6 Things to Know before playing Resident Evil Survival Unit
A bold new direction for the franchise turns horror into strategy and here is what to expect
If you are a fan of Resident Evil, you may be preparing for something very different with Resident Evil Survival Unit. This is not the run and gun survival horror you remember. Capcom has shifted gears, creating a mobile game that mixes base building, city strategy, and tower defense while retelling the Raccoon City outbreak in a new way. Here are six important things you should know before you jump in.
First, the story starts during the outbreak in Raccoon City but the vision is different. You begin as a patient waking up in a hospital in the middle of the crisis. The environment is bleak, supplies are limited, and tension is heavy. You eventually meet Claire Redfield, escape to the police station, and later lead a group of survivors to build a new settlement. It keeps the spirit of Resident Evil while offering a new look at how people rebuild when everything collapses.
Second, the roster is not a full collection from every Resident Evil title. It focuses on characters from the Raccoon City era. You will encounter familiar faces from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 such as Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine, along with characters from the Outbreak series. Their roles and stories are shaped to fit the strategy focused structure of the game.
Third, the exploration mode revives an old school Resident Evil feeling with fixed angle security camera style scenes. You move through corridors, fight zombies, manage items, solve small puzzles, and feel the classic tension of early Resident Evil entries. The pace is different from survival horror, yet it captures the familiar atmosphere in a fresh gameplay loop.
Fourth, the main combat is tower defense. You select three characters for each mission and place them around the field to stop waves of infected enemies. Each character serves a purpose and you must use their skills, positions, and environmental advantages to succeed. Some can build barricades, others provide ranged fire, and some use explosives. The challenge comes from thinking and reacting rather than simply shooting.
Fifth, outside of combat, the game focuses on base management. You grow a settlement by assigning survivors to farms, workshops, and housing. You expand the village, clear surrounding areas, gather supplies, and secure new territories on the world map. Time management becomes part of the strategy as you plan expeditions, upgrades, and development.
Sixth, gacha elements exist in the game but they unlock slowly. You must progress through the first two or three chapters to build the helipad which opens the summoning system. This creates a slower start than most mobile games but it also means you establish your village and team structure before diving into gacha progression.
Resident Evil Survival Unit takes a familiar franchise and shapes it into a strategy experience. The horror tone is present but the heart of the game is planning, building, and surviving with limited resources. The familiar faces return in roles crafted for this style of play and the progression rewards careful thinking. For players in the SEA region who enjoy tactical challenges, it offers a unique new chapter in the Resident Evil legacy.
