Outbreak: Lost Hope
Developed/Published by Dead Drop Studios LLC
Released for Xbox One (6/26/2019)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/PS5/Switch
Review Preface
Outbreak: Lost Hope is the 4th entry in the Outbreak series, which is basically a low-budget tribute to the old-school Resident Evil survival-horror games. Brought to us by a small indie studio based out of Connecticut in the USA, one has to keep their expectations in check and also bear in mind the price point the game sells at ($12.99). Being a fan of the old RE games, I've been interested in dipping into this series for some time and what better place to start than the 4th title in the series? At some point I intend to check out some of the other titles in the series, but for now let's check out Outbreak: Lost Hope and see how it fares at delivering the scares...
Graphics/Presentation
Outbreak: Lost Hope isn't going to blow anybody away with its visuals, but with that being said it's not a terrible-looking game either. The majority of the map consists of wooded areas that you'll be navigating in the darkness and rainfall. Visibility is constantly limited due to this and it does help to add to the game's atmosphere. The environment itself is detailed, but the protagonist's character model leaves something to be desired. The character more closely resembles a plastic action action figure more than an actual human, particularly when looking at the hair which looks like something from the PS2 generation. The creatures in the game fare much better, sporting some creepy looking monsters for you to shoot at. Another department that could use some improvement is the sound design, which feels downright barren at times. The game lacks any kind of footstep sound effects which would've helped add to atmosphere. While these things are forgivable to an extent and don't ruin the game, there are several aspects of the game in regards to the visuals and presentation that needs some work before it becomes better than slightly above average.
