Resident Evil: Revelations Review

Without a doubt Resident Evil Revelations is a visual treat, but does it contain the scares and atmosphere of its critically acclaimed predecessors? Read on to find out.

Is this the best looking game on the Nintendo 3DS?

Categorically yes. Resident Evil Revelations is the best looking game on the Nintendo 3DS thus far and it’s a great example of what developers can achieve visually with the system. However, I did find the video cut-scenes slightly pixelated in comparison to the razor-sharp in-game visuals, but this is only a little niggle at a technically excellent game.

How were the 3D effects?

To be honest I had the 3D turned off as soon as I realised I could walk and shoot zombies at the same time using the gyroscope to aim. Sure, I would have liked to play it with the 3D on but I don’t feel as though I missed out too much. Leaving the 3D effects turned on whilst using the gyroscope proved to be a nightmare, as expected.

Does it deliver the scares?

I played the entirety of Resident Evil: Revelations using some reasonably high quality headphones and I’ve got to say that it’s the only way to play this game. There are some cheap scares here and there, but the sound work on the game is pure genius, as pipes crack overhead and the shuffling of zombies will leave you with your finger firmly poised above the shoot button.

Some publications slammed it because of its episodic nature. Were they right to?

I’m actually a fan of splitting the content of the game into episodes and chapters as it adds variety to the game, and works especially well on a hand-held system. Yes, you’ll find yourself slipping from one scenario to the next but this spices things up and assures you that you’ll never become bored with the overall story mode.

Sound and dialogue:

The music and the sound effects combined create an unparalleled suspenseful and eerie atmosphere, though some of the dialogue, particularly that which comes from third-party characters, is immensely cheesy and is bound to make you cringe once or twice. The dialogue could have done with some work, but the gameplay will keep you hooked.

Uh-oh, slow down.

Another thing that you’ll come across is slow-down which seems to plague the game when the next part of the level is loading. You’ll notice this when you’re stepping into a lift for instance and it can detract from the overall quality of the game. There’s nothing worse than seeing your character jerking uncontrollably, especially for a game of this calibre.

To sum up

The game is no Resident Evil 4, but I found it vastly more enjoyable than Resident Evil 5. This is one of those games that I felt compelled to continue, due in part to its episodic nature which, as I mentioned previously, works exceptionally well on a handheld. Capcom has not only produced one of the most spectacular games on the Nintendo 3DS, but also one of the best.

9/10