Review: Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)

If you easily get seasick, this horror zombie adventure from Capcom is unlikely to go over well. If you are sensitive to 3D at all, it will just make the experience that much worse.

First, a little background. Revelations is set in the year 2005 (between Resident Evil 4 and 5). The story revolves around Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, who you might remember from the first game. Jill and Parker are sent to search for Chris and Jessica on the “SS Queen Zenobia”, which is a cruise ship that serves as the main setting for the game. The typical storytelling crutches such as flashbacks are used to “flesh out” the story (sorry for that pun) which is told via a third-person perspective (although you can switch to first person if you wish).

The graphics in this game are quite amazing, and would easily rank as some of the best on the 3DS. The 3D elements are not overstated but quite honestly the game would not have suffered much had they not been included. The audio is just as impressive, with the soundtrack creeping in at just the right moments to keep you on the edge of your toes and also keep you surrounded in the horror atmosphere. You must, quite simply, play this game only with headphones on.

With the sound great and the graphics great, you know there just has to be some problems, right? Well, I’m not too impressed with the controls. Although the game supports the Circle Pad Pro expansion, it still has that “tank” style control of choosing and direction and going with it. Seriously? After all this time? After all those bad reviews? Seriously? There are actually three different control methods and the last one might suit you better, but I’m just surprised we are still dealing with this in 2012.

One new thing you can expect to enjoy in Resident Evil: Revelations is the genesis scanner. It’s used for scanning enemies as well as the environment for hidden items including much needed ammunition. You’ll have to get good at using it if you want to get farther in the game.

If you’re new to the series, I’m not sure you’ll appreciate the controls or the messed up story. If you’re a fan of the series, there is a lot to love here and overall the polish and 3D cut scenes alone will be worth the price of admission. Overall, I can’t help but enjoy this game that is best played in the dark with your headset.

- Syd Bolton

The Good:
- Great graphics
- Very effective use of music and sound effects
- Great boss fights

The Bad:
- The controls still feel broken from 1996
- Milestones take you out of the gameplay experience

Score: 8.5 / 10