Resident Evil Betas & Lost Games (Current revelatons: Resident Evil 5/4.5)

[Agent York]

(this has since become a general Resident Evil Beta topic but the first few posts are all about Resident Evil 3.5)

Many of you probably played Resident Evil 4. Many of you probably enjoyed Resident Evil 4. Some of you may have even heard or seen Resident Evil 4's beta game, codenamed Resident Evil 3.5. But after doing a lot of research with people, we have made some recent breakthroughs of this lost game. Resident Evil 3.5 is the name of the game that was in development before Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 4 went through 5 series of developments. Version 1 is nicknamed, "Resident May Cry" since this version of Resident Evil 4 turned into the Devil May Cry series, which was originally a Resident Evil game until they decided it was too different so made it it's own franchise. The 2nd version is known as the Fog Version, which starred a Fog Virus and had Leon being infected with the Progenitor Virus. This version was silently scrapped but off it they worked the most famous and close to complete version, the Hookman version. It took many elements from the Fog version and added more supernatural elements to it, the director claimed it was the scariest Resident Evil title in existence, with Leon still infected with the Progenitor Virus but getting twisted hallucinations from it while dealing with a twisted Umbrella in what was going to be the final chapter of Resident Evil. However, it was scrapped since it had too much paranormal stuff in it for a Resident Evil title. Next was the mostly unknown Zombie version, where Zombies were the enemy again and Leon went to stop Umbrella, we never saw anything of it but they scrapped it for being too formula-following since they were trying to make a new Resident Evil to regenerate the franchise. Finally they settled for what is known as the "Villager" version, but still made some changes during development.

Fog Version Trailer:

Hookman Gameplay:

Hookman Trailer:

^That is all of the footage we have of Resident Evil 3.5, and for the longest time all we had but we as of late last year started making some breakthroughs and some of the biggest made very recently, very proud to say I was part of the help in it's discovery, but we got a stage list of much of Resident Evil 3.5 the Hookman version before it was scrapped which we got from Resident Evil 4 Trial Edition using Debug, translated, and then some further study and a document came to help discover it and finish the list, the game was never finished and was about 50-60% done when it was scrapped but for the Hookman version of Resident Evil 4, here was the stage list:

(unused areas were test areas not used in the game)

Unused:

02 - ATARI TEST ROOM

02 - HIT TEST ROOM

03 - RECOIL TEST ROOM

04 - GUN TEST ROOM

05 - BLOCK TEST

06 - *BLANK*

07 - AI TEST

08 - MORI-test

08 - FOREST-test

0a - *BLANK*

15 - EFFECT TEST

16 - *BLANK*

44 - SOUND TEST

00 - AIRSHIP FLASHBACK

0b - CHAPEL

0c - WATERWHEEL

0d - UNDERGROUND PASSAGE

0e - MOUNTAIN SIDE

0f - COURT YARD

01 - CASTLE DRAPE HALL

04 - OUTSIDE CASTLE ENTRANCE

07 - STORM

09 - SPIRAL STAIRCASE

10 - DINING ROOM

11 - WINE CELLAR

12 - TOILET

13 - FOOD CELLAR

14 - KITCHEN

14 - STORAGE ROOM

17 - DINING HALL

18 - DOLL ROOM

19 - BATHROOM

1a - TAXIDERMY CORRIDOR

1c - EXPERIMENT LAB

1e - BEDROOM

1e - INSIDE MOUNTAIN

1f - MOUNTAIN FOREST

20 - AIRSHIP FLASHBACK II

21 - AIRSHIP CORRIDOR

22 - AIRSHIP STUDY

23 - FOREST DAY

24 - FOREST NIGHT

25 - CASTLE ROOM

27 - ABANDONED TOWN

28 - CASTLE RUINS

29 - BASE 1

30 - BASE 2

2b - TOWN

2c - STUDY 1F

2d - STUDY 2F

2e- STUDY 3F

2f - OPENING ROOM

30 - HALL 3F

31 - MAIN HALL

32 - ARMOR PASSAGE

33 - ELEVATOR

34 - MINAMI GALLERY

34 - SOUTH GALLERY

35 - KITA GALLERY

35 - NORTH GALLERY

36 - GLASS PASSAGE

37 - PREPARATION ROOM

38 - DOLL ROOM 1

39 - THE PAST PASSAGE

3a - DOLL ROOM 2

3b - FRONT OF STAIRS

3c - WATER SUPPLY

3d - RECEPTION DESK & GARDEN

3e - LV2 ROOM

3f - KITCHEN

40 - PORTRAIT ROOM

41 - AIRSHIP FLASHBACK III

42 - AIRSHIP WINGS

OK, time for me to see what I can make out of this...

