Resident Evil Confidential Report are a series of four cellphone games, and the only original storyline mobile game made directly by Capcom. Choosing as either rookie RPD cop, Tyler Hamilton or FBI agent, Noami McClain of Biohazard i-Survivor fame, the pair must battle through four levels surrounded by the horrors of Raccoon City. Implementing a unique for the series, turn based combat system, Files 1 to 4, tells of various Umbrella secrets and their efforts to cover up the entire affair.
Plot Synopsis
File #1
Rookie cop Tyler Hamilton has been assigned to guard the Umbrella Storage Facility in Raccoon City when an explosion from underground rocks the foundations. Tyler is knocked down, and trapped inside the Storage Facility, however as he wakes up he notices hoards of the undead coming towards him.
Meanwhile, FBI Agent, Noami McClain has been sent into the city to investigate the experiments of this facility, and locate what the previous agent could not; concrete evidence direct from secret FBI informants working within Umbrella's ranks.
File #2
After surviving the horrors of the infested Storage Facility, Tyler has been holding up in a local police station. Suddenly, the distress alarm rings from Raccoon University. Governed by his sense of duty, Tyler bravely sets off to the university believing there to be survivors.
Unknown to Tyler, Noami also picks up the distress call, and realises that there is a strong possibility that the alarm was raised by one of the informants she is looking for. She sets off to the university to find more clues to Umbrella and rescue this vital person.
File #3
Having made it back to relative safety of the local police station, Raccoon Museum alarm rings, so Tyler decides that he had better investigate, again believing there to be survivors hiding inside.
Noami also figures that the alarm could have been raised by an informant so also heads off to the museum to investigate.
File #4
With Tyler being tracked by the Special Forces he decides that the source of all this madness is the Storage Facility, and the Special Research Laboratory B situated beneath it. Tyler ventures deep underground and discovers just how sinister Umbrella are.
With 3 informants rescued, and the data disc and sample in hand, Noami realises she still needs test subjects to complete her evidence and so goes to the underground facility to finish her mission.
Characters
Tyler Hamilton
Tyler Hamilton is a rookie cop who got caught up in the Raccoon City incident and Umbrella's insidious viral experiments. On his first day on the job, he was guarding an Umbrella Storage Facility when suddenly an explosion rocked the foundations, and Tyler was knocked to the floor.
Beginning his new job with the R.P.D. on September 26th, Tyler Hamilton's primary task was to simply guard the entrance to an Umbrella Storage Facility As a possible relative of George Hamilton, Tyler is an industrious individual with a strong sense of justice and protection of the public.
Being a rookie, Tyler did not question the merits and the contents of guarding such a facility, and as such was knocked out cold when the explosion hit the facility. Unaware of the secrets that were in and below the facility, in reality the T-virus had leaked throughout the location two days earlier contaminating employees and causing many of the B.O.W.'s to escape from the underground laboratory and even the storage facility itself.
On September 26th 1998, Laboratory Manager, "A" in an attempt to cover up the research Umbrella was conducting, sets off a bomb to destroy the Storage Facility located above the labs. Unfortunatly for Tyler, he was in the firing line and felt the effects of the bomb. This explosion also released the T-virus into the local facinity, and it can be deduced that Tyler may have been infected at this point.
Tyler woke to find the facility in ruins, as he gets up he finds the entrance is crumpled and cannot return to his local police station. The only way is through the facility, which is crawling with escaped Umbrella experiments and former, now undead employees. As Tyler contiunes his mission to get safly back he encounters Naomi McClain, an F.B.I. Agent who is investigating Umbrella, an Agent that will have a prominent role in Tyler's life for the next few days.
Despite the hoards of undead in the facility, Tyler makes his way to the escape ladder, only to be confronted by Nemesis T-Type, the Umbrella Europe B.O.W. sent in to eradicate surviving S.T.A.R.S. members. Tyler successfully counteracts the Nemesis attacks and escapes to his local police station.
