You’ll see zombies, chainsaw men, and Leon Kennedy inside the Resident Evil haunted house, but no little kids.
It’s been, somewhat ironically, quite a while since Universal Studios Japan got a new, big-name movie-themed attraction. That’s OK, though, because the bigger draw for the park these days appears to be its steady rotation of attractions based on hit anime and Japanese video game franchises.
USJ frequently partners with game developer Capcom, who also just so happens to be based in Osaka. The two have just announced their latest team-up, a new Resident Evil horror attraction.
It’s titled Biohazard Night of Heroes (Biohazard being the in-Japan name of the Resident Evil franchise), and true to its name, the attraction will only be open at night, from 6 p.m. until the park closes. That’s because it’s part of this year’s Halloween festivities at USJ, which are split into kid-friendly family fun in the daytime and more hardcore horror after sundown.
USJ is describing Resident Evil/Biohazard Night of Heroes as “an immersive experience in which you are surrounded on all sides by the Resident Evil world, just like in the games,” in which you “face your fears alongside the heroes” of the series. That seems to indicate that Biohazard Night of Heroes is a walk-through haunted house, and the park describes the attraction’s backstory with:
“You’ve become lost in a long-abandoned Umbrella research facility. A lab where viruses that turn human beings into zombies and other bioorganic weapons were developed, it’s now become an uncontrolled area writhing with countless zombies and other creatures. Along with Clair, Chris, Leon, and Jill, who’ve arrived on the scene, can you survive the zombie hordes and hellish terror?”
Despite USJ’s reputation for source-material fidelity, it’s likely that, at least for insurance reasons, there’s no chance of actually dying within Biohazard Night of Heroes. Instead, the “Can you survive question?” is probably hinting at some sort of optional objective that guests may or may not be able to complete before making their escape from the lab, since interactive, game-like elements have long been popular features at amusement park attractions in Japan, and make perfect sense for one based on a video game franchise.
In addition to the above-mentioned all-star cast of Resident Evil heroes, USJ also promises you’ll encounter zombies (naturally) within the lab, as well as iconic enemies the Licker and Nemesis, plus a “chainsaw man” (not to be confused with the Chainsaw Man at USJ’s Chainsaw Man anime attraction), tipping the hat/severed head to Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4.
▼ Hey, Resident Evil chainsaw man, if you can hear us over that thing, any updates on when that Donkey Kong Country expansion is gonna be finished?
Halloween Resident Evil attractions have become a bit of a tradition at USJ, and Biohazard Night of Heroes continues that tradition by once again being off-limits to little kids. The park’s official website for the attraction says that guests 12 years old and younger are prohibited from entering the attraction, and also that “Regardless of age, we cannot recommend this attraction to guests who are uncomfortable with grotesque sights.”
For those old/brave enough, Biohazard Night of Heroes will run from September 6 to November 4.
Source: PR Times, Universal Studios Japan
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Universal Studios Japan
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