Well the Unused stuff seems like a bunch of test rooms and empty things so that's skipable.

The Airship seems to play some important role in the game, it appears several times and seems to be a memory sequence...? I guess something must of happened to Leon on an Airship before this game happened, THEN AGAIN Resident Evil 4 originally was supposed to be the final Resident Evil game and had to do with Leon fighting a fog virus-thing and also being exposed to the Progenitor Virus and having hallucinations.

So then I guess the game starts off in a Chapel...? A church I guess. Then it seems he went past a water wheel to a cave... Actually, that kind of sounds like the final game, you know that area where you first meet the Las Plagas, then the water area, which leads to a cave... EXCEPT that's going to a church and not from a church... BUT it seems the Castle is on a Mountain side since they go to a Mountain side, then through a stream, and enter a Castle.

Since stuff about a Doll Room, a Dining Hall, a Taxidermist Corridor, I think this may be the Castle we saw in the Hookman gameplay. Since labeled as 1e, 1a, etc maybe that means it's an area you go around in circles in until you find the way out or solve the puzzle or something? Make sense with the gameplay clip and all wit ha more Resident Evil styled around-in-circles style.

There's also a lot of food areas and some type of experimentation area...? Then it seems from the Bedroom they escape back to the mountain, suggestion the castle is indeed carved into a mountain or something then enter into a Mountain Forest only for another flashback to the Airship. However, after the Airship it seems they are back to the forest ,which has a day and night section.

Then they seem to get to some ruins and an abandoned town and stumble across a base? But the base leads to a town and some type of museum I guess since it has a whole bunch of galleries and studies. Doll Rooms, a Kitchen. THE PORTRAIT ROOM! That might be important, since in the Hookman gameplay we see the Hookman come out of a portrait!

Then another Airship flashback then that's it... End of the game? Don't think so since the game wasn't completed, but interesting...

A few other details from Resident Evil 3.5 come from interviews, which include mention of there being 4 new BOWs in development made to replace Tyrant (we assume one such is Hookman) another Umbrella Agent that was a character we already knew and NOT Wesker was going to star as a big role in the game (Ada is the automatic assumption but people point out it might by HUNK and would explain why he's randomly in Mercenaries Mode, he may have originally been playing a bigger role in the game). Also confirmed is Resident Evil 3.5 would star Leon off to rescue a kidnapped Sherry Birkin, Steve from Code Veronica would be explored deeper, and the Tyrant would be mass produced into a horrible deranged "Zombie" creature with them introducing the new breed with a Tyrant Resident Evil 1-styled being torn apart and eaten alive by it's own future kind. This was going to originally be the final chapter in Resident Evil so they were going to try and tie up all loose ends.

We got several screens also to show for some of the in-development stuff.

Ashley Beta Model, she looks like a pilot, which would fit with the airship I guess...

Random art from Leon, where is this from...?

Unused Items:

And More Unused Items:

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9082/db2y.jpg

Hacked gun from Trial Version of game, apparently causes more blood:

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3909/gemgunusage.jpg

Lost Dr. Salvador Painting, it also says with it this description: "It's the locally rumored Chainsaw Man! No matter how many times he gets killed, he comes back to life. They say he's the richest guy in the village."

Is it just me or does this "Fog Monster" look JUST like Uroboros!

Another pic of the "Fog" Uroboros Monster:

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/60/re4beta10.jpg

Some type of creepy ass Plagas Concept Art...

MORE WTF Plagas Artwork:

Some Lost Resident Evil 4 Monster:

Concept art of Castle BUT it looks different than the one in RE4, could it be the one in 3.5?

Screenshot of old Item screen and knife used to have to be manually set as weapon to use:

Concept art of the Church at Sunset:

Concept art of the monks (there's a KKK one...): http://img64.imageshack.us/i/artworklosilluminados.jpg/

Regenerator Concept Art (more flesh showing): http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/482/artworkregenerator.jpg

This one you can see in old trailers, but Luis's old model: http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6651/53584020040827790screen.jpg

Verdugo Concept Art (Unused): http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5848/artworkrighthandman21.jpg

Another Lost Item: http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8007/unuseditem.jpg

I guess this is a Ada beta model? It's Jill's REmake model in a Red Dress, but they do say all the females were modeled off of Jill's REmake model...: http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/2935/jillstyledlikeada.jpg

There still is more discoveries being made, but for anyone interested in Resident Evil 4 this could be very interesting and hopefully one day a 3.5 disk can make its way out... Until then we will have to do with what we have, but how many of you have actually heard of this, know about it, first time you've heard, impressions, compared to the final? Think this is the direction Resident Evil should go, glad they changed it? What do you think of Resident Evil 3.5?