Naomi McClain
Naomi McClain is an F.B.I. Agent sent into Raccoon City to continue where the agent sent before her left off. After losing contact with this operative, Noami is sent to the city to achieve three objectives. 1. Locate the four F.B.I. informants. 2. Gather evidence of Umbrella illegal activities. 3. Collect any samples of the Virus. With a wealth of experience in the field, Naomi McClain was thrust into the limelight by single handily gathering sufficient evidence on the worlds largest pharmaceutical firm, Umbrella.
Arriving in Raccoon City on September 26th 1998, Naomi quickly locates a secret entrance to the Umbrella Storage Facility on a pedestrian street. Suddenly, an explosion is felt underground, and Naomi begins her investigations into Umbrella. She soon discovers the horrors of the T-virus and the hoards of undead and various B.O.W.'s that have escaped from the laboratories below the facility. She soon runs into another survivor, rookie cop, Tyler Hamilton who has been caught up in the explosion, they exchange notes although Naomi is careful not reveal too much information about the informants.
To her horror, Naomi finds evidence that the Special Forces are also within the Storage Facility and seeking out any remaining informants that pose a threat. Luckily, she locates the first informant, "K" before the troops do, as he reveals that the other three are scattered around the city.
After narrowly avoiding death, Naomi finds the rear entrance and escapes into the streets, where she holds up for a few days searching for clues regarding the whereabouts of the other F.B.I. informants.
Special Forces
A special group of soldiers sent in by Umbrella to eradicate the FBI informants. The forces are human and resemble the USS squads that have been used by Umbrella for various high-risk missions.
Locations
Umbrella Storage Facility
The Umbrella Storage Facility is a multi-level building situated in Raccoon City, most likely in a more suburban area than other facilities. In terms of main facilities, this Storage Facility is fairly small, with its main purpose to store various products from the company.
From the location, and the fact that rookie cop Tyler Hamilton is assigned to guard the facility, it can be deduced that this facility is very much in the public domain, and of a non-secretive nature. It is built of a number of levels and has direct access to the city's sewer network. The facility is splintered by this sewer and numerous bridges have been installed to connect both sides. The Storage Facility is built into the surrounding rock, with very little effort going in to actually normalizing the interior. As a result the facility resembles a hollowed out coal mine in many places with various rooms housing computers and boxes. Ultimately, the location of the facility would lead to its downfall. With this direct connection to the sewer network, rats infected with the T-virus slowly contaminated the facility and its employees, and consequently it was one of the early casualties to the widespread outbreak.
Whilst the function of the facility is never directly alluded to, the sheer volume of storage boxes suggests that this location was used a mass storage facility where Umbrella files, research and products can be stored safely. In all likelihood, this facility was not a secret building, and in full public knowledge. The fact that rookie cop, Tyler Hamilton is assigned to guard the facility, with no questions asked lends to the idea that the storage facility was very much in the public domain.
With the amount of storage boxes being evident, this facility was used to house the legitimate side of Umbrella's portfolio.
The main function however, as with many Umbrella properties is to be a disguise for Umbrella's main revenue flow. The Storage Facility is no different, with the Special Research Laboratory B built directly underneath the facility, away from investigators and corporate rivals.
On September 24th 1998, many escaped specimens from the laboratories below began to filter into the Storage Facility. The more agile Licker B.O.W. successfully infiltrated the confines of the building and began to infect the employees. That, combined with T-virus infected rats spreading the virus it led to a full scale outbreak in the building. Due to the structure of the facility, it was fairly well contained, and it did not pose a substantial risk to the outside world. However with the escape by numerous Lickers the inevitable chain reaction of further contamination was only a matter of time.
September 26th saw the arrival of the U.B.C.S. in Raccoon City. An initial objective for one of the units was to reclaim the facility and the laboratory beneath. In reality as with all U.B.C.S., they were in fact being used as guinea pigs for combat data. However the troops faced overwhelming odds, and undoubtedly struggled against the undead in the facility. Meanwhile in the Laboratory deep below, project leader "A" decided to take matters into his own hands. Fearing the F.B.I were investigating the facility, "A" detonated a bomb to cover up the research. This severely damaged the Storage Facility with many internal walls crumbling under the blast impact. One such blast knocked out Tyler Hamilton still guarding the entrance, who had become trapped in the building. A final nail in the coffin was the "A"'s bomb also released the virus into the local vicinity, infecting the local population and many of the remaining laboratory staff. This would be a major contributor to Raccoon's demise.
