Everything we know about Resident Evil spinoff Project Resistance

By Steven Petite September 13, 2019

Project Resistance Teaser

Asymmetric survival horror games have experienced a resurgence in recent years thanks to games like Friday the 13th: The Game, Last Year: The Nightmare, and others. Now Capcom is getting in on the cooperative frights with Project Resistance, a Resident Evil spinoff. Capcom has released two trailers for Project Resistance so far. We’ve rounded up all of the details you need to know about this team-based horror-survival game right here.

Contents

Resident Evil spinoff
Character classes
Mastermind has tricks for days
Closed beta for PS4 and Xbox One
Release date

Resident Evil spinoff

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Project Resistance is a Resident Evil spinoff. While we’re not sold on the name, we do concede that it has “RE” sandwiched in there. Like other asymmetric survival horror games, an eclectic group of young people find themselves in a diabolical situation orchestrated by a wicked baddie. Set in a facility on the outskirts of Raccoon City (don’t go to Raccoon City), Project Resistance tasks the four unassuming survivors with escaping the facility before time runs out.

Emphasizing teamwork, you and your equally unfortunate friends have to work together to escape by unlocking doors with terminals. Otherwise, the Mastermind will pick you off one by one. The setup is quite similar to Last Year: The Nightmare, since the player who controls the Mastermind has the most tools in their bag. But since this is near Raccoon City, survivors also have to contend with zombies.

You start off with just five minutes to escape, but bonus time is added to your timer as you clear areas. Based on the gameplay overview trailer, it appears that bonus time can also be added when the Mastermind uses certain abilities such as placing creatures on the map.

Character classes

Project Resistance Gameplay Overview

Capcom has revealed the four starting survivors in Project Resistance, each of whom has their own unique strengths.

Tyrone: A tank who takes reduced damage and presumably moves slower
Valerie: A support character who can heal teammates
Samuel: A DPS character with strong melee attacks
January: A hacker who can disable security cameras.

The gameplay overview trailer showed off some of the survivors fighting off zombies with pistols, shotguns, and baseball bats. The gunplay mirrors recent Resident Evil games and damage indicators have been added, so you can see how much you’re hurting a zombie or terrifying creature.

Survivors have ranks, so Project Resistance appears to have some form of a leveling system.

Mastermind has tricks for days

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The villain is Daniel Fabron, also known as the Mastermind. Sitting behind a control panel, the Mastermind has access to all of the security cameras (provided January doesn’t disable them). The player controlling Mastermind can switch between feeds and interact with the areas. You can place traps, spawn creatures, turn off the lights, lock doors, and commandeer guns mounted to cameras.

Remember those zombies we talked about? The Mastermind can control them directly, mauling the survivors with the powerful jaws of the undead.

The coolest Mastermind ability is described as the “ultimate threat,” which likely means you’ll have to build up a meter or do something special to unleash it. The Mastermind can play as Mr. X, everyone’s favorite Tyrant from Resident Evil 2. Mr. X can slash survivors to death with ease, it seems.

Based on an official screenshot, the Tyrant is just one of three specialized bioweapon skills that can be used by the Mastermind. The other two have yet to be revealed, but they probably unlock as the Mastermind moves up ranks.

Death animations are appropriately gruesome, whether you fall prey to a Mastermind-controlled zombie or Mr. X.

Closed beta for PS4 and Xbox One

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Capcom is running a closed beta on PS4 and Xbox One from October 4 at 12:00 a.m. PT to October 7 at 12:00 a.m. PT. Getting into the beta requires a few things and probably some luck.

On PS4, you have to join the Resident Evil Ambassador program and then put your name on the list for the beta. Capcom says participants will be chosen at random if beta signups exceed expectations. You only have until September 18 to register for the PS4 beta. If chosen, you will have to confirm your willingness to participate in the beta by September 30. PS4 beta codes will be distributed via Resident Evil Ambassador accounts. You only have until September 18 to register for the PS4 beta.