Edited September 6, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Tornado]

I have to say, manually equipping the combat knife would have been annoying as fuck in the final game. I'm glad that they changed that, though I am curious as to why they even had it set up that way originally in the first place.

[Agent York]

I have to say, manually equipping the combat knife would have been annoying as fuck in the final game. I'm glad that they changed that, though I am curious as to why they even had it set up that way originally in the first place.

Likely since that's how it was in the old Resident Evil games, the Combat Knife had to be attached separately, but for convenience they changed it. To note in the Hookman Version L-Button instead of Knife makes Leon throw Grenades.

ALSO part of the reason why this has gained in popularity as a topic in Resident Evil fandom is since a guy who confirmed Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles and that it would have a RE2, Code Veronica, and Operation Javier scenario starring Leon and Krauser in South America in 2002 MONTHS before this game was even announced confirmed recently Capcom is working on a Wii game which is Resident Evil 4 styled for the Wii which takes inspiration from Resident Evil 3.5 and a scrapped idea for Resident Evil 6 which will include more fear and exploration to the gameplay though with some on-rail action segments ala' Umbrella Chronicles, but mostly RE4 style. Rumor for now but the guy hit the nail on the head before...

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[speedfreak]

I wish Capcom would have went back and finished this game up (with some slight story tweaks to make it fit in) for Wii instead of giving us a couple of rehash rail shooter games.

[EXshad]

Wow... it sounds like this was going to be a completely different game... I'm really excited by the fact that a full disk of its content might be released!

Though I'm glad a lot of things, such as the hookman, weren't in the final game; not only does he look and sound like a lamer version of Nemesis, he also sounded quite supernatural, a bit too much so for Resident Evil. And granted, RE4 is probably the most strange game in the series, but too a point, it's grounded on what little reality the first 3 games were based on.

But based on "the fog" looking like Uroborus, and this game supposedly tying everything together and wrapping up the plot, it sounds like RE5 basically just rehashed this "dropped" concept when it came out. Also, perhaps the axe-wielding Majini was inspired by the hookman? 0_o

[speedfreak]

ALSO part of the reason why this has gained in popularity as a topic in Resident Evil fandom is since a guy who confirmed Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles and that it would have a RE2, Code Veronica, and Operation Javier scenario starring Leon and Krauser in South America in 2002 MONTHS before this game was even announced confirmed recently Capcom is working on a Wii game which is Resident Evil 4 styled for the Wii which takes inspiration from Resident Evil 3.5 and a scrapped idea for Resident Evil 6 which will include more fear and exploration to the gameplay though with some on-rail action segments ala' Umbrella Chronicles, but mostly RE4 style. Rumor for now but the guy hit the nail on the head before...

That sounds so awesome. Great, now I have even bigger expectations for E3.

[Agent York]

That sounds so awesome. Great, now I have even bigger expectations for E3.

We likely won't see anything for E3 BUT something interesting happened a few days ago:

http://www.relyonhorror.com/content/new-resident-evil-september

They are talking about some Resident Evil game they want to get rolling for September, but it also might be Resident Evil PSP that has been in development for over a year but you never know...

Meanwhile Resident Evil 6 still has an expected 5 years before it's release.

[Agent York]

HOPEFULLY by the time I post this someone posted something else since I want to include a few other things found by hacking and discovery I need videos for and are of a more recent build than 3.5 (this more was Resident Evil 4 Beta stuff). (EDIT: Dang it, missed the punch...)

First of all, Resident Evil 3.5 apparently had three things never used in the game, one was heat vision anywhere, the next was to camouflage Leon, the final, and the most interesting, was some slow-down power Leon had where he could slow everything down but himself. This apparently was a power in Resident Evil 3.5 which was scrapped for the final game. However, using Debug you can access an effect heavy version in the Trial game wit hall the "special" stuff intact, and on the Gamecube version you can access a less flashy version of slow down, heat vision, and camouflage with Action Replay to unlock Debug.

Second of all, using Debug too, you can get Static Camera angles like found in the old Resident Evil games. This was not fanmade, this was on the disk but was taken out of the final version BUT is accessible on the Trial disk:

ALSO TO NOTE, it seems originally you could use the Binoculars you use in the Village's Opening ANYWHERE but they likely took it out since zooming in on so much with the 2D objects in the background may of ruin the 3D world impression. You can still do it anywherei n the Trial version though.

Here are three lost documents from Resident Evil 4 that you can find with debug not in the final :

About disposing corpses.

