The X-Files: Resist or Serve

Black Ops Entertainment

Company type	Private
Industry	Video game development
Founded	1994
Products	Video games

The X-Files: Resist or Serve is a survival horror title released in 2004, developed by Black Ops Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games exclusively for the PlayStation 2. Drawing inspiration from the television series The X-Files (1993–2002), this installment marks the third game adaptation within the franchise, succeeding The X-Files: Unrestricted Access (1997) and The X-Files Game (1998). The narrative is set during the events of season seven, unfolding through three distinct "episodes" that follow FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they investigate a series of unexplained fatalities in Colorado connected to an extraterrestrial artifact with the power to resurrect the dead. Their pursuit ultimately leads them to a downed spacecraft located in Tunguska, Russia.

Initially announced in December 2002 with a targeted release in the second quarter of 2003 to coincide with the launch of the seventh season’s DVD, the game's script was penned by Tom Schnauz, known for writing two episodes of the original series. Voice performances were delivered by the original cast members, while series composer Mark Snow provided the musical score. Vivendi Universal Games launched the title in North America in March 2004, followed by a European release in May under the Sierra Entertainment brand. Although an Xbox version was considered, it was ultimately cancelled.

Promoted as three previously unreleased "lost episodes" from season seven, Resist or Serve garnered mixed critical reception. Reviewers frequently compared its gameplay mechanics to those found in the Resident Evil franchise. While elements such as narrative depth, script quality, voice acting, and soundtrack received commendations, criticisms were directed at its visual presentation, control scheme, and fixed camera angles that shift depending on the environment.

Plot

Set chronologically after the seventh season’s second episode, "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati", and referencing events from "Hungry" and "Millennium", the storyline is segmented into three chapters framed as new "episodes": "Renascence", "Resonance", and "Reckoning". Each segment opens with the signature series’ opening credits.

"Renascence"

In 1908, a spacecraft crashes near Tunguska, Russia, unleashing an alien virus known as "black oil". The incident results in the death of a Russian couple and infects their infant child. Fast forward to present-day Red Falls, Colorado, where 15-year-old twins Katlyn and Mandy Winslow vanish but reappear two weeks later amidst a series of three unexplained deaths linked to a man who perished in a drunk-driving accident. The local community suspects that these girls, rumored to practice witchcraft, have resurrected this individual to carry out these murders.

FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (voiced by David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (voiced by Gillian Anderson) take on the case. After splitting up during their investigation, they encounter zombies; Mulder discovers Mandy’s corpse but is bitten by one of the undead. Scully conducts an autopsy and develops an antidote to save him. They eventually find Katlyn, who escapes but is later found deceased.

At Briar Lake mental hospital, Mulder and Scully uncover vials containing black oil and learn that the Winslow twins had been part of psychic experimentation. They also encounter clones of Katlyn and Mandy and meet Alex Krycek (voiced by Nicholas Lea), who reveals that these clones are utilizing their abilities to unleash an alien artifact. Krycek flees before soldiers arrive to evacuate Mulder and Scully as Red Falls is engulfed in flames during a cover-up operation. Before departing Briar Lake, Scully secures an optical disc for further analysis.

"Resonance"

Krycek is unveiled as an associate of The Smoking Man (voiced by William B. Davis). At FBI headquarters, Mulder briefs assistant director Walter Skinner (voiced by Mitch Pileggi) regarding the alien artifact capable of resurrecting the deceased. Skinner arranges for the original homicide victims to be examined at the FBI Academy. The agents seek insight from The Lone Gunmen (Byers, Frohike, Langley; voiced by Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund), who decrypt a Russian data disc from Briar Lake mentioning Tunguska, the site where Mulder encountered black oil. Mulder reaches out to Marita Covarrubias (voiced by Laurie Holden) for support.

Mulder endures radiation-related hallucinations triggered by his closeness to the artifact, envisioning his sister Samantha alongside a spectral figure. Covarrubias administers an antidote to counteract the effects. Meanwhile, Scully experiences radiation exposure during an autopsy but successfully treats herself with an antidote.

Covarrubias arranges Mulder’s travel to Tunguska while Scully and The Lone Gunmen investigate Roush Biotechnologies, which finances Briar Lake experiments and manages bodies from the facility. Disguised as researchers, Scully and Byers infiltrate Roush; Frohike remotely accesses security systems with Langley’s assistance. Scully obtains a fragment of the alien artifact and uncovers images depicting Mulder undergoing brain surgery.

"Reckoning"

Mulder survives a plane crash near Tunguska and is contacted by Covarrubias, who informs him that Scully has arrived. She urges Mulder to leave immediately, warning that Krycek and The Smoking Man are on site. Initially, Covarrubias had collaborated with them to guide Mulder toward an alien spacecraft that crashed nearly a century ago but was later imprisoned by Krycek after betraying their alliance. Mulder encounters The Smoking Man but is rendered unconscious by Krycek. During unconsciousness, he experiences a vision before Scully revives him. Together they find Covarrubias, who reveals that the ghostly presence serves as a conduit channeling power from the alien artifact. Following an explosion, Covarrubias vanishes.

A helicopter crashes when its pilot transforms into a zombie. Mulder and Scully commandeer a truck to reach Siberian ruins where Krycek’s team is draining a lake to expose the submerged spaceship wreckage beneath ancient ruins. After a creature attacks their raft, Mulder becomes separated from Scully. He confronts The Smoking Man, who challenges him to either "resist or serve" in relation to the entity.