On Xbox One, you have to be a member of the Xbox Insider Program. If chosen, you will also have to confirm your ability to partake in the beta by September 30.

Release date

Project Resistance Survivors — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Capcom hasn’t revealed a launch date or window for Project Resistance at this time. When it does arrive, you can play on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

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Topics

Resident Evil

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…

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Resident Evil 4 locked drawers guide: all Small Key locations

Infected villager from Resident Evil 4 remake.

Keys and Resident Evil games are like peanut butter and jelly. If you're not fighting zombies, you're looking for a key to get you to the next room -- where you will fight more zombies. While there are plenty of mandatory keys in the Resident Evil 4 remake, there are also a set of extra keys that you can completely miss. These Small Keys are used to unlock locked drawers you come across, as opposed to doors, and hold some very valuable treasures. Considering how precious money is in this game, the more treasures you can find and sell to your Merchant friend, the better off you'll be. Small keys aren't in your direct path often, and once you leave an area, you can't go back to collect them later in most cases. We'll help you become the master of unlocking by showing you where to snag all the Small Keys in Resident Evil 4, as well as where to use them.
Where to find all Small Keys
Before getting into the locations of Small Keys, note that these keys are not exclusive to a single drawer. Any Small Key can be used to open any drawer, so feel free to spend them as soon as you find a drawer with a key in hand. However, once you leave an area in Resident Evil 4, there's no going back. That means if you left any keys or drawers behind, you won't be able to open them unless you start another playthrough or wait until you begin a new game. There are eight Small Keys to get, and they are all found within the first two zones of the game, but won't show up on your map. Locked drawers won't either by default, but if you buy the Treasure Map from the Merchant, the drawers will be put on your map. Here's how to track all the keys down, and where the nearest locked drawer is in the order you can first encounter them.

The first key you can get is in Chapter 2 in the Valley. After meeting the Merchant, you will be sent into the Valley to find a key to open the gate opposite the Merchant. After clearing out the enemies, drop down to the lowest level on the south end and enter the shack. Inside, take a right and look for a case on the shelf. Loot it, and pick up the first Small Key. The nearest locked drawer is back in the Factory past the Merchant. Go into the room where you retrieved Leon's equipment after it was taken from him and use the key on the desk drawer.

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The best weapons in Resident Evil 4

Leon holding a gun in Resident Evil 4.

Leon clearly wasn't prepared for what he would encounter in the Resident Evil 4 remake or he would have come with more than a middling handgun and a knife. While those basic tools can get you through the opening stages of the game, it won't be long before you will need to call upon some much stronger firepower in order to survive the tougher -- and more grotesque -- monsters that stand in your way. The Resident Evil 4 remake offers a ton of weapons you can collect, such as pistols, SMGs, rifles, and more. However, most will cost a lot of cash -- and even more if you want to invest in their upgrades. You will have to make some tough choices about what weapons you want to stick with, and picking a dud can make your playthrough much more difficult. Instead of investing all your cash in a pea-shooter, check out the best weapons you can get in the Resident Evil 4 remake to blast your way through Ganados and Las Plagas alike.
The best weapons in Resident Evil 4