Once you kill men, there are two ways to get rid of the corpses.

1. Gather them up at the farm and set fire to them. They will become good fertilizer.

2. Offer the corpses to the "lake" and then go away from that spot.

Do not dispose of corpses while alone.

This one explains a lot, it's probably an order from the Chief to the people, this would explain the burnt barn in the Village with all the burnt bodies piled by it and the reason why the Ganados dump the bodies in the lake. Second one:

Execution Orders

A few days ago, captured... escaped from farm earlier... in confinement.

...Master has confirmed his intentions.

...We have no more use... for that plan.

At dawn...

We will... execute that person...

(The rest is so dirty that I can't read it.)

This letter is likely from Luis when escaping, an interesting deeper view further into Luis's story at least.

Another minor difference is Ashley's picture is different in the trial version, but more so a file comes with it if you use Debug which reveals just a minor detail of what College she apparently went too.

"Ashley's" photo

Ashley Graham (20 years old)

Daughter of the president of the USA.

A few days ago she went missing without a trace from the Massachusetts state college.

The possibility that someone has taken her to Europe is high.

It was a well-planed crime, but we do not know what their intentions are.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Tornado]

Likely since that's how it was in the old Resident Evil games, the Combat Knife had to be attached separately, but for convenience they changed it. To note in the Hookman Version L-Button instead of Knife makes Leon throw Grenades.

I know how it was in the original games. I'm just wondering why because Capcom had already developed a pretty good (somewhat similar to Resi 4 Final) combat system for Dino Crisis II, and if Resi 4 was supposed to be more combat oriented from the start (as the original build infamously later becoming DMC alludes to being the case) I'm surprised they didn't have a variation of that instead of the clunky system from the earlier RE games.

[Agent York]

I know how it was in the original games. I'm just wondering why because Capcom had already developed a pretty good (somewhat similar to Resi 4 Final) combat system for Dino Crisis II, and if Resi 4 was supposed to be more combat oriented from the start (as the original build infamously later becoming DMC alludes to being the case) I'm surprised they didn't have a variation of that instead of the clunky system from the earlier RE games.

True to the truer, which is likely why they switched it around in development, but I think they may have potentially thought having a knife on hand always with a gun out also would be cheap (ignoring the fact it takes like 20-30 times to stab a zombie with a knife to kill it in the old games which with the old tank control games was no easy task). That or maybe it's because they thought it wouldn't make sense for Leon to be carrying a gun, flashlight, and a knife? Grenades are thrown soooo... Still point is it was changed in the final release when it got a bit more action-oriented.

Anyways, ANOTHER video to link to is through a glitch in Resident Evil 4 (gamecube version only) you can access a hidden cutscene that was scraped from the game. It's short and nothing big, it just seems like the "enemy eyes coming for you" style cutscene, which you can view here:

Also I want to stick this to Resident Evil 4, but Resident Evil 5 had some amazing beta concepts too. They had a whole alternate storyline and we got a lot of storyboards for it and a lot of concept art and screens. For Resident Evil 5 quickly for a comparison...

Older Resident Evil 5 Build with Zombies:

Some of the Zombie Concept Art:

Uroboros Concept Art:

Resident Evil 5 Originally had a dodging move (you can also see this in the 2nd game trailer) and enemies could pick up objects like chairs to attack:

Storyboard Alternate Story Shots along with beta Excella:

...Just for comparison. A lot more with 5 also but it's not as big as a whole overhaul with an almost complete game like 4 was. Or Resident Evil 2 for that matter, 1.5 and 3.5 are the biggest instances though Capcom always makes a ton of changes with it's Resident Evil games in development.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[EXshad]

Damn, I'm intrigued to hear more about the alternate RE5 story, though I heard that originally, RE5 involved tying up loose-ends with the Sherry Birkin plot, and she was to accompany you like Ashley did. Or something like that. Perhaps it was just a rumor though.

I gotta say that Uroborus art is awesome. If only it looked like that in the game, it might not have been considered some random Japanese tentacle rape monster ripoff. I also liked how the zombies/majini could act more directly with their surrounding environment in the beta. If only it was like that in the final product...

Also, while I liked the plot of RE5, the fact that it was revised is almost clearly evident in the game; a lot of stuff isn't explained in-game, but is alluded to. Who are the Wesker children, and why them? What exactly is Uroborus comprised of? What part does Las Plaga play in everything? And that blond-haired girl in the game's beginning looked like an older Sherry Birkin....

Granted, I know a handful of this stuff was explained in the Library files, but the fact that some of this stuff isn't explained in-game, even in some sort of in-game file, just makes me think something was up.

