Resident Evil: Revelations 3DS Review

Now is a critical time in the lifespan of the Nintendo 3DS. After stumbling through an anemic launch, the handheld has just begun to rebound thanks to a substantial price drop and the arrival of some good games. With the PS Vita release imminent and mobile gaming eroding their market, Nintendo needs to make a convincing argument these days to sell a $40 handheld game. Capcom makes their case by delivering a full-featured exclusive entry in their survival horror series Resident Evil to the 3DS. Is it worth taking a ride on the Queen Zenobia?

Resident Evil: Revelations takes place between the events of RE4 and RE5 and features series mainstays Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, along with a cast of all-new characters. While Jill and Chris are dual protagonists, their story arcs occur independently and in separate locations for the majority of the game. BSAA Agent Chris is sent to investigate Terrorgrigia, a city ravaged by a bio-terrorist outbreak. When he falls off the grid, Jill is dispatched to the Queen Zenobia, an abandoned cruise ship in the Mediterranean to search for him at his last know GPS location.

The bulk of the game is told from Jill’s perspective as she investigates the vessel going room to room in classic Resident Evil fashion. I won’t risk spoiling the story, but it hits all the usual notes about bio-terrorism, evil corporations, and mysterious characters. There’s plenty of the B-movie campiness we’ve come to expect from Resident Evil and if you’re looking for cringe-worthy dialogue, you’ll find numerous examples of it here. Some of it can be blamed on bizarre localization like Chris’ female partner randomly telling him “Me and my sweet ass are on the way”. Personally, that’s part of what I enjoy about the series as I’ve never been bogged down by taking anything Resident Evil too seriously.

One of the biggest shakeups is the fact that Revelations is divided into episodes, rather than a straight through game. Each of the game’s 12 episodes lasts about 45 min to an hour and features a cliffhanger ending along with a recap of previous events, similar to what you find on a serialized TV show. This pacing of smaller, digestible chunks of gameplay suits the handheld perfectly, not to mention the 3DS’ notorious battery life.

Over the last decade gameplay in the Resident Evil series has morphed from the originals tank-controls to a decidedly Western style action shooter. Survival Horror became Survival Action. Revelations doesn’t attempt to change this and the combat has more in common with it’s recent console cousins RE4 and RE5 than it does with earlier series titles. The ability to walk AND shoot at the same time will likely thrill or horrify you depending on you preferences for the series. Essential controls have been streamlined for a handheld, with weapon switching done via the D-pad and healing mapped to the A-button. The controls are intuitive and I would argue outright necessary on the 3DS. The last thing you want to do on a handheld is fight with the controls or navigate through a clunky menu system. Switching between a first person and third person perspective can be done easily allowing you to play the way you’re most comfortable.

Speaking of controls, Revelations has the distinction of being the first 3DS game to incorporate use of the Circle Pad Pro. This $20 attachment connects via the underside of the 3DS offering an additional analog stick on the right for precise aiming and camera movement. I’d be lying if I said this didn’t improve things, essentially turning the handheld into a traditional controller. As someone who plays a LOT of console shooters, this setup felt the most natural to me. Besides the extra stick, the Circle Pad Pro made the system easier to grip and hold onto for long periods of time. The other control setups Capcom offers in Revelations are certainly playable so don’t feel obligated to purchase a CPP just for this if you have no interest in the upcoming games that support it.

As was the case with Resident Evil 5, you’re accompanied throughout the game by an A.I. partner — Jill Valentine with Parker Luciani and Chris Redfield with Jessica Sherawat. Unlike RE5’s Sheva, these partners can’t be killed and don’t consume ammo so you needn’t worry about babysitting them when things get hectic. Unfortunately, they also don’t contribute a whole lot in regards to combat as many of their shots miss, rendering them strictly along for plot purposes or to keep you company. Their presence does slightly diminish the fright factor however, as exploring dark passageways is always scarier alone.

Another notable gameplay element is the new ‘Genesis’ scanner, a device that allows you to examine the surrounding environment for hidden items and clues, ala Samus Aran in Metroid Prime. When using the ‘Genesis’ device, the perspective switches to a first-person viewpoint letting you scan around 360 degrees and locate items. Mostly you’ll find ammo and health pickups which come in handy as they seem more scare in Revelations. You can also scan enemies (dead or alive) and gain a percentage of data on them. Reaching 100% awards you a heath item as a bonus. It’s a nice addition that slows down the place between frantic battles and brings a new layer of exploration. Hopefully it makes it’s way to Resident Evil 6 later this year.

Graphically, Revelations stands as king of the 3DS mountain. Capcom have laid down the gauntlet to future titles by proving what is possible on Nintendo’s portable system. Although much of the game takes place on the cruise ship, there are still a variety of memorable locations such as a casino area, a kitchen and a dining hall. Environments appear detailed and gorgeous, something I didn’t expect from a handheld title. In fact, there were several times I wished I was playing Revelations on a large television because things look so good. Capcom’s MIT Framework Mobile engine looks unbelievable and is every bit impressive as it’s console big brother. All this visual brilliance comes at a cost however, as occasionally slow-down rears it’s ugly head. It’s not too frequent, but it happens more than it should.

It’s definitely a challenge presenting a survival horror game on a handheld, the small screen just isn’t suited for the level of immersion required to scare your pants off. (Protip: Play it in the dark!) What Revelations does manage to do is create tension. Exploring the cruise ship from room to room and navigating it’s dark, narrow hallways gives a frightening unease at the unknown lurking behind every corner. The Queen Zenobia cruise ship ranks highly on the list of Resident Evil locations and in some ways mirrors the original mansion from the first game.

The only place where Revelations truly disappoints is with the enemy character design of the Ooze, this game’s water-based zombie equivalent. Many are bland gray blobs in a shape that somewhat resembles a human that moan and lumber toward you slowly. Talk about lame. It’s difficult enough eliciting scares on a three-inch screen, but it doesn’t help when you‘re fighting generic water-monster #215 for the hundredth time. Considering the rest of the game’s graphical prowess, it’s a major letdown that the primary enemies are so uninspired and dull. Fortunately, the bosses are fantastic and offer something memorable to pick up the slack. The boss fights are legitimately heart-pounding encounters and were the high point of the game for me.

In addition to the 8-10 hour single-player campaign, Revelations also includes “Raid Mode”, a Resident Evil: Mercenaries inspired kill-fest. Here you play story-free missions, either solo or in two-player co-op (online or local), earning points for each enemy kill to be used in leveling up your character and purchase better weapons. It’s a substantial offering that offers something to do after completing the campaign. A New Game+, and a harder difficulty are unlocked when finishing the campaign giving completionists one more reason to replay.

The Verdict
Resident Evil: Revelations joins Super Mario Land 3D as a must-own title for the Nintendo 3DS. It successfully captures the classic atmosphere of Resident Evil while modernizing it with simplified controls and a new episodic format. Don’t let the fact that it’s on a handheld fool you, this is a “real” Resident Evil game with high production values and presentation. It’s truly gorgeous and will likely be the game you use to show off the 3DS to friends.

If you’ve been waiting for a hardcore gaming experience on the 3DS, Revelations delivers.