Red9
Where else could we start but with the Red9? Almost certainly the most popular handgun -- or gun in general -- from the original Resident Evil 4 has returned in the remake and is just as potent as ever. Not only can you grab this gun as early as Chapter 3, making it a great choice for investing your upgrades in, but it can be altered and has essentially no drawbacks. By default, the Red9's recoil is the primary point of criticism you could levy at it, but if you spend a few Spinels to give it the stock, you'll be able to basically snipe with this pistol. By the time you unlock the Exclusive upgrade, which multiplies the gun's power by 1.5x, you'll hardly ever find a situation where this handgun can't do the job.
Bolt Thrower
The Bolt Thrower isn't on this list for its high power, accuracy, or anything that you would traditionally look for in a gun. The reason it has to be here is due to the simple fact that you can recover the bolts it shoots into enemies after they're dead to massively cut down on your ammo expenditure. Ammo for it is also crafted using knives, but it even has a secondary firing method where it launches mines, giving it a lot more utility. The Exclusive upgrade isn't game-changing -- it doubles the ammo capacity -- but the less you have to reload, the less often you'll be caught in a sticky situation.
Stingray
In the rifle category, the Stingray is never going to let you down. This is a semiautomatic rifle, so the firing rate is mostly up to you, plus it has a great clip size by default. If you're hitting those weak points, this baby will also deal 3x damage, and can be outfitted with almost any scope. The Exclusive upgrade boosts your final firing rate by an additional 2x, which shouldn't be too necessary if you're trying to be precise, though can help in a pinch.
LE 5
The LE 5 is a weapon you can easily miss that is kind of like a good version of the Punisher in that it has amazing penetration power. Being an SMG, it also boasts a far greater firing rate and clip size, as well as more power. This is the perfect weapon to rip through any shield-wielding enemies. Again like the Punisher, the Exclusive upgrade allows the LE 5 to pierce up to five targets at once.
Broken Butterfly
Another returning favorite, the Broken Butterfly magnum is not just the best-looking hand cannon in the game, but also the most deadly. If you don't count a special weapon like the Rocket Launcher, the Broken Butterfly (after upgrades) deals the most damage of any gun in the Resident Evil 4 remake. The Exclusive upgrade plays a major part in this by boosting its final damage by 1.5x, again just like the Red9, but magnum upgrades are among the most expensive in the game, so this power won't come easy.
Striker
What's the worst part of a shotgun? The firing rate. Well, that is if you're not using the Striker. This semiautomatic shotgun spits out damage like nobody's business. It has power on par with any other shotgun, but way better firing speed, plus a massive clip size so you don't have to worry about running dry out an enemy in your face. If you get the Exclusive upgrade, you can even double the already huge clip size.
Rocket Launcher
This is a big investment both in terms of cash and space, but the Rocket Launcher is too iconic to the series not to be amazing. Yes, this has a one-hit kill on just about everything and will cost more or less depending on what difficulty level you're playing on. It has no upgrades because, well, what is there to make better? Unless you're playing with the infinite ammo for it enabled, you do only get one shot, so make it count.
Primal Knife
While technically not a gun, the knife is so good in the Resident Evil 4 remake that it has to be mentioned. This tool will save your skin more often than you think thanks to the new ability to parry and finish downed enemies, but the obvious drawback is durability. The Primal Knife has to be unlocked by finding and destroying all 16 of the Clockwork Castellans in the game. What makes it the clear frontrunner of all knives is the Exclusive upgrade that makes it completely unbreakable, no matter how much you use it.

Gaming

All Resident Evil 4 remake Wayshrines and how to open them

An open wayshrine with a bracelet inside.

In the opening chapters of the Resident Evil 4 remake, you will come across strange shrines erected by a cult. These can be interacted with, but prompt you to use an item. Unfortunately, you won't even have the chance to open the first couple you find since the item required to open them can't be picked up until a bit later -- and only if you know where to search for it. But it's ro say that the treasures you get from them make it worth your time to backtrack and grab all the goodies inside. Here's how you can open all the Wayshrines in the Resident Evil 4 remake, and what each one holds inside.
How to get the Wayshrine Key

Surprise surprise, but Wayshrines can only be opened once you grab the Wayshrine Key. It will feel like a long time, but you can't even access the key until you reach Chapter 4 and beat Del Lago. Once you can explore the lake, head south to the Mural Cave. Deep in the caves, you will find an ornate cabinet after solving the puzzle in the cave. You can get there by going down the path from the southern dock and through the section with the two large stone hands. Thankfully, unlike Small Keys, the Wayshrine Key is reusable and can open every Wayshrine in the game.
How to 0pen Wayshrines