Ah well. lol

Edited June 13, 2010 by EXshad

[Agent York]

Damn, I'm intrigued to hear more about the alternate RE5 story, though I heard that originally, RE5 involved tying up loose-ends with the Sherry Birkin plot, and she was to accompany you like Ashley did. Or something like that. Perhaps it was just a rumor though... that Uroborus art is awesome, though. If only it looked like that in the game, it might not have been considered some random Japanese tentacle rape monster ripoff. I also liked how the zombies/majini could act more directly with their surrounding environment in the beta. If only it was like that in the final product...

Also, while I liked the plot of RE5, the fact that it was revised is almost clearly evident in the game; a lot of stuff isn't explained in-game, but is alluded to. Who are the Wesker children, and why them? What exactly is Uroborus comprised of? What part does Las Plaga play in everything? And that blond-haired girl in the game's beginning looked like an older Sherry Birkin....

Granted, I know a handful of this stuff was explained in the Library files, but the fact that some of this stuff isn't explained in-game, even in some sort of in-game file, just makes me think something was up.

Ah well. lol

There was actually more but I guess if push comes to shove I could turn this into a general Resident Evil Beta topic, there is a LOT to cover... But 3.5 and Resident Evil 1 Beta are the only ones currently making progress. We COULD of had Resident Evil 1.5, which was 90% done before being scrapped and completely different than Resident Evil 2, one day this dude was selling it on Ebay no idea what it was but when he found out he took a few videos to prove it was the real deal then charged and asked for unreasonable amounts of money for it from this one dude who was trying ot get it so he could release it's ROM to the public, but then Capcom took notice and under threat of suing took it from him. If he hadn't been a dickwad that could of been one mystery solved and a whole alternate Resident Evil 2 playable. ;3;

But for Uroboros, he was originally supposed to be fought on top of a train, likely in the Train Yard stage instead of the Sewers.

Also for the Beta plot it made Jill play a bigger role being rescued 2/3 through the game;

Them being a teamed up part with you able to select which character you wanted to play (Josh would become unlockable later);

Wesker would try to make a new Tyrant that killed Excella;

Also Wesker died in a cooler way, being blasted to bits from not two rocket launchers but Wesker's own aircraft jacked and killed with his own missiles.

Also the Tricell base would play a bigger stage, Irving wasn't a midget. and the Tricell Headquarters was BUILT on a Volcano, not just a random volcano out of nowhere.

Also, some beta enemies!

Beta version of dog enemies.

APPARENTLY the final Chainsaw Majini was originally the Executioner, you can see this also in the 2nd trailer below.

Or if video won't load:

Also Plagas was originally supposed to go a step further and people themselves turned into monsters like insects and, get this, Hunters!

Human Hunter Enemy Concept:

...Yeah, going to change this to general Resident Evil Beta topic, I got a lot more to show if people are willing to post.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[EXshad]

Wow.... that's pretty amazing. That would have been an awesome way for Wesker to die, rather than the Rocket Launchers. And the facility being built on a dormant volcano just makes sense, rather than it just being a Deus Ex Machina. And I had a hunch there'd be clues pointing to Hunters being taken out of the final game, especially with the reappearance of Lickers.

Still, I'm kinda glad some parts of the plot changed. Selecting who and who can't tag along with you sounds even LESS Survival-horror, and I'm glad they kept that concept to the Mercenaries (not to mention just thinks about it makes me think "Resident Heroes" or something abominable like that). I also am glad they ditched Wesker making another Tyrant, rather having him BECOME a tyrant-like creature for the final boss (which was awesome). And Jill coming back that earlier would have spoiled things even more. Then again, considering at how obvious it was, it might have been a good thing. There's so many routes Capcom could have gone with the "Jill's dead, but how is she in this picture?" plot, but in the end, it was so predictable.

Also, the game never seems to conclude Ada's story.... maybe that'll be for a spin-off though.

Edited June 13, 2010 by EXshad

[Agent York]

Wow.... that's pretty amazing. That would have been an awesome way for Wesker to die, rather than the Rocket Launchers. And the facility being built on a dormant volcano just makes sense, rather than it just being a Deus Ex Machina. And I had a hunch there'd be clues pointing to Hunters being taken out of the final game, especially with the reappearance of Lickers.

Just for added effect at Wesker dying at his own Airship deal...

For Ada there is still more to be explored I'm sure, just like there still is with Sherry and Steve. I mean, you guys just made a game about them in Darkside chronicles! You can't keep Sherry and Steve's fate in the air forever! I mean you guys almost answered it in both 4 and 5... Though I guess Darkside Chronicles did reveal Sherry is under control by the government which are using her to make Leon their agent.

