New Coat of Paint.
It’s no secret that the Resident Evil franchise is one without focus, trading in its signature survival horror for grand action-adventure style romps. Resident Evil Revelations premiered on the 3DS sparking a return to form concentrating on the scares and anxiety that should be expected from this franchise. After Resident Evil 6 was panned by both critics and fans, Capcom reacted by porting Revelations for a wider audience. Revelations exceeds where 6 fails, giving a glimmer of hope for this once great series.
To be realistic, the story in Resident Evil Revelations is pretty ridiculous. It’s no surprise to anyone at this point. But as far as typical Resident Evil plotlines go, it’s pretty good. You have your regular bioterrorism outbreak, and of course plenty of obvious government conspiracy going on. The episodic nature gives the story a bit of a break. A brief “Previously on Resident Evil Revelations” cutscene is given at the beginning of each episode providing a refresher of the story, keeping it from getting too out of hand too quickly. You may be able to keep up with the story a little better but that doesn’t keep it from being nonsensical.
Set between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, Jill Valentine and her partner Parker board the abandoned SS Queen Zenobia in a search for Chris Redfield and his partner. Upon arrival, they soon discover it’s all a trap. The entire ship is infected with the T-Abyss virus, transforming anything it touches into bloodthirsty ooze creatures. With their ride home inconveniently destroyed, Jill and Parker have to survive the ship and find a way to reach help. The game isn’t entire played through Jill and Parker. There are regular breaks to play as Chris and his partner Jessica as well as two other side characters who primarily act as comedic relief. Being broken into episodes lends depth to the story, providing flashbacks to fill in plotlines and explain everything happening away from the ship.
The majority of your time spent in Revelations is aboard the giant freighter the SS Queen Zenobia. Though massive in appearance from outside, the inside is tight and cramped. The rooms and set pieces harken back to the glory days of Resident Evil 1 and its infamous mansion. You’ll be taken from perfectly lit tight hallways to sprawling plazas, the gritty underbelly of the ship to the luxurious casino above. All while maintaining a spooky atmosphere. It’s something I haven’t felt in a game from this series for quite some time, uneasiness. You’re given just enough spooks to remind you this was once a great survival horror franchise.
Gameplay is for the most part the same as most newer Resident Evil games. The interchangeable gun upgrades are fun to play around with and provide a good deal of variety. The Genesis device is a new addition, allowing you to scan the room for hidden items not too unlike that of say, Metroid Prime. Scanning enemies doesn’t provide you with any new information, but will grant you points and racking up a hundred grants a free potion. There are a few action packed cinematic, but thankfully aren’t crammed with tedious QTEs. There are even a few levels done completely underwater that are surprisingly good despite how awful water levels typically are in video games.
Having two analog sticks greatly benefits Revelations. Trying to navigate and shoot precisely with only one stick on the 3DS could be a real pain and is the sole reason I own a Circlepad Pro attachment today. The console version gives a more convenient control scheme for someone used to standard third person shooters. The only problem being how irritatingly floaty the aiming reticle will be. Rather than stopping when you do, the reticle will continue onwards half the time, wasting ammo and causing loads of frustration. The gamepad allows you to quickly use your weapons, grenades and health items as well as providing you with a map. Off TV support is also available.
Revelations on the 3DS blew me away at the time. Nothing on the 3DS at that point had shown the graphical capabilities of the console to this degree. Taking you from perfectly lit tight hallways to sprawling open plazas; it was a nice surprise coming from a portable device. The HD port looks, well mediocre. The graphics seem washed out and while doable, can’t compete with other console titles.
Revelations does have a multiplayer component in the form of Raid Mode. This highly addictive mode is available from the very beginning, unlocking new levels as you progress through the story unlike the 3DS version which forced you to complete the game first. Taking chunks of levels from the main game, two players combat waves of enemies of varying degree. There is nothing tacked on about Raid Mode it’s a fully fleshed out multiplayer option that offers tons of replay value.
Porting a game build for a handheld to consoles is challenging. Resident Evil Revelations forgoes those challenges by already feeling like a console title to begin with. The graphics are washed out, and the controls are still annoying but this is a great port through and through. Blending old school survival horror with the over the top action of more recent titles gives me hope in these games again. Revelations is so good, almost great at times. It becomes truly frustrating for it to be held back by the nonsense this series has evolved into. Revelations focuses in on its strengths and knows its limitations, providing the clear focus this franchise has needed for a long time.
Positive:
- Actually scary.
- Interesting, if silly story.
- Raid Mode.
Negative:
- Floaty controls.
- Muggy textures.
7/10