Now I'm not against reinventing an old series to work for the modern gaming scene, not at all. But when RE 5 was released, it really began to change what people imagined in their head when they heard the name "Resident Evil." No longer did it conjure images of claustrophobic hallways and having to manage your ammo while simultaneously battling a terrifying monstrosity, but instead was merely a third-person, slower version of Left4Dead. With the newest release, Resident Evil: Revelations, Capcom took a step back and saw what made the series great while including some of the modern touches we've come to expect. The end result is an amazing campaign with a surprisingly fantastic multiplayer.

Presentation

The first thing I must talk about is how gorgeous this game is. Using a modified graphics engine of Lost Planet 2, Capcom has smashed expectations of what the 3DS can do. Massive cinematic experiences are more than capable for this little hand held. The lighting, shadows and water effects are top notch. The downside to this is extended load times. These are usually hidden behind slowly opening doors.

Revealations' sound is just as good if not better than the graphics. With full 3d sound, you'll hear every door creak, monster groan, water splash and blood drip clearly. Revelations also implements a full orchestra for its soundtrack. All I can say is if you plan to play this game in the dark, prepare yourself to jump multiple times.

There are a total of four control schemes for Revelations. One of these implements the newly released Circle Pad Pro. If you have it, I can't recommend using the CPP enough. Using it will give you those amazing RE 4/5 console controls in the palm of your hand. This isn't to say that the other layouts don't work, they do. Exceedingly well as a matter of fact. Before I got the CPP, I played through the game without it and still had an amazing time.

Yes. Yes I would, 3DS.Campaign

The campaign is experienced through multiple characters, but the majority of your time will be spent with Jill Valentine. Jill and her partner Parker have been dispatched to find a missing Chris Redfield. Their trail has led them to a derelict cruise ship called the Queen Zenobia which has been overrun with a mutation of the T-Virus. This is where Revelations really shines because the luxury cruise boat harkens back to the mansion in RE 1. Tight corridors, limited ammo and some good "jump scares" litter the liner.

While Jill searches the ship, the other aspects of the story are revealed through interactions with various agents. Secret organizations, a war between different groups and more information regarding the new mutation are explained in these missions. These side stories are my least favorite part of Revelations because their focus is more action orientated. This in turn deflates any tension I felt on the boat.

What is quickly become one of my hatreds in this industry was, unfortunately, included in Revelations: checkpoints. There are no saving points, thus you are solely reliant on passing through a certain area hoping you have enough ammo to tackle the next challenge. Because you are unable to load a previous save, you might find yourself in some extremely tough situations. I had one frustrating moment where I was trying to quickly run through a hallway with no ammo and monsters behind me only to experience the "Oh God! A monster fell from the ceiling and now I'm dead" moment numerous times. Thankfully this only occurred twice out of my entire playtime with Revelations.

One big aspect of the game is the ability to upgrade your current weapons. While not new to the RE series, it is something I rather enjoy. Stopping power, multiple shots fired and other aspects can be affected through parts found in crates scattered around the levels. Finding ammo, grenades and other items is helped through the use of a scanning device. Simply aim around the room and if the scanner picks up on something, it will be revealed to you. It sounds like the type of thing you'd use once or twice, but don't be surprised if you have it out as much as your weapons.

Must... find... all... the... items!

The campaign isn't filled with too many twists and turns and you'll be backtracking a lot. The only thing breaking up the monotony of the retraced areas are boss battles. They usually entail finding the weak limb, firing, reloading and firing again. Not a lot of strategy, but RE isn't exactly known for its challenging, puzzle-based enemies.

Multiplayer

RE has been trying to get some sort of multiplayer going for a while and I absolutely love what they have done in Revelations. The mode entitled Raid Mode has sucked up so much of my time that I sometimes forget that there is actually a 10 hour single player campaign packed in with it. You can play online, locally or by yourself in areas that are taken from the single player.

Raid Mode can be best described as Phantasy Star Online with monsters. You gain experience and eventually level up. Doing so will give you new weapons or you can simply buy those weapons using the BP you gained in the campaign.

It's not everyday you see a monster bleed numbers.

In both single and multiplayer you will team up with a partner for the entire game. Thankfully, your AI companions will not steal your herbs or ammo like in RE 5, but they will be dumb meat shields most of the time. They'll get in your line of sight and rarely help you out in tight situations.

Verdict

You can make a RE title for the modern gamer while at the same time keeping aspects of the original game. Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS is proof of that. Not only does it harken back to what made the series great, but it also implements a multiplayer aspect that really blew me away. Though suffering from extended load times and dumb partner AI, Revelations isn't just a great game, it is a system-seller. It is the best looking game on the 3DS and is the best Resident Evil game since RE 4. If you have a 3DS, do yourself a favor and try this out. If you don't have a 3DS, it's a great reason to get one.

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