THOUGH before these storyboards even it's evident the game wasn't originally going to be co-op at all with Chris-only in lots of trailers and early images, though they decided to go the teamwork route. Some decisions are missed, others are changes I and others can agree with, all part of the development process.

However we're going to learn a lot more about Resident Evil 5's development soon, even more than we know. Capcom is soon releasing an artbook, they already released a few sample pages.

But it's not out yet, comes out next month for US $40 (though you can snag it for less for $27... Or wait until people scan it...*cough*).

Speaking of Resident Evil Betas, Resident Evil 1 Beta recently got in the hands of a German Collector just two weeks ago. He's not releasing the rom but showing us a lot, one of the most interesting things is that apparently Resident Evil 1 was originally supposed to have 4-player co-op.

Apparently also starring some big blond dude (I hope that's not Wesker...) and some black guy.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Tori Himemiya]

Dusk! You don't know how much I love you now! XD This is intersting info. It makes me want the unfinished product instead.

The plagas look a lot scarier looking than the final ones. They should had went with them. Also Hookman would had been nice too. Its just as apporiate as zombies. I honest don't get why they scraped some good concepts. D:

Random art from Leon, where is this from...?

This look like the art in The Merceniaries.

[Agent York]

Dusk! You don't know how much I love you now! XD This is intersting info. It makes me want the unfinished product instead.

The plagas look a lot scarier looking than the final ones. They should had went with them. Also Hookman would had been nice too. Its just as apporiate as zombies. I honest don't get why they scraped some good concepts. D:

This look like the art in The Merceniaries.

...I think you're right! That would be where it's from, forgot about the mercenaries screens in 4. XD And a lot of ideas that seem cool have been passed but hopefully Capcom have some more good ideas up their sleeves.

Before I continue since last post was about Resident Evil 1, this one will be about Resident Evil REmake a bit to touch up. Even though a remake they cut out a lot of additional features.

This character and scene never happen in the game (do I see lost black guy from above was originally supposed to be in the remake!?)

This one I'm glad they got rid of but apparently it also originally had melee moves.

And some areas not in the final were cut.

Unfortunately the one person who we know has it isn't too open about it so we don't have much on the game. ALSO if there's any more on a game you want to know about, you can request it or else I'll go randomly. A lot of information to digest. It's hard to learn everything since some is open to the public, some is only on some discreet sites and some certain people are the only ones who know things (like the guy holding the REmake prototype) and often there's not one site where all the information is stored, it's all over the web which can make it hard for someone to learn everything, besides new discoveries are made all the time, like currently with 3.5 and 1 beta, and soon upcoming RE5 since the artbook is coming.

...You know this makes me want to go check and see if there's any hidden areas in the RE5 DLC, there's a few things in Lost in Nightmares that bug the hell out of me, there's like two rooms shown on the map you can't access.Though I literally spent one time forever trying to find like some secret route to enter inside this area which looks like it has a room next to the Piano but I swear there's nothing there... But I hope there is since why is it on the map? ;3;

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Remy]

I love hearing about RE betas, the amount of crap they usually change from initial release to final is insane, haha.

[Badnik Mechanic]

I actually have an interesting RE 1 beta story of my own... Sorta. I used to collect powerstation magazine and a reader sent in a clipping from a rival magazine which talked about their early experience playing with a very early build of the original RE. This was back when the original playstation was less than a year old.

It mentioned that you were apart of a team sent into an underground lab to investigate reports that a giant plant had released a poison that had killed everyone and took over. No mention of Bravo team or the T-virus, or even Raccoon city. But the bit I remember the most was that the weapons was said to include pitchforks and flaming torches!

Edited June 13, 2010 by Gnasher

[Agent York]

^I've actually never heard that, going to look more into that out of curiosity. Anyways, got more Resident Evil 4 Beta stuff. I'm not even touching 1.5 or 2 until ready to show a LOT.

Here's more stuff scrapped from Resident Evil 4 Beta you can achieve in debug, some of it can be a bit confusing but basically to break down each section:

1. This isn't too interesting, it's taking an enemy that's programmed to run away and abusing it in a locale by spawning it where it's not supposed to be to initiate a grab move though the enemy is never supposed to attack, the most boring, but next up...

2. SLOW-MO! Shows dodging moves in Resident Evil 4 from version 3.5 that were scrapped and includes showing Leon having duck and cover like in Resident Evil 5... PROVING Resident Evil 4 did it before Gears of War. lD

3. Beta enemies, similar to real enemies but their masks are different,a variant that never appears in the game.

4. These Las Plagas are never meant to grab you so like 1 just abusing debug to make them grab him though they don't have the animation in the regular game to do that.

