"Creeeak—"
The sharp friction sound of a rusty door opening, and do you remember that loading screen where the door slowly opened in pitch darkness? In the late 1990s, the 'Biohazard' that kept gamers up at night has returned. However, this return feels somewhat unfamiliar. Instead of the horror that made you sweat while gripping a console gamepad, it has transformed into a world of 'strategy' where you tap on a smartphone screen to mine resources and build structures. This is the story of Joycity's ambitious project 'Biohazard Survival Unit', which landed in the markets of Korea and Taiwan on February 5th. The reporter jumped into the ruins of Raccoon City to uncover whether this game is truly a 'love letter' to fans or a 'bill' secured by nostalgia.
When I first launched the game, I couldn't hide my surprise at its unexpected quality. The developers cleverly placed elements that would make original fans' hearts race at the forefront. The uncomfortable yet nostalgic 'Fixed Camera' that changes perspective as the character walks, and puzzles that involve fitting red gems into a jewel box. The early experience faithfully followed the grammar of the survival horror we knew. It wasn't just a rumor that Capcom had scrutinized it closely.
However, the validity of this excitement was not very long. The moment the game truly begins after escaping the mansion, the familiar horror disappears, replaced by the even more familiar scent of 'grinding'. Icons densely packed across the screen, notification messages like "Not enough wood" and "Food is needed". Yes, the true nature of this game is a 'war simulation (SLG)' disguised as a zombie game. Instead of being a survivor fleeing from zombies, you must become a 'commander' who gathers resources to fortify your base and produce troops. What kind of company is Joycity? It is a place well-versed in war games like 'Gunship Battle' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Their 'spicy' war system has appeared dressed in the skin of Biohazard.
From here, opinions are sharply divided. Fans of the original might express their betrayal by saying, "The Leon I knew blew zombie heads off, he didn't go around chopping wood!" However, from a cold business perspective, this is quite a clever, perhaps cunningly meticulous strategy. They have placed the world's most famous zombie IP on top of the most profitable mobile game genre, 'strategy'.
An interesting point is the 'capitalistic reality' this game presents. In the original, the protagonists overcame adversity with just a handgun, but in this game, 'cash' is the ultimate weapon. To obtain the recently updated second-generation hero 'Chris Redfield' or the healer role 'Rebecca Chambers', you must battle not zombies, but the odds of gacha item draws. Looking at the event banner that says, "Spin Your Luck", it seems that the next month's credit card bill feels scarier than the fear of being bitten by a zombie. Of course, it can be enjoyed without spending money, but surviving as an 'ordinary citizen' in this world dominated by massive alliances (guilds) is no easy task.
That said, there are certainly aspects of this game that are worth appreciating rather than just criticizing. The original monster 'Mortem', designed by the master 'Yoshitaka Amano', is undeniably bizarre and beautiful. Additionally, since it is developed by a Korean company, the quality of the Korean dubbing and subtitles is excellent enough to elicit comments like "This is definitely domestic." While overseas game companies often provide poorly translated Korean, seeing Leon and Claire speaking in our language is quite enjoyable. However, the 'AI generation suspicion' raised in some character illustrations remains a blemish that frowns upon fans.
Ultimately, 'Biohazard Survival Unit' is defined as a product with a clear purpose. A game that fills the shell of 'horror' with the desire for 'competition'. There are criticisms that the gameplay itself does not deviate significantly from the grammar of existing zombie strategy games like 'State of Survival' ("just a skin change game"), but one cannot deny the addictive quality that makes you stay up all night upgrading your base because the familiar taste is scary.
In summary, this game is "A theme park worth visiting at least once for fans of Biohazard, but a theme park with an expensive entrance fee for those who are not strategy game enthusiasts". Enjoy the nostalgia as nostalgia, but I hope you keep your wallet tight. The zombies of Raccoon City are aiming for your brain, but the system of Survival Unit is aiming for your wallet.
