Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is a third-person shooter and a spin-off of the long-running Resident Evil series. Unlike the main games in the series, it is less of a survival horror game and more of an action-packed shooter.
The game takes place in September 1998, around the same time as Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis . Players control a member of the USS security team, nicknamed Wolfpack, sent into the Umbrella Raccoon City facility to neutralize Dr. William Birkin who intends to sell the G-Virus.
The gameplay involves assembling teams of four characters with different classes and abilities, selecting primary and secondary weapons, and using cover mechanics while shooting. Opponents include infected humans and mercenaries part of the Umbrella's Biohazard Countermeasure Service (UBCS). The game also features bioweapons that can turn team members or infected against each other.
Another mechanic is the risk of getting infected if a player character is bitten, which can lead to losing control and attacking teammates until an immunisation spray is used. Multiplayer adds a new team with similar abilities, while Heroes Mode pits famous characters from the series' franchise against each other in various game modes.
The game is played from a third-person perspective on the PlayStation 3 console and combines shooting with cover mechanics. The gameplay is not possible to switch between team members, but the game can be played cooperatively with four human players, each controlling a team member.
At the start of each mission, players assemble a team based on a pool of six characters with different classes. This includes Vector (Recon), Bertha (Medic), Four Eyes (Field Scientist), Beltway (Demolition), Lupo (Assault), and Spectre (Surveillance). Each character has a unique playing style and abilities tied to their class.
Players can unlock new weapons, abilities, and items by gaining experience points. The game features various melee attacks and the use of bioweapons to turn opponents against each other. With its action-packed gameplay and cooperative multiplayer, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City offers a unique take on the Resident Evil series.