5. The coolest one. A lost Ganado move... I won't spoil the surprise...

And with that, here is a full collection translated from Japanese from interviews about Resident Evil 3.5

The Story of Resident Evil 3.5

The game took place after Resident Evil Code Veronica, with Leon infiltrating the same Paris (in Europe) base as Claire to save a helpless Sherry Birkin. A government agent concerned mostly for her safety, Leon got too close to spilling Umbrella's secrets and infiltrating the base Umbrella let out it's new experimental virus, created from the pure essence of the Progenitor Virus, the origin of all viruses Umbrella used. The virus acted quickly as it spread through Leon and began to consume him. Barely escaping, Leon starts finding himself in a twisted world, with living dolls, spirits, and a special Umbrella agent sent out to specifically kill Leon for knowing too much. According to interviews, the character was a character we already knew and was not Wesker, making the possibilities either Ada or HUNK, but based on the role and the fact HUNK already had a model for Resident Evil 4 Mercenaries, people guess it's him and he originally was supposed to play a bigger role in the story as Leon's assassin. Leon would find himself in a world where he was unsure if he was just going mad or if the world was really as dark and consumed by Umbrella as he see's, tearing the line between reality and hallucination. Areas known to be in the game included an old castle, the Umbrella lab from Code Veronica, and an Air Ship. Due to recent findings, we can confirm the airship played part in a flashback and the castle would extend to bases, ruins, forests, mountains, museums, and more.

The Gameplay of Resident Evil 3.5

The game aimed to be somewhat of a departure for elements from the series but still be distinctively Resident Evil. The game would have fixed camera angles like all of the other Resident Evils, but the environments were fully rendered in 3D and the screens wouldn't be static but instead move in a cinematic way like a horror movie, switching to a behind the shoulder view whenever Leon went to aim his gun. The foreground of this game was exploration and horror, the developers say they wanted to create a world that only progressively got darker and more twisted as the game progressed, having the player second guessing themselves if what they see was real or just a hallucination. The hallucinations would twist the environments, but unfortunately how it would get darker and more twisted to affect gameplay and it's impact on the story is left unknown. There also would be sections in the style of Resident Evil Zero where Leon would have a partner, able to switch between the two with some special abilities of each, for those who played Zero it was going to be like that but only in certain parts of the game. switching to a partners view could also discern what madness Leon was conjuring up in his mind away from the true horror in the world they must survive. However beyond this we don't know much more or for that matter who Leon's partner would even be, though we do know of Ashley in a beta costume leftover on the Trial disk from 3.5, along with some form of Wolf Man Monster. The only other thing noted is that the game would have more than one scenario, a bonus is how it's worded.

Real Time Horror

It was noted in an interview to keep things tense the items and monsters would be randomized and also react based on how a player is playing. An example given was based on where a monster spawned and how you played the game (either rushing, going slow and scared, darting around, staying in one place, etc) the smarter monsters could wait for you in certain areas, crawl up on you from the shadows, break through walls to reach you, etc. The randomized feature for items and some monster locations was used somewhat in the Resident Evil 5 DLC, though if this was inspiration for that or not is uncertain.

The Monsters of Resident Evil 3.5

Besides the already mentioned Dolls, there were a few other monsters that were talked about and found through hacking. They said a few well-known monsters from the Resident Evil series would return, with Zombie Dogs and the Tyrant as given examples. The Tyrant had gone to become a mass produced species that had turned dark and grisly with Umbrella's continual twisted methods. Cited in an interview is that in a cutscene the player would witness an old Resident Evil 1 styled Tyrant being torn apart and eaten alive by it's futuristic mass produced Tyrant race. He said there was more but he didn't want to ruin the surprise. He also said, not including bosses, there were also 4 new BOWs in the game. One was probably Hookman, which is a spirit-like being that attacks Leon, however we are not sure if this is a real BOW for it could be a hallucination from Leon so it might not count. In late 2009, hacking the Resident Evil 4 Trial Edition Disk revealed 3 strange models from Resident Evil 3.5. One was corrupted but the other 2 consist of Ashley in a pilot-styled costume and labeled as Ashley Beta, the other was a Werewolf styled monster, who's purpose is uncertain.

