Resident Evil: Revelations is a 2012 survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom, released for the Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.  Set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, the story of the game follows series protagonists Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as they try to stop a bioterrorist organization from infecting the Earth’s oceans with a virus.

Positives:

• Good graphics
• Good voice performances
• Creepy music
• Interesting story
• Lengthy campaign
• Great gameplay
• Challenging gameplay
• Raid Mode is awesome

Negatives:

• Lackluster antagonist
• Story feels messy

Campaign:  The game features a lengthy single-player campaign (about 8-10 hours) consisting of scenarios collected together into episodes, that is challenging as hell, especially when it comes to the focus on conserving ammo.  Most of the scenarios follow Jill Valentine stuck on a ghost ship, but some require the player to play as other characters in different settings. Like most Resident Evil games, the game is linear however, it does leave a lot of room for players to explore the ship, cause there is a lot of backtracking, especially when solving puzzles. The story follows Jill Valentine and Parker Luciani are dispatched to search for Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat who last known location is the cruise ship SS Queen Zenobia.

However, they stumble upon a plot by the seeming return of the bioterrorist organization Veltro, who threaten to infect Earth’s oceans with the T-Abyss virus.  The story is more interesting than engaging.  There were few twists that actually had me on edge and most of the characters (outside of Jill and Chris) aren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been.  Also, the story does switch between several time periods and several POVs so it does make it feel messy and hard to understand. However, it does provide an interesting experience as well as add more content to the Resident Evil lore. (3 out of 5)

Gameplay:  For fans of the series the gameplay remains the same to previous installments, where players control the on-screen character from a third-person perspective to interact with the environment and enemies.  Resident Evil: Revelations emphasizes survival, evasion, and exploration over fast-paced combat by providing the player with limited ammunition, health, and movement speed. Up to three firearms can be carried at one time, in addition to grenades and the standard combat knife, firearms can be upgraded by finding special items called Custom Parts throughout the game. A device called Genesis can be used to scan and find items hidden throughout the game’s environments. Players must complete certain objectives such as solving puzzles, defeating bosses, collecting keys that open doors to new areas, and reaching a specific point in the game. (3 out of 5)

Graphics: One of the game’s highest points is how great the graphics are. The character and creature designs look really good, both in-game and cinematics.  The level designs look great, having a dark, creepy vibe that makes the atmosphere claustrophobic.  Especially with the sections that are dimly lit or are submerged underwater. But the different areas of the ship do provide a lot of variety in scenery.  (3 out of 5)

Score:  The score is done really well, definitely adding depth to the gameplay.  The voice performances are well cast and offer more to the characters, the music helps the suspense, and the sound effects are pretty solid.  (3 out of 5)

Replay Value:  In addition to the single-player campaign, the game introduces the awesome Raid Mode, where one or two players may fight their way through a selection of altered scenarios from the single-player campaign against enemies of varying power.   Completing scenarios players are rewarded with experience and battle points that can be exchanged for various weapons and items at a store. Gaining experience and acquiring new equipment allow players to progress to higher and more challenging scenarios. As the player progresses throughout the game, the player may also unlock numerous characters for use in both the single-player campaign and Raid Mode, with each character having a different set of abilities and melee attack. Raid Mode is freakin addictive as hell.  Also, beating the single-player campaign unlocks Hell difficulty and it does deserve its title. (4 out of 5)

The Verdict:  In the end, Resident Evil: Revelations is a great game and a good throwback to the survival horror genre.  Really my only problem with the game was the story and its presentation and some of the characters who just weren’t interesting.  However, the gameplay is pretty solid, graphics good, great score, awesome Raid Mode, and a challenging gaming experience. Resident Evil: Revelations gets 3 out of 5.