Raccoon Museum
When the Raccoon police force moved into the old museum, the artifacts and the contents were relocated to this museum. Home of many rare gems and treasures from around the world, some of Umbrella secrets were housed in the museums secure safe's. During the T-virus outbreak a native Centurion grew to an enormous size but was ultimately destroyed.
Special Research Laboratory B
One of the many secret underground laboratories that Umbrella operates, The Special Research Laboratory B is constructed underneath the seemingly inoxious looking Storage Facility acting as a perfect disguise and decoy. The exact location of this (and therefore the Storage Facility) are unclear, although with the evidence that a local police station is nearby it can be deduced that this laboratory is not in the downtown Raccoon City area, but perhaps in a suburb or other unseen district.
There are two main entrances to the facility that is built on numerous levels. There is an access ladder that descends past the |Storage Facility]and directly into the labs. This begins at street level through a hidden manhole cover. The second entrance is
Furthermore there is an emergency evacuation tunnel should anything that may contaminate the area be leaked. It is here that Tyler Hamilton and Naomi McClain escape, which leads back up into the city.
From the evidence unearthed by the investigating pair, there were two main functions of this facility. The first was the continued research and development of humanoid T-virus infection, and namely the effects of continued exposure, and the subsequent mutations. This was in essence the creation of the Licker B.O.W. with this lab being a front runner of this agile bio-weapon.
The second purpose, and what became the main objective of the facility was the development of the Matchless Soldier Programme through the MS-virus. With the T-virus at its base, research began on utilizing the regenerative effects of the virus, without the side-effects of becoming a zombie. The goal was to research the non-death cell, and how the virus could create in Umbrella's eyes were matchless and perfect super soldiers.
The research team were very successful in achieving their first goal of creating the Licker. Many specimens were produced in controlled environments, virtually by-passing the dangerous and unpredictable Crimson Head mutation. This early breakthrough with this bio-weapon was recognised by Umbrella and full bio-organic weapon status was authorised.1
After this preliminary success, the research team began to forward their studies into creating Umbrella super soldiers. The Matchless Soldier Programme was initiated, and in-depth analysis of the T-virus commenced. After substantial work, the regenerative cell within the T-virus was isolated and identified. Dubbed the "non-death" cell, this would form the basis of the next stage of research: enhancing the capabilities of the virus to cheat death, create enhanced soldiers without the side effects of being undead. It was an ambitious project, however early gains were made, with the project leader christening the findings as the MS-virus. In reality, any alterations that were made to the T-virus were purely trivial, with any non-death cell advancements showing no effect on test subjects. The lack of human specimens played havoc, with project leader "A" only managing to acquire Eliminator type specimens.
Two failed Nemesis T-Type B.O.W.'s were stored at the facility, as the Paris lab had deemed them of low intelligence, these may have well have been test subjects for the virus also.
By the time the laboratories began to become infected, the research into the MS-virus had come to a virtual standstill. Numerous stockpiles of failed experiments and virus's were common, and many employees had defected from Umbrella becoming secret informants to the F.B.I. Above the laboratories, in the sewer network, the T-virus had began to spread through rats. On September 24th 1998, many Licker experiments, escaped from their confines and fled into the above Storage Facility, following this, and the spread of the virus from above, the laboratories were heading for certain doom.
Project leader "A" soon became aware of his teams betrayal, as he was offered the opportunity to corporate with the F.B.I., after refusing, and fearing his results would be made public, he planned to cover up the whole affair by blowing up the labs and the storage facility above. This bomb was detonated on 26th September 2006 injuring rookie cop, Tyler Hamilton in the process. It in turn released the T-virus into the local vicinity.
