Capcom, oh Capcom. You fickle tease. First you announce the return of the Mega Man Legends series with Mega Man Legends 3, but then you cancel development months later. The release of Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D brought us some of the best visuals on the 3DS, but alas it fell short with its barebones gameplay. But now, Capcom, you seem to have abandoned your disappointing reputation and given 3DS owners a reason to rejoice.
Enter Resident Evil: Revelations.
Revelations is the best third party offering on the platform yet. Featuring amazing graphics, engaging gameplay and a robust multiplayer, Revelations tears down the feeling that portable gaming is a mediocre distraction compared to home consoles.
The game’s story takes place between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5. Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield are back, joining newcomers Jessica Sherawat and Parker Luciani, as they set forth to investigate a new bioterrorism threat. The story takes you to various locales, from a snowy mountainside to a derelict cruise ship.
Most of the game is spent playing as Jill, investigating the Queen Zenobia, a cruise ship that doubles as a nightmare freighter, as you soon discover something is severely wrong with the ship’s crew. The gameplay is classic survival horror, and provide a refreshing throwback to the classic Resident Evil games. Traversing the dark and eerie halls of the abandoned ship will keep you on edge as each enemy encounter challenges your survival instincts, as well as your ammunition stash. As the story changes to follow the other characters, so does the gameplay. Adopting more action packed gameplay that recent Resident Evil outings have embraced, the game becomes a little more forgettable as you control the genocide of genetic monstrosities trying to kill you.
Despite having only one analog stick, controlling the action feels natural. Pressing the right shoulder button will bring your weapon up and aiming with the analog stick feels good. Though the game supports the Circle Pad Pro, you do not need it to enjoy the game. Selecting weapons and items is a breeze with the touchscreen. Despite the small size of the system, Revelations offers a huge, beautiful adventure. Boasting some of the best visuals seen on the system so far, the little cartridge provides a lengthy 10+ hours single player campaign, as well as a fully fleshed out multiplayer mode.
“Raid” is this game’s addictive multiplayer player mode. Unlockable after a few single player missions, Raid will have you play through alternative segments of the game alone or with a buddy via Wifi or local connection. Players must rush from point A to point B while eliminating a range of foes with varying speeds and powers. Each completed mission will earn you experience to level up and unlock more powerful weapons and power-ups. Along with unlockable achievements and bonuses, Revelations will keep you sucked in long after the credits roll.
Revelations is a marvel considering what a developer can achieve when taking great care in making a game. With visuals rivaling console counterparts and tons of replay value, Capcom has produced a quality title and my favorite Resident Evil title since 4. This game is a perfect reminder that the 3DS is a portable force to be reckoned with in the gaming world and a much needed addition to the systems software library.