Within an aged monastery, Scully affixes a fragment of the alien artifact to its main portion, summoning the entity in the form of an elderly man approximately 90 to 100 years old. Scully defeats the entity and concludes that its alien biology enables its link to the artifact. Mulder locates the spaceship and faces aliens along with the entity in its younger incarnation. After overcoming the entity, Mulder reunites with Scully as the spaceship departs without her noticing. They report their discoveries to FBI officials including Skinner and Alvin Kersh, who remain skeptical of their account.

Gameplay

The X-Files: Resist or Serve is a survival horror title presented from a third-person viewpoint with fixed camera angles that change depending on the location. Players have the option to select either Mulder or Scully; although both explore largely overlapping environments, they encounter unique challenges and characters, resulting in two distinct gameplay paths.

The arsenal includes five different firearms and weapons such as molotov cocktails, alongside a flashlight used to temporarily incapacitate foes and uncover key items. Ammunition and health supplies are distributed throughout the stages, occasionally dropped by adversaries who must be defeated first. An inventory system manages all weapons and collected items.

Each stage features boss encounters that players must overcome to move forward. Additionally, players are required to solve puzzles to progress. Both Mulder and Scully maintain investigation notes accessible at any moment during gameplay. Playing as Scully involves specific tasks such as conducting autopsies and formulating antidotes for poisons.

Development and release

Development of an X-Files game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox commenced in December 2002 under Black Ops Entertainment, with an initial release target set for the second quarter of 2003. The project was officially announced in January 2003, timed to align with the DVD launch of the series' seventh season. By March, the release date shifted to September 2003, intending simultaneous launches on both platforms, though the Xbox version was eventually cancelled. As of May 2003, the launch was postponed again to October 2003.

The narrative was crafted by scriptwriter Thomas Schnauz, known for his work on the series' later seasons, with additional writing contributions from Whitney Edwards, Gennifer Hutchison, and Jen Johnson. Heather Barclay led programming efforts, Kirk Lambert took on lead design and production roles, while audio direction was managed by Tommy Tallarico. The game ran on a proprietary engine developed specifically for this project. Numerous references and inside jokes from the television series were incorporated to enhance realism.

Original compositions by Mark Snow accompanied voice performances from the main cast members, along with bonus features such as commentaries and behind-the-scenes content. Voice recording sessions took place during the 2002 holiday season, posing scheduling difficulties; Gillian Anderson recorded her lines in London while David Duchovny did so in Los Angeles.

The X-Files: Resist or Serve was released by Vivendi Universal Games in North America on March 16, 2004, followed by a European launch under the Sierra Entertainment label on May 21, 2004. Marketed as three previously unreleased episodes from season seven, it aimed to appeal to fans desiring an extended series experience.

Reception

According to Metacritic, The X-Files: Resist or Serve garnered "mixed or average" critical feedback. Reviewers often drew parallels to the Resident Evil franchise, citing comparable gameplay elements. GameSpot awarded it a 7.6/10 score, commending the narrative, voice performances, and character likenesses, while pointing out issues with repetitive combat sequences, awkward camera perspectives, and challenging puzzles. Likewise, IGN praised the storyline but remarked on its close resemblance to the Resident Evil formula, including the use of zombies as main foes, which limited originality in the survival horror genre.

Joe Juba from Game Informer applauded the atmospheric environments, soundtrack, and voice acting but criticized the awkward camera work and character animations. He recognized the game’s success in capturing the series' tone but felt that repetitive puzzles diminished engagement with the plot. Another Game Informer reviewer, Andrew Reiner, offered a more favorable assessment with a 7/10 rating, describing it as a solid fusion of survival horror influences despite some unclear puzzle design and camera challenges.

Computer and Video Games emphasized the soundtrack and character variety but remarked that the outdated 1990s-style gameplay brought familiar frustrations related to controls and camera angles. The graphics were labeled substandard, with close-up character models appearing unrefined. Steve Steinberg of GameSpy valued the choice to play as either Mulder or Scully and appreciated the return of original cast members; however, he criticized simplistic gameplay mechanics, aiming controls, and outdated visuals that detracted from immersion.

Louis Bedigian at GameZone highlighted the music positively and considered the voice acting adequate but found backgrounds grainy and graphics reminiscent of early Dreamcast development kits. He believed that while the story held promise for television adaptation, slow pacing and ineffective CG scenes hampered its impact.

John Davison from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine noted that involvement from the show’s writers and cast contributed to strong scripting and voice work. Nevertheless, he found gameplay hindered by typical survival horror shortcomings such as static cameras, tedious hotspot searching, inconsistent load times, stiff character models, and sparse environments. He concluded that despite some strengths, fans of survival horror might find it disappointing.

Skyler Miller of X-Play praised the voice performances, narrative, and dialogue but criticized the graphics quality, camera angles, controls, and repetitive gameplay reminiscent of Resident Evil with frustrating object interaction constraints. While acknowledging unimpressive visuals, Miller felt that strong voice acting somewhat offset these weaknesses. He suggested that devoted X-Files enthusiasts might overlook gameplay flaws and appreciate Black Ops' effort to deliver a more compelling Resident Evil-style experience than recent series entries.