The labs were badly damaged as well with many interior walls crumbling and the power was also knocked out on particular elevators. Despite this, the labs remained in a recognisable situation, and scientists were able to fend off the undead right up until October 1st. On this day, the initial wave of bunker missile specifically aimed at Umbrella underground facilities were launched and destroyed the labs outright.
Viral Agents
MS-Virus
The main virus in the game series, and in truth its properties are exactly the same as the T-Virus. The goal of the MS-Virus was to create super soldiers, with immortality and the ability to receive and undetake orders. Perhaps the ultimate goal of B.O.W development. Unfortunatly, evidently using the T-virus as the base compound, the results were never conclusive and produced nothing more than standard Zombie and Licker mutations. The researchers were premature in their christening of the virus.
"M" Vaccine
The "M" Vaccine was initially an attempt by the researchers to compliment the yet incomplete and wrongly christened MS-virus to forward their studies into the 'Matchless Soldier' program. However with the MS-virus not showing the desired the results, the "M" Vaccine would ultimately cure any persons infected with the T-virus.
Created in the bowels of the Special Research Laboratory B, by the research team, scientist and secret F.B.I. informant "M" using her knowledge of the T-virus to create a cure for Umbrella's viral agent. The effects of adminstering the cure were very apparent, as it would very quickly reverse the effects of the mutagenic virus, and stop further infection.
All relevant data regarding the "M" vaccine was lost in the Raccoon City bombings. Prior to the nuclear blast wiping the city off the map, the military fired bunker missiles that specifically targeted the underground facilities located throughout the city. The laboratory as a result was a target, and the infrastructure was destroyed.
"J" Vaccine
Working in conjuction with researcher "M", the "J" vaccine was an attempt to produce a cure for the T-virus to complement the research into the 'Matchless Soldier' program and the MS-virus.
However it soon became apparent, that the "J" vaccine was not suitable, as it did not cure infected specimens of the T-virus. Placed in the virus stockpiles, the "J" vaccine was inadvertently placed alongside the "M" vaccine inside a contained room in Umbrella Special Research Laboratory B in Raccoon City.
The sample was picked up by Tyler Hamilton who had become infected with the T-virus. It managed to cure his infection.
Development History
All four entries into this mini saga were created in 2006, with the first title being released on Western cellphones in September of that year. The three sequels quickly followed.
The games offer a unique take on the franchise with a turn based system that is more akin to the Final Fantasy series than the survival horror Resident Evil's. Whilst this does add elements of fear and tension, it also significantly lengthens the games too, as this engine is used even in combat situations.
Canonicity
Unlike other cellphone games, the Confidential Report series were developed in house by Capcom themselves. Other mobile projects has seen portable games outsourced to LivingMobile. In fact, this developer created Biohazard i-Survivor which features Tyler Hamilton and Noami McClain.
With Capcom creating the games themselves the question of canonicity crops up, as excluding a four-game series created by the main developers has little merit. Granted, none of the main producers or major players from the Resident Evil development teams were probably involved, but that does not takeaway the fact that these are Capcom developed games. Other mobile games, and even Resident Evil Gaiden cannot claim this (although Shinji Mikami was an advisor for the game), and are subsequently excluded from the canon, but Confidential Report does not fall into this category, and as such satisfies the Project: Umbrella golden canon rules.
That being said, these games do as witnessed in the timeline come with a big disclaimer. Despite the additions to the mythos, at no point in the games are the words Raccoon City or Umbrella ever mentioned nor are any specific dates given. Whilst they can be inferred through in-games events and conduct it is only this, inferred. It seems obvious that the development team, whilst in-house were keen to not directly link the main series, which is a for some a disppointment.
As such the best way to view the canonicity of the games is on a purely personal basis, the extracts that have been written out had to be tweaked to make them fit with the series, so this should also be considered when evaluating the franchise.
However, the series can fit with a little work, all of which can be found in the editorial section. For timeline purposes it has been written in a different color so you can make your own mind up.