Revelations has a good way of saying that it’s in on the joke without straying too far into self mockery. The late-game introduction of characters “Jackass” and “Grinder” are almost a way for the game to point out that design choices are intentional by ratcheting them 100 fold. They’re a pair of ridiculous goofs who make terrible jokes, aren’t equipped for the threats levied against them and their playable sections are egregiously simple to traverse. It’s easy to read them as both a negative commentary on the suggestion the series adapts to become something modern, but at the same time they’re pastiches of the existing campiness.
Although design elements are above rebuke, some implementation is absolutely lacking. The game was initially released for the 3DS and this version is the result of a port over to consoles and PC. This shows through in the way that chapter structures are put together as if intended foremost with portability in mind. You even receive a wrap-up video that shows you what has just happened in the game beforehand. This is great in a game you’re going to play in short bursts, not so much in an extended sitting. There are also terrible loading times when moving between certain sections. They’re more than long enough to be disruptive, especially so within a game that’s at core about backtracking through the same rooms over and over but having different ways to interact with the contents.
One of Revelation’s major points of distinction is the “Genesis”, a handheld scanner that scours the environment for ammunition and can synthesise health items when used on monsters. It’s a strange addition because it’s as useful as it is annoying. It technically means that the game can artificially help the player find a way to ammunition if they’re running low and also provides a risk-reward in trying to gain health items while potentially leaving yourself open to attack, but in practice it actually means that you just end up hopping into a scanning view every time you enter a room just in case you miss something. It’s bad for pacing and slows down the action.
The additional “Raid” mode is surprisingly quite enjoyable for what is ostensibly a Time-Attack without emphasis on the time. You pick a location, a character and their weaponry. Each time you complete a level you gain experience and possibly new weapons or attachments. You repeat this over and over. It’s not overly groundbreaking, but it’s compelling enough to wring some enjoyment from.
If you’re of the audience that can appreciate the tropes of a Resident Evil for what they are - choices rather than issues - you’ll get on with Revelations. It’s enjoyable on the same level as a B-Movie that has no pretences of being something greater. If issues with archaic controls are too much for you and you require the utmost narrative consistency in your games about viruses turning humans into gruesome monsters, you’re not going to find something here for you.
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