Topic: A Everyday Gamer Review #1 - Resident Evil: Revelations

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Resident Evil: Revelations

Introduction
When Capcom began testing the 3DS capabilities, of course it was the Resident Evil series that took the forefront all though Super Street Fighter 4 3DS edition was a Launch title and did in fact use the same game engine RE: Revelations runs on, these are completely different games.
With the release of RE: Mercenaries, Capcom Tested the waters once again in the portable gaming world, but not on quite the same level as the Release of Resident Evil: Revelations!

The Setting

Chris and Jill are on a mission to uncover the secrets of terragrigia a land mass with a destructive past intertwined with the presence of Veltro a Terrorist organisation using the T-Abyss Virus to create an epidemic and a frantic bidding war for the bio-weapon which is spread through water and effects all living and dead organisms.
It is clear from the start that Revelations is an attempt to bring the survival horror back in to the series. This mostly translates well with an attempt to break up the games story as episodic chapters (For portable gaming) you are thrown back and forth between the series returning protagonist Jill Valentine looking better than ever & her partner Parker Luciano. The majority of the game takes place aboard the Luxury Cruiser Queen Zenobia (I know doesn’t seem very ‘Survival Horror’) don’t be fooled by the setting. This abandoned vessel is filled with more dark, eerie, claustrophobic & horrifying variety of mutant filled locations than any horror title before it.
We are also provided an insight into Veteran of the Series Chris Redfield’s experience throughout the Revelations Timeline. Taking control of Chris himself and provided a partner in Jessica Ashawot a pretty & stuck up young agent. You will explore blistering snowy mountains, sandy blob invested beaches & often some isolated local. These sections of the game tend to be very action orientated ala RE: Mercenaries and are a nice way to break up slower horror paced sections and are a little less traditional.

Gameplay

The familiar concepts are still present you NEED to make your way through a terrifying series of encounters within an isolated creepy environment one way or another! By using a vast amount of customizable weaponry, melee attacks, and careful dodging mechanics you will have to survive the Queen Zenobia and its occupiers. Capcom have once decided again to scrap the traditional Zombie presence and have instead introduced the putty fish-man monsters from hell! Which are named the Ooze. These creatures share similar traits to their less aquatic counterparts, Slow, Scary, & and they hurt but there are a large variation of ooze ranging from fast, strong, ranged, exploding & the double swordfish handed squid headed ooze. The different variety of enemy you encounter throughout the 12hour campaign also include mutated sea creatures the likes of which you would not eat raw... and of course the Boss encounters which are genuinely exhilarating , the last time I play at work with colleagues around...

There is a great amount if replay ability within the 4GB 3DS Cartridge , as Capcom have spared no expense with the latest Resident Evil outing and have included a fully online & offline supported cooperative Raid mode where you and a friend can play through areas and zones taken directly from the campaign and are timed. The special effort is evident in Raid Mode as you gain experience and modifications for your armoury you gain levels allowing you to progress through these maps quicker and more efficiently there are also 3 difficulty settings each providing stronger and tougher enemies but also varies the encounters you will have. The ooze can also take all shapes and sizes within raid mode allowing for different characteristics such as super speed, super strength & damage reduction.

Graphics & Sound

Resident Evil: Revelations was set to be the Nintendo 3DS benchmark for graphics since conception and has clearly succeeded Capcoms in house game engine ‘MT Mobile Framework’ really shines in their latest title showing what the 3DS is capable of. The lighting effects and modelling are beyond last generation home consoles and can be viewed in full 3D. There are some Frame rate issues but these generally only crop up in loading sequences and when on screen gets extremely hectic. The cut scenes are well designed and look excellent with or without the 3D effect.

The sound of a portable game is rarely touched upon or given any credit, Revelations manages to provide atmospheric and involving sound design throughout the entire experience, the sound quality really shines through within the Queen Zenobia as you make your way through the hull and decks entering the grand ballroom with Orchestral introduction, the small staff quarters as you catch the cries of “MAY DAY MAY DAY” In the distance. This is without a doubt better experienced with the use of headphones. The voice acting is done well enough within the campaign and really captures the cheesy TV show vibe.

HARDWARE FUNCTIONALITY
Controls
3D
Gyro

Conclusion

Resident Evil: Revelations takes a step back in the right direction, returning to its survival horror roots, and introducing several modern concepts to the traditional formula. Although not an easy feat Capcom have managed to create a fully fledged console Title for the Nintendo 3DS, it carries the episodic gameplay that most portable titles bare to allow for short sessions of gaming at a time which has an effect on the immersive style of a resident evil title.
The scares and action are plentiful, the twists and bends in the story are in abundance and Resident Evil: Revelations looks and sounds outstanding, bundled in with the addictive and challenging online capable Raid Mode this entry in the series is one that should NOT be missed by any age appropriate 3DS owner!