RE: Revelations is not that hard. It's a fun little game. However, one area where it is slightly difficult and frustrating is the lack of a competent AI Partner...... My 'partner' is either non-existent or does minimal damage... :D
Oh. I'm sorry, I did not know that. I will look and see where it should be posted and make the correction. Okay, I've posted it on my personal blog. Again, sorry about that. Thanks.
Although I am not a 'serious' gamer of the Resident Evil series, I have always admired it as a casual observer. The first time I played RE was when my younger brother acquired it on the Sony Playstation back in the 1990's. I was impressed with it back then and although I am not the type who got fully immersed with it, I have always admired the genre and have kept track of the canon of the franchise. "Resident Evil returns to survival horror with a brand new storyline and a new level of tension and intrigue. A brand new setting delivers a more tense and intriguing gameplay experience than any Resident Evil to date! Built from the ground up to take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS features, Resident Evil Revelations delivers outstanding visuals that bring the fear to life." - excerpt from "Resident Evil: Revelations" official website I decided to write a personal review of Resident Evil: Revelations because I felt it would be good to have an amateur's point of view on the game. This is only the second review I have ever written. The first review I composed was a few years back with RE: The Darkside Chronicles. Perhaps I will write a casual gamers review of Skyrim in the near future. Wait, can a casual gamer even hope to get through Skyrim? RE: Revelations takes place between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. It brings back characters Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield. It also introduces a number of new characters to the series. At the writing of this review, I have only played RE: Revelations through Episode 6 (Cat & Mouse). Which leads me to my first category of review. -Presentation- The story opens up with Jill Valentine and her new partner, Parker Luciani on a small tugboat in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Both have been given orders to make contact with fellow agents Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat who have gone missing. The intel given to Jill and Parker leads them straight to a desolate cruise liner called the Queen Zenobia. And to make matters worse, the weather is stormy and unforgiving. The two make their way on to the cruise ship and the adventure begins. Resident Evil: Revelations plays like a mini-series television show and is divided up into episodes. As players progress through the story, you are treated to a number of different cutscenes and flash backs that helps players get up to date on the current situation. When an individual reaches the end of an episode, a cutscene ensues showing the 'cliff-hanger' and advances the player to a statistics screen showing progress i. e. shooting accuracy percentage, number of deaths, etc. The game then moves on to the next episode and treats the player to a 'Previously, on Resident Evil: Revelations--" intro. The spirit of this game hails back to the roots of Resident Evil. It is a survival horror game with a flavor of playing in the third person point of view of Resident Evil 4 and 5. This is not a fast paced, shoot them with guns blazing all over the place kind of game. The first obvious thing that the player will notice is how scarce ammunition is. In my opinion this is more realistic. This is a game that requires players to move at a much slower pace as they explore each corridor and room. The reason for this is that players will want to find every bit of ammunition and green herbs as possible, as well as parts for upgrading weapons. Many of these items are hidden from plain view. In order to locate them, players are given a nifty little device called the Genesis Scanner. More on the Genesis Scanner is covered in the gameplay section of this review. Also, the BOWs in here are not zombies. It is obvious that they are various members of the crew, but their mutation appears to put them past the traditional zombie form. Members of the crew are humanoid in appearance, but have been transformed into creatures that look more extraterrestrial than anything else. However, players will not get the feeling that they are playing some sort of space game. It is very much down to earth and very much Resident Evil. My Ranking - 9 -Graphics- The graphics on this game are excellent. Capcom made sure that it took advantage of the capabilities of the 3DS. And they did a good job. You get very good 3d effects and the cutscenes are nicely done. You can enhance the depth using the 3DS slider control and add even more by accessing the options selection in the main menu to further enhance the 3d. The main character models are wonderful and the effects are pretty good (I have often wondered why Clive R. O'Brian reminds me of Columbo). The textures and shading of the cruise liner and other locations is nice. But there is one area where I was not too impressed with the graphics and this was a harbor/port type of area. Monster detail is simplified when compared to the main characters. Especially the large leech type creatures that appear in the harbor. It appears that this was done on purpose to keep the performance of the game manageable. I am personally fine with this since I will be concentrating on killing these things before they devour me as opposed to standing back and admiring how grotesque they look. But that's just me. My Ranking - 8.5 -Sound- The music does a wonderful job of building up a 'something is going to get me' atmosphere as players explore the darkened corridors and rooms of the ship. This game has its small share of 'jumpy' moments. The mixture of metallic sounds along with the grunts of BOWs lurking about gives the player an eerie feeling that something is near. That along with the music adds to the tension. You know something is coming, but you don't know when or where exactly. The voice over acting is decent. Roger Craig Smith reprises his role as Chris Redfield and adds to the consistency of the character throughout the last few games. Patricia Ja Lee reprises her role as Jill and has been credited with Jill's voice for Resident Evil 5 and the Umbrella Chronicles. Two characters who have not gone over well with most critics are Keith Lumley and Quint Ketchum. For some reason, these two guys remind me of the small autobot characters who provided comedy relief on Transformers: Dark of the Moon. I do not think they are bad, but I think that I don't know enough about them to really care about why they act the way they do. On the slight bright side, at least when they are shown, they have some interesting club/techno music playing in the background. My Ranking - 8.5 -Gameplay- If your playing style is to come in and blow BOWs away and move on quickly, the campaign or story mode of Resident Evil: Revelations is not for you. This is a slow methodical exploration game with tension around every corner. There is a variety of ways to control your characters. First, this game is compatible with Nintendo's 2nd analog stick supplement add-on and the game can be played like a standard two analog stick controller. There is the traditional control configuration and then there is the gyroscope control configuration where players can use the gyroscope to aim at the monsters while using the analog stick to move forward, backward or strafe. I personally use the gyroscope to aim. The disadvantage with this is that I have to do constant turning when aiming at multiple targets. It drives my 6 year old son crazy when he is trying to watch me fight. When things start to get hairy, I set my 3d settings back to 2d because of the amount of moving around I have to do when I have multiple targets coming after me. The control response is good and I personally find aiming at BOWs easier when using the gyroscope setting. Switching between weapons is simple by use of the touch screen or the d-pad. Even healing is simplified so that players can quickly use an herb in the heat of battle. Another option is the ability to switch to 1st person view when shooting at enemies or keeping the traditional 3rd person view. It is nice choice to have for all players who fancy one view or the other. There is a variety of weapons and customizations available to use as players progress through the campaign. Upgrading weapons is particularly useful. The right upgrade can mean life or death. Making the determination when to use your weapons and when to run and dodge past the BOWs is key and can play an important role as to whether you need to save ammo for a boss BOW or if you are going to have to face creatures on your return trip through an area. Game saves occur periodically at check points or at the beginning or end of an episode. This is one facet of the game that I have wished that I could save at any point of the game. Checkpoints can be incredibly difficult and I had entered one save point where I was low on health and had no green herbs to utilize in an area filled with monsters. It was not a good feeling. I had to proceed more cautiously and always took inventory of ammo, herbs and miscellaneous tools before moving forward because I never knew when I would hit a checkpoint. The main addition to the gameplay is the Genesis Scanner. The scanner has 3 different functions. First, and probably most important, it detects hidden items in a room or hallway. Second, it gathers data on Bio Organic Weapons (BOWs) that have been defeated by the character. Upon defeating a Bio Organic Weapon, a player can analyze the remains of the creature with the Genesis Scanner. A percentage of the data is collected and is displayed to the player. When the scanner reaches 100%, the player is rewarded with a green herb. Players will be highly motivated to scan every creature they dispose of and every piece of random tissue that Genesis will detect in a room or hallway. Finally, the Genesis Scanner is also useful for detecting monsters that may be concealed from normal view. This is most obvious during situations where the player is traveling through a partially flooded passageway or room. I have used the scanner as an early warning system to help me detect enemies who are submerged underwater. This has proven to be very helpful in certain situations that I have been in where I am low on health and in desperate need of taking down BOWs before they get the drop on me. One other small addition to the gameplay is the overriding control panel feature. If a control panel is available for a player to open up. The player can use the 3DS touch screen to re-route wires to open an otherwise sealed door. This puzzle is very simple and attempts to add a small touch of innovation to the game. In my opinion, having this feature neither improves nor harms the game. I was fine with it, but I could do without it as well. Once a player has progressed through enough of the campaign, another gameplay feature called the Raid mode becomes available. Basically, it gives players the ability to go through areas of the map that the player has completed in campaign mode. Players can purchase weapons with BP that they attained during their travels in the Campaign. Even some weapons can be purchased with the 3DS coins. As a player completes portions of a raid, more upgrades and weapons become available for the player to use. I felt pretty good about getting a handgun that did some serious damage. It did twice as much as the standard issue fire arm that I start with. I have played the Raid mode a few times and have found it amusing. It is definitely easier than the 'Mercenaries' mode of Resident Evil 4 and 5. I found it fun and amusing. I would not call it addictive though. There is an online coop feature that players can utilize locally through the 3DS wireless feature or 2 players can play via the internet in a coop mode. Sadly, there is no coop mode for the campaign. But players can hack and shoot in the Raid mode to their hearts desire. The initial playable characters that open up in the Raid mode are Jill, Chris and Parker. More characters unlock later on. I have not worked with the online mode yet, but plan on doing it very soon. There are unlockable accomplishments called Missions as well. For the most part, it is amusing and kind of reminds me of the accomplishments of Left4Dead. It doesn't help nor harm the gameplay. One major downside to the gameplay is the AI of your partner. Parker does not do much damage to the BOWs. And they focus primarily on the player unless the AI controlled character happens to do some sort of significant damage. Which is not that often! I understand the thinking that it is the player's responsibility to take down a BOWs, but partners are supposed to be there to provide SOME kind of support. The AI was not extremely helpful when it came to this. With fairly easy controls to work with overall, I found the gameplay smooth and fun. My Ranking - 8 -Lasting Appeal- In all honesty, I do not know how much lasting appeal this game will have. Playing the campaign mode could prove fun just for the visuals and the cutscenes. The Raid mode may also be very fun too. But right now, since I have not completed this game nor played the Raid mode online, I will reserve judgement. -Conclusion- In my opinion, this is the best 3d game for the 3DS since Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time. The graphics and gameplay on this game strengthens the potential argument of the 3DS being a good choice for intense gamers. My hope is that other 3rd party developers will take note of what Capcom has done here and develop some great games for the more hard line players. Two thumbs up. This is a 'must have' game for the 3DS. My Overall Ranking - 8
Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is based on Capcom's famous Resident Evil series. Specifically, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica. Released on November 17, 2009, Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is exclusive only to the Nintendo Wii. The game is a rail shooter and is rated 'M' for language and gore. Opening Summary The game opens up as a story in which Leon S. Kennedy, agent of the United States Government, is on a mission somewhere in South America. The year is 2002. 4 years after his experience the Raccoon City incident (Leon's first and only day as a rookie for the Raccoon City Police Department). Leon meets up with SOCOM Special Forces Specialist Jack Krauser. This would be his first ever mission and interaction with Krauser. The mission is titled "Operation Javier". Leon and Jack make their way to a flooded village in which they are supposed to meet up with their guide in hopes of being led to Javier's castle. After a series of events and encounters with BOW's (BioOrganic Weapons) that include zombies, giant frogs and spiders the two discover that their guide is mortally wounded. Under his dying breath, the man makes reference to a girl and then dies. Leon and Jack decide to locate the girl, and after another series of encounters, discover her in a flooded church. From there, they meet the first BOW Boss. Upon defeating it, Jack asks Leon about his history with BOW's and it is at this point Leon begins his flash back of his experience at Raccoon City with Claire Redfield (Resident Evil 2). This would open up the mission called "Memory of a Lost City" and later "Game of Oblivion" (Resident Evil: Code Veronica). Review Presentation If you are not familiar with the Resident Evil franchise, you are still in good hands with this game. The introduction is straightforward enough for people to understand who the primary characters are. There is enough of a storyline involved to keep you informed with the dark memories of Leon and why he is somewhat 'hardened' by his Raccoon city experience. When the characters eventually switch to Leon and Claire, you have a quick understanding as to who she is and why she is there. Though brief, it is enough to keep you in touch with what the characters represent. While there is enough of a storyline in place to keep you updated on the situation, it was somewhat disappointing in the area of Leon's interaction with Ada Wong (who is encountered during Resident Evil 2). In my opinion, not enough time was dedicated to the development of their 'emotional' connection and the relationship comes off as too brief and somewhat unsatisfying as to why Leon has a hard time letting that part of his heart go when it comes to her. This emotional connection is referenced during Leon's closing remarks with Ashley Graham in Resident Evil 4. However, if Leon and Ada's relationship stemmed from the small interactions they engaged in during the Darkside Chronicles, it would seem unfounded with the exception of one specific event that occurs later on during the game. I could see why he would be attracted to Ada. The creators took care in making her beautiful yet mysterious. Aside from this, the game, storyline and presentation is adequate enough to keep your attention on the relationship(s) of the characters. On the plus side, I found Claire Redfield's emotional connection development with Steve Burnside more realistic and satisfying than that of Leon and Ada's. However, at the same time it is understandable that Claire and Steve's connection was more realistic due to the fact that all of Resident Evil: Code Veronica found Claire and Steve together for more than 85% of the game as opposed to Leon and Ada's time in Resident Evil 2 (roughly about 5%). Perhaps there could have been a way to have Ada spend more time together with Leon and Claire during their adventures in the sewers. This would have given the creators more opportunity to build on Leon and Ada's relationship. Leon's relationship with Jack develops as they adventure together in South America. It is apparent that their partnership has formed a professional 'bond' between the two of them. Another thing that people may consider a negative is the fact that neither Leon nor Claire (or Claire and Steve) had the ability to engage in alternate paths as in the original games. This could explain the reason why Leon and Ada's relationship interaction suffered in this game. However, even then, I believe that this could have been handled differently without having the separate paths. While this could be a strong argument, I always believed that in a real life situation, the two characters would have remained together and not separated as in the original games. I think that this adds to the realism of the storytelling (I cannot imagine Leon reminiscing about taking path A while Claire did path B). I believe that it is obvious that these two would have a stronger bond with each other by staying together and that is what this game is trying to accomplish. Quite successfully I might add. Presentation: B+ (very close to an 'A' but the somewhat lacking storyline on Leon and Ada really played a role in bringing this down). Graphics The graphics on this game are excellent. The creators utilized innovation to make this game look really good on the Wii. Although this is not Xbox 360 or PS3 material, this game proved that the Wii has wonderful graphic detail capability. It is evident when Leon and Jack first enter the flooded village in South America. Though the detail would not do anything to frighten the other two higher grade consoles, this definitely did the Wii justice. On the downside, there were instances in the game where the voiceover dialog was not matching the characters. Sometimes the dialog would occur about half a second before the characters lips would start moving. This was noticeable, but I was not overly irritated by it. Graphics: A- (would have been an A+ had the voiceovers been synchronized). Sound Capcom really tried to develop the shock value in certain areas of the game by giving special care to the cinematography. And for the most part, they did a decent job. When I first played this game with the lights off, I actually jumped on a few situations. The music built up the tension as intended and the sound effects were realistic. You knew something was about to happen just by hearing some of the sounds. The voiceover acting was on par with Resident Evil 4 and 5. Some believe that it was laughable or cheesy. I thought it accomplished what it had intended. Sound: A- Gameplay This is an area where many people can disagree. I believe that a person's tastes will determine the amount of the satisfaction one will have with the gameplay. The first person point of view was awesome. Some critics would note that the camera was too shaky and often look too 'Cloverfield' or 'Blair Witch'. The concern for this was that it proved challenging to players to get a good aim at the creatures due to the shaking of the camera. This primarily occurred during moments when the characters were either running, had fallen down or were in some sort of state of panic. In my opinion, this added to the realism of the game and the moment because it revealed that the characters were not cold, unfeeling robots that could just aim and shoot without feeling fear or concern for their lives. Also, the ability to aim and shoot while breaking into a full sprint was difficult because the characters were fleeing for their lives. Again, this added to the realism of the game. Another improvement was the simplicity of the weapons interface. Players now have the ability to assign which weapons can go on the d-pad. This is a welcomed improvement to the game. One thing the creators attempted to do to add realism was show one of the protagonists on the screen during various moments in the game. I enjoyed seeing Claire or Jack every so often. It reminded me that I had a partner in this fight for survival. In two player mode during this time, the 2nd player's ability to shoot would be disabled. This situation also occurred when a zombie would have a particular character in a grapple situation. It was then up to the partner to shoot the zombie so that control could be relinquished. This could be considered a negative for some team players. I thought it was a nice touch of realism in my opinion. I do not play many rail shooters, but I found this one particularly enjoyable when I compared it to its predecessor (The Umbrella Chronicles). Gameplay: A Lasting Appeal I recently completed the game and there are some extra features. The most obvious is the addition of various costumes for the main characters. I have not unlocked all the costumes so I will share those once everything has been unlocked. This has a decent replay value and I believe that go back and playing as a different character will at to its longevity. There is also a 'secret' mode that is unlocked once you complete the game on the first round. More on this later. Lasting Appeal: B Overall, Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is a great game. I found it satisfying and refreshing to revisit Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica from a different perspective. I highly recommend it! Two thumbs up. Overall Grade: A
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