Bonus Issue: Biohazard The Extreme+ (2023)
Impressions of the Universal Studios Japan-Resident Evil collaboration for 2023
Since 2012, Capcom and Universal Studios Japan have regularly collaborated to offer a Resident Evil-themed attraction at Universal’s theme park (known locally as “USJ”) located in Osaka, which is also the home of Capcom HQ. Although the timing has varied over the years, the most common collaboration occurs in the autumn, from September to early November, coinciding with USJ’s Halloween Horror Nights event. Here is a quick rundown of the various collaborations Capcom and USJ have held over the years:
2012: Biohazard: Raccoon City
2013: Biohazard The Real
2014: Biohazard The Real 2
2015: Biohazard The Escape, Biohazard The Real 3
2016: Biohazard The Escape 2
2019: Biohazard The Extreme
2022: Biohazard The Extreme+
2023: Biohazard The Extreme+
2012’s “Biohazard: Raccoon City,” the debut collaboration, was the park’s New York area redecorated to resemble Raccoon City, complete with a BOW-themed evening show. “Biohazard The Real” and its second and third incarnations involved arming participants with faux firearms, allowing them to shoot down BOWs as they navigate a RE-themed maze. Biohazard The Escape and its second incarnation are traditional escape rooms, with a 60-minute time limit and players needing to search the area for clues on how to escape. “Biohazard The Extreme” is similar to Biohazard The Real, but without the weapon-wielding (until the very end) and the addition of a single passcode that can determine whether players escape or “die” in the final boss fight.
Today, I visited Osaka for Biohazard The Extreme+, so I’ll talk about my experience today.
The Premise
Biohazard The Extreme+ is themed after the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2. The maze design and attraction cast are all modeled after something from Resident Evil 2. The attraction itself is located in USJ’s New York area, next to the Amazing Spider-Man. To manage crowds, there are two versions of the attraction: the Leon Route and the Claire Route. They’re very similar in premise, with minor differences in the enemies and characters encountered.
The attraction has participants in groups of about 6-8 people wandering through a motif of the RPD while zombies and Lickers emerge from walls, broken windows, and doors. The mazes are naturally very dark, and in each room, there is an RPD officer guiding participants to the next room as they themselves battle it out with the BOWs. Midway through, the participants witness a showdown between either Leon or Claire and Mr. X in a narrow hallway. Mr. X manages to grab put Leon or Claire in a chokehold, but they’re able to break free and distract Mr. X long enough to allow the participants to escape into the next room. Towards the end of the maze, Ada appears in Leon’s scenario to duke it out with the mutated William Birkin, while in Claire’s scenario, a generic RPD officer assumes this role instead.
There are two possible endings for each scenario, dependent on whether participants are paying attention to their surroundings during the maze. In the second to final room, there is a locked box that contains a replica of the ID wristbands from the laboratory stage in the 2019 RE2 remake. It requires 4 digits to unlock. The codes are written out on two different walls or computer screens scattered throughout the maze, which the various RPD officers point out as obviously as possible without breaking the immersion.
Entering the code correctly unlocks the box, and then players are guided into the final room, which houses a bunch of submachine guns and an interactive screen showing either the Super Tyrant for Leon’s Route or William Birkin for Claire’s. The participants then assume one of the submachine guns and begin shooting the enemy. If players entered the code correctly in the previous room, then they will successfully defeat the enemy and be allowed to escape in the next room using the underground tram. Failure to enter the code correctly will result in “dying” at the hands of the monster, regardless of how well each player aims, and thus not being able to escape successfully. The attraction ends here, and players are let out onto a staircase, allowing them to exit the building and back outside into the park.
The attraction is offered only in Japanese (the cast only speak in Japanese).
Merchandise
Each year there is a collaboration, a slew of goods goes on sale. This year, there was the usual t-shirt, a tumbler, Mr. Raccoon keychain, pen, and a UBCS-themed plastic case for storing small things. Returning from last year were the blue RPD button-up shirt and the miniature plushie set of the four lords from Resident Evil Village.
Food
In previous years, USJ offered an extensive Resident Evil-themed menu at USJ’s Finnegan's Bar & Grill with food and beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. This year, they’ve paired the food down to just two items: a Mr. Raccoon-themed churro and an R.P.D.-themed pizza-filled Chinese steamed bun. The churro wasn’t as soft as I like them to be, but the bun tasted pretty good.
Overall Impressions
I tend to enjoy the various RE attractions that take place at USJ. You’re likely to wander through the maze with a different group of people who are likely more casual fans of RE and thus scared easily. Screaming and shrieking participants add to the atmosphere, doubly so if you’re lucky enough to end up with a RE cosplayer or two (or you cosplay yourself). The dark corridors and vandalized decorations certainly give an apocalyptic vibe. It’s a credible recreation of the grotesque RE horror vibe.
2023’s Biohazard The Extreme+ attraction is largely a retread of the previous year’s and thus probably of lesser interest to those who went in 2022. However, mostly notably, Japan’s travel restrictions have now been completely lifted, while in 2022 they were still in place for the majority of the attraction’s operating period, so this will be the first chance for many visitors to Japan to experience this. If you’re in the Osaka area in September or October and love RE, this is very much worth checking out.