Resident Evil 3.5 was to be the Definite End of Resident Evil

According to GamePro in March, 2003 the game was over 50% finished though in January 2004 Capcom announced officially that all we had seen in trailers had been scrapped, leading Resident Evil 4 as it is now to be made. However, in a 2010 interview, the inventor of Resident Evil Shinjia Mikami confirmed more about 3.5 in an interview as at the time the Resident Evil series was dying in popularity and he wanted to finish the series with a bang, but Capcom took some control over the project in the final direction Resident Evil 4 would go and he quit shortly after, now a part of Platinum Games. His last directed Resident Evil game was RE4, and if it had been 3.5 he confirms that 3.5 was his way of concluding the series.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Tornado]

I was under the assumption that Mikami wanted 4 to be the last game anyways, and then Capcom fed Chris about 2 liters of steroids and recycled 4 in Africa. Of course, that may have been Kojima-style PR bullshit, but whatevs.

[Agent York]

I was under the assumption that Mikami wanted 4 to be the last game anyways, and then Capcom fed Chris about 2 liters of steroids and recycled 4 in Africa. Of course, that may have been Kojima-style PR bullshit, but whatevs.

From my knowledge, Resident Evil 4 was definitely not supposed to be the end as it ended up being, especially after Resident Evil 4 went out to be super successful both in sales, critically, and with it's fans while also bringing in new fans of course. But the ending was too open ended in RE4 with no wrap-up on Chris and Wesker's story, Ada working for Wesker got away with the Plagas sample, and the fates of characters like Sherry and Steve, who were actually originally supposed to have closure in Resident Evil 4, weren't explored at all in the end and to this day are still open ended (though for having them in Darkside Chronicles and retelling their story with still an open ended answer I think Capcom plan to resolve it sometime).

Anyways, looking more over Resident Evil 3.5 stuff to make sure there's nothing I'm missing but apparently according to Nintendo Magazine back in the day the Progenitor Virus was actually turning Leon into a Tyrant. Whenever that was the magazine's mistake or some exclusive information I'm not sure, since of course as of now we'll never know. Though also in the magazine it apparently spoke that the hour they played took place in a Castle with Biohazard symbol crates littered around and a section with a spiral staircase (glances at level list) where the fog kept appearing everywhere and trying to consume Leon, whenever real or a hallucination uncertain. Also Leon stumbles upon a ripped up Zombie body asking "Who Could of Done this?"

This was from Nintendo Gamecube magazine, a magazine that ran for a short while. I am going to look if I can find scans, I actually own the first issue of that magazine but I never bought any further copies...

Post more as I find more, seeing if I can get every bit of Resident Evil 3.5 news ever posted here.

EDIT: A bit more from that same issue. It seems Hookman was the owner of the Castle Leon is in, and Hookman (also known in files as Mr. Hook... Har har har) that, whatever Hookman touched, would bring it to life. That's why Dolls and Deer heads are coming to life, since they were touched by Hookman... Though if that's in Leon's mind or actually happening to be determined. It also says that there was a scene where Leon is in a hallway with long curtains (Drape Hallway) and one of the curtains comes alive and tries to choke him. In his head or actually happening...? Leon believes he can see Hookman, who is a spirit who has been also consumed by the Progenitor Virus and as such whatever he touches comes alive. At least what Leon believes, but ghost are real or in his head?

Also I was pausing frames the Hookman Trailer and noticed a few things and a few differences. The Hookman looks like he's cluttered in Shadow in the trailer but he doesn't in the gameplay. The Fireplace doesn't emit fire, BUT that could of been randomized come to think of it. I also noticed a creepy Squirrel plushie in the mannequin room, a few areas, and get this... I noticed a Zombie, I'd seen in every time I'd watched it, just for some reason never registered in my head that the Hookman game had Zombies... Weird, I know. Watch the Hookman Trailer if you didn't register that either, 3rd video on the first post, and yep, that is most definitely a zombie that walks by the window.

EDIT 2: Got a random scan, but need to get it translated. Has a piece of concept art for a theater, and a few hard to find shots, see if there's new info too.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper

[Remy]

They should recycle 3.5 for RE6.

[Agent York]

Resident Evil 4 was Alan Wake/Obscure before they even existed!

An observation I just noticed:

Black, shadowy, moody, can teleport... Then Leon flashes his flashlight on him...

Poof! It all goes away and now he's just a tough guy zombie with a hook, no supernatural powers and likely no longer invincible. Somehow I never noticed...

Also two of the strangest RE4 pics ever.

Japan and their advertising... But wait, there's more!

MAKE DAT GAME CAPCOM, MAKE IT! Still looking for those Nintendo Gamecube Magazine scans...

[Tornado]

They should recycle 3.5 for RE6.

It's Capcom. They probably will at some point.

[killemoff]

Those Uroboros pics are way better than what we got in the final release...

For shame Capcom.