A fun little package that's a must-get for any action game fan with a 3DS
Story:N/A
None at all, actually.
Gameplay: 9/10
The entire gameplay experience can be summed up in one word: FUN. The premise is simple; as with Mercenaries Mode before, choose a character, get into a map, and kill as many BOWs as possible, racking up combos and S-rankings. Normally, this wouldn't mean much, but it works simply because it has the mechanics to back it up. Gameplay is centered around a third-person action scheme similar to that in RE5, but multiple control types to suit different player preferences are offered in addition to the RE5 control scheme, my favourite of which is a traditional third-person shooter layout reminescent of what is attempted on the PSP (Circle pad for movement and strafing, ABXY for looking up, down, left and right, left trigger to aim and right trigger to shoot. D-pad to reload and quick-turn). Of note here is the option to switch between third-person and first-person aiming in the control options. While third-person was used in RE5, and wasn't too bad, first-person aiming is a little more immersive, and is more impressive for when you want to play with 3D on (I'll elaborate on this later under Graphical Presentation.)
The SP component isn't much more than an extended tutorial for the first 2 sets of missions, after which are just sets of missions to challenge you further. An additional Survival mode where wave after wave of BOWs just come at you with no time limit is also present. Unlocks such as additional characters (8 of them in total: Chris and Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, HUNK, Albert Wesker, Rebecca Chambers, Jack Krauser & Barry Burton) and alternate costumes (1 for each character) keep the replay value up (the unlock requirements aren't easy at all!) along with unlockable skills/buffs and medals (50 in total) earned from achieving certain requirements.
The Multiplayer is where this game really matters. It is, after all, the central focus of Mercenaries Mode. There's both local and online play, and it's the same game, but the addition of another player makes it that much more fun. Unlike the other games on the 3DS that I've tried online so far, lag is practically non-existent despite my admittedly slow wi-fi internet connection. (DOA:D in particular, had terrible lag at times, but I digress.)
Sadly, the lack of additional characters such as Leon from RE4 and Sheva Alomar (RE5) was a little disappointing, and 1 alternate costume per character is a bit of a letdown. I'm hoping Capcom follows Tecmo-Koei's lead and gives us those for free via SpotPass.
Graphical Presentation 10/10
Easily one of the best-looking game on the 3DS. With textures, models and effects on par with the other best-looking game DOA:D, it manages to achieve similar graphical effects as seen on RE5 on 'Medium' on the PC. It's pretty darn good for a portable game. Plus, unlike in DOA:D, even when 3D is turned up all the way, there is practically no noticeable drop in frame-rate, even in the most intense moments of the game. Also, as I've said before, the 3D is especially impressive when you're using first-person aiming; there is truly a sense of depth when you're aiming down the sights of your rifle, and makes the game that much more fun to experience.
Sound: 7/10
Nothing really special; the voice-acting is so-so, and it seems all the sounds and soundtrack were taken off past RE games. But it works, and there's nothing much to complain about here.
There's no denying it. Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D is easily one of the best games for the 3DS right now. As I've said before, the simple premise and effective gameplay is what works so well, especially for a portable game like this, where all you want is a 15 to 20 minute distraction on a bus ride or while waiting for an appointment. If you enjoyed the Mercenaries mode at all in RE5 (or RE4, where I think it was introduced), you will love this game. I found it well worth the (ridiculous) Japanese import price, and it easily took the top spot for 'most time spent' on my 3DS from DOA:D. Though I really hope Capcom does release at least some form of SpotPass content for this game, just so I can get more costumes. I'm weird that way.
SPECIAL MENTION:
Also bundled with the game is a demo for Resident Evil: Revelations, the other RE game planned for the 3DS. I had to put this here because I thought it is simply revolutionary, despite its short length of about 5 minutes. It seems to be going back to the 'survival horror' roots of the RE franchise, and the graphics are simply gorgeous. It looks a lot better than the game it comes with, and that's saying A LOT. For a game that isn't even complete yet, I have very high hopes for it.