trevor tries and largely fails to explain the progress of the Marhawa Desire manga now that the first volume is complete.

In this episode we look back at this direct sequel to Umbrella Chronicles which released back in November 2009. Joining us for this one is one of our very own staff members in Sindra who has much to say about Claire Redfield and the impact of strong, independent female characters in modern gaming. Unfortunately it just had to be this episode with our first female guest that Mr. Spencer had one too many glasses of wine... But amidst the awkward flirting we have an in-depth discussion on Darkside Chronicles with a particular focus on Operation: Javier. We assess Javier Hidalgo, his daughter Manuela and the return of the t-Veronica virus and Jack Krauser. We also touch upon the retellings of Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica with Memories of a Lost City and Game of Oblivion respectively. There is also a debate on the new camera, the new mechanics and the bonus content before deciding whether it is an improvement over Umbrella Chronicles or not. Originally recorded in August 2012.

With Resident Evil 7 almost upon us, it's time for another episode from the archives now as we travel back all the way back to summer 2012 when Capcom released the first playable demo of Resident Evil 6 to users who purchased Dragon's Dogma. This demo featured short segments from each campaign along with some horrendous screen-tearing. It's interesting now after all this time to look back on our hopes and impressions several months before the final polarising product was unleashed upon the world. Also released during this time was the reveal trailer for Resident Evil: Damnation featuring Ada Wong and a man everyone believed at the time was Derek Simmons conrolling the Lickers. Good times.

Slowly but surely we're working our way back to the very beginning and now comes another episode that's almost 5 years old can you believe... This time we look at the absolute masterpiece that is Resident Evil 2, almost a perfect sequel in many ways and one of the biggest games of 1998. In the news discussion we are still getting bogged down in the aftermath of Operation Raccoon City and there is a brief chat on Resident Evil 1.5 before moving onto the main event. Each of us has fond memories of Resident Evil 2 and we talk about the storyline, the atmosphere, the scenario zapping system and the characters. So enjoy this retrospective look back on an old classic before Capcom unleashes Remake 2 and ruins everything. Our guests this week are The Selfish Gene from The Horror is Alive and Welsh.

Delving back into the archives once again we have for your listening pleasure our review of the very diversive Resident Evil 4; the game some say saved the franchise and others believe destroyed it. Originally recorded in April 2012 the news is dominated by more post-release reaction to Operation Raccoon City with the introduction of the timed exclusive Nemesis mode DLC for the XBox, prompting Neptune to enquire if we can get his tentacle out... Fittingly our community guest is Smiley; a man who very wisely invested his entire inheritance in bulk buying Operation Raccoon City in the hopes it would be a massive success. Needless to say he is still not a millionaire. We have a sub-discussion on the many beta builds of Resident Evil 4, discussing black fog, hookmen, Devil May Cry 4 and the influences of games such as Haunting Ground and Clock Tower. Early story builds included Spencer's sons and the origins of the Progenitor Virus which would have been much more agreeable to what we eventually got. For the main discussion, we go through the game from top to bottom, talking about the new gameplay style and controls, as well as the obvious switch to action from horror. We go through the characters and enemies, lamenting Umbrella's pre-credits demise and of course explain how the infamous boulder has eclipsed Albert Wesker as the series best recurring villain. Spoiler alert: Mr Spencer's favourite part of Resident Evil 4 is the fact that Jill is not in it.

Time to go back to the archives again as we revisit a criminally overlooked classic with Resident Evil: Dead Aim/Gun Survivor 4: Heroes Never Die. This particular title is a favourite amongst the REP team and we break the game down and see how it has stood up to the test of time. Originally recorded in April 2012 this episode also features a comprehensive breakdown of the Resident Evil 6 Captivate trailer and several Alex Wesker theories years before Revelations 2 was born. We also discuss how Japanese translations have revealed a completely different outlook on the history of the t-Virus, providing yet another example of how much Western audiences are missing out on important plot details. Finally, making his debut as a guest is none other than Sean 'S.T.A.R.S_TyranT' Hall who would later join our team on a permanent basis. Please enjoy.

Time for another early episode plucked from the dusty shelves of the archives cupboard. This time we go back to 2012, shortly after the release of the highly controversial Operation Raccoon City. Following hot on the heels of Resident Evil Revelations on the 3DS, this initial review was done before the release of the arguably much better Spec Ops DLC campaign and in the midst of what was a troubling time for the series. This game saw release around the time veteran series producer Masachika Kawata stated Resident Evil was too big for the survival horror market and that the series should increase the action focus of RE4 and 5, something that didn't go down well with fans at that time. Join Neptune, Batman, George Trevor, Mr Spencer and special guest Zombie Fred as they break down this non-canonical entry into the series, trying to be find a few positives amidst a sea of negatives in what is a a valiant but ultimately rushed and buggy product.

And so we creep ever closer back to the very beginning of this journey as we now revisit early 2012 when Resident Evil Revelations had just debuted on the Nintendo 3DS. This represented the first major title since Darkside Chronicles and was the second successive storyline prequel since the release of Resident Evil 5. Reception to Revelations was quite positive at the time, although fans were taken aback by its overly complicated storyline, something that was not helped by some of the worst file mistranslations in the series history. Here we break down the characters, the enemies and the environments as we attempt to piece together just exactly what is going on. It's easy to forget the unique features the 3DS version had, such as first person view and of course the 3D aspect itself. Also featured on this episode is a preview of Operation Raccoon City, which at the time of recording was just a few weeks away from a highly controversial release. Joining us as special guest for this one was Project Umbrella staff member Ridley.

And so we near journey's end through the archives as we head back all the way to February 2012 when we recorded the first episode proper of the then Project Umbrella Podcast. After a successful pilot episode we felt it fitting at the time to dedicate episode one to the original game that started it all; the original Resident Evil on the PlayStation. Join the panel for a nostalgic trip down memory lane as we recount our personal experiences with the game. In the news we briefly discuss release reaction to Revelations on the 3DS and the build up to the imminent release of Operation Raccoon City. But the biggest news of the time was the official announcement of Resident Evil 6, with a first trailer that promised a continuation of the action of Resident Evil 5 and then some... As you can imagine George Trevor was pleased with this! Neptune's biohazard quiz launched with calamity and has maintained that steady standard ever since. Apologies for the erratic audio quality throughout as back then we were still learning our way around this whole podcasting lark. It's certainly interesting to listen back to our thoughts and experiences from nearly a decade ago when things like Umbrella Corps, Revelations 2, Vendetta and even Remake 2 were never in our thoughts. It is thanks to the continued support of the Resident Evil fan community that we are still going strong today and are about to begin an exciting new chapter. Please enjoy.

Well then folks here it be; the original test episode for the podcast to see if it would work as a valid idea. Originally recorded 8 years ago by members of Project Umbrella, we set out to carry the torch from where the RPD Dispatch left off. At the time we'd had the idea of a podcast for several months and had been planning it behind the scenes, however we never envisaged just how difficult it would be to pull off. We knew 2012 was going to be a pivotal year for the franchise in terms of media and so we scrambled a panel together to record our thoughts. Here we speak briefly about the translation issues that plague the series and focus on upcoming titles Resident Evil Revelations and Operation Raccoon City, both of which were due out in the coming months. Although we knew it was coming we actually recorded this show 24 hours before Capcom publically announced Resident Evil 6 to the world. Just to put into context where the series was way back then, the last canonical material we'd had at the time of release was actually the story DLC packs for Resident Evil 5! And now here we are all these years later and the series has more than doubled in content and is still going strong. The Project Umbrella Podcast is now dead, long live the Resident Evil Podcast!

Welcome back to our series of live audio commentaries for the feature length Resident Evil adaptations. Thankfully we take a break from Paul W.S. Anderson's live action 'take' on the series and instead switch our attention to Resident Evil Degeneration; the first full-length motion capture CG animation feature developed and produced by Capcom themselves. Join Neptune, Rombie, STARS_TyranT and a returning Mr. Spencer as they sit back and analyse the film from start to finish. Please enjoy and continue to stay safe everyone.

It may have taken six years but we have finally sunk to a new low and reached topics we promised we would never touch when we first launched this podcast venture. The first live-action Resident Evil feature film written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson is a highly devisive and controversial entry resulting in many colourful and divided opinions across the fanbase. Those who listen to our podcast regularly will be well aware that aside from perhaps our astute and well spoken host, the film doesn't rate very highly on our spectrum. But we invite you now to join us in a viewing of the film with our commentary and opinions for your enjoyment. A tremendously excited Neptune is joined by Rombie, Batman and STARS Tyrant as we sit down and 'enjoy' this 'thrilling entry in the Resident Evil franchise'. For some of our panel it was the first time viewing the film for well over ten years and the result was interesting to say the least. Rombie at least provides many interesting annecdotes having closely followed the development of the film back in the day and Nick tells a tale about how he almost acquired a Cerberus prop from the film. We apologise in advance for some audio syncing issues with this one. Beacuse of our exemplary professionalism and enthusiasm about this particular venture, some of us had to quickly source last minute copies of the film in order to do this and therefore the speed issues between PAL and NTSC were an unavoidable factor. Be prepared to fast forward and rewind several times! This was an experimental and completely unedited spin off of the regular podcast so if you would like to see more of these commentaries, be it these films, the CGI movies or even playthroughs of the games themselves, then let us know. Please enjoy.

Welcome back traveler to the dark times of the live action Resident Evil films. This time our team brave Paul W.S. Anderson's take on the Raccoon City incident in the form of Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Directed by Alexander Witt and produced and scribed by Anderson, this thrilling adventure sees Alice (Milla Jovovich) fight hordes of flesh eating undead, rabid zombie dogs, and some bloke in a rubber suit cos-playing as the Nemesis. Fan favourite Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) is also here alongside Carlos Oliveria (Oded Fehr). This is a stunningly faithful adaptation featuring the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad (Service anyone?), Charles Ashford (who?) and Nikolai Ginoveaf (who is now a good guy catching Jill's eye). Join Rombie, Neptune, Batman, STARS Tyrant, a returning George Trevor, and special guest Sonny Bauer for this deep-rooted analysis of this thrilling adventure. Again, Neptune is more excited than he really should be, Ty surprises himself with certain shots and Rombie as usual is the voice of common sense. He also full of praise for Anderson's use of little electronic maps to transition between scenes. Please enjoy and remember only a complete idiot would spend £25 on these films. Thankfully none of us are that stupid...

Welcome back to our third audio commentary of the live action films created by Paul W.S. Anderson. This time we examine the desert focused installment after the T-Virus has wrecked havoc across the globe, seeming causing a mass Extinction. Join the team as we watch with you the ongoing adventures of Alice with her random psychic powers as she battles not only Zombies, but also pet Zombie Dogs, Super Zombies that can use cellphones, tornado Crows and a Tyrant that can roar away floor tiles. Classic Resident Evil. Guiding you through this monstrosity is Neptune, George Trevor, a returning Mr. Spencer and special guest Yoke. We also have STARS Tyrant watching this film for the very first time! So grab some popcorn, hit play on this film and join in with the fun!

Today, we have hit another milestone as we pass 200,000 downloads of the Resident Evil Podcast. It was not long ago that we passed the 100k mark and celebrated with a bonus outtakes podcast. Keeping with that tradition, we now release for your listening pleasure another collection of unused material, bloopers, interruptions and other scraps from the cutting room floor. Amazed that after 9 years such bloopers continue to occur? Well, don't be - saying goodbye in the right order continues to be a problem! So, sit back and enjoy some of the bits from Episode 55 onwards that you haven't heard! Without your ongoing support, we never would have reached this milestone, so thank you everyone!

As a special treat to those who have supported us over the years and helped us reach this milestone of 100,000 Podbean downloads, we present a collection of outtakes taken from across all five seasons of the show. Of course our professionalism is exemplary and we never, ever make mistakes - but now and then the odd error does occur. Fluffed lines and strange noises are just the tip of the iceberg here. Who likes to undress whilst interviewing DC Douglas? Who engages in other 'questionable' hobbies whilst the podcast is recording? What other podcasts discuss the complexities of the Progenitor Virus whilst simultaneously cleaning up dog poo from the bathroom floor? Do you recall the episode where one of us was hit over the head with a vase and burgled mid-recording? And who just had to have too much wine when we happened to feature our first female guest? These are just some of the escapades we have in store for you here. We are so grateful for your continued support and we will vow to carry on fighting the good fight when it comes to all things Resident Evil. So sit back, enjoy, and shake your head at a bunch of idiots with a blatant inability to say 'goodbye